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12 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, November 10, 1987 A country home filled with warmth Scott's Place inspires hope for the autistic | by Cathy Olliffe Under a sunny autumn sky, the road to Scott's Place is paved only with hope. Sturdy old trees, with yellow leaves barely clinging in strong winds, line this farmer's lane. Wide open fields of tall grass wave on either side. It is a picturesque place, this house on a hill, overlooking the bright blue of Lake Scugog. It's the kind of place that inspires painters and poetry. As it inspires the people who live there. A family of six make their home at Scott's Place. Not a true family, in a literal sense ---- they are not related. But a family, in every other sense. Five adolescents. One adult. With two main things in common they all love this country home, and they are all autistic. IMPAIRS THOUGHTS Autism is a strange and sometimes horrifying affliction. People who have it don't look any different than people who do not. It is a disease of the mind that affects the victim's communication centre. It impairs the thought processing and socialization skills. Although relatively common (it claims the same percentage of the population as does blindness), it is generally misunderstood. Before the term was coined, autistic young people were labeled childhood schizophrenics. They were locked away in institutions. Some called them crazy. They are, of course, neither. And at homes like Scott's Place, they are understood. They are helped. There is hope. Susan Repa is the Program Direc- tor at Scott's Place, a renovated far- mhouse on the eastern outskirts of Caesarea. She is responsible for the nine full-time staff who in turn look after the six residents. None of the staff actually live at Scott's Place, but it is supervised 24 hours a day. The people who do live there, Susan says, suffer from varying problems with the disease. Some are high-functioning, able to go to school or hold down jobs. Others aren't so lucky, and must be taught basic socialization skills. "Socialization is the biggie,' she says, comparing different characteristics of autism. Because an autistic person's abili- ty to process information is im- paired, he or she also has problems understanding the social skills necessary to fit into this culture. "They don't learn well by wat- ching," Susan adds. 'They have to be actually taught." He oY Lk Fa 0 sf. ¥ » voi SLT This is Scott's Place, an old-fashioned far- mhouse, complete with gingerbread, located at Whether it is basic skills like lear- ning to use a toilet, or more complex skills, like carrying on a conversa- tion, the staff al Scott's Place can help. NO CURE While there is no known cure for the disease, the autistic can be taught how to fit in with the rest of society. "Everyone will learn. Everyone will grow. Everyone will be taught as much as they can hold," Susan says. On the other hand, she admits a low-functioning autistic person can't be expected to live on his or her own. They can, however, be taught day- to-day living skills to help them cope. She says the autistic tend to be compulsive and '"'ritualistic." One resident for example, won't go through a door without tapping the frame first. Another likes hearing the sound of her own voice, and will cup her hand over her cheek to hear it better. They are habits. or * rituals" that all of us have (i.e. crossing .our fingers for luck). "Our people do all the same things, but it is exaggerated," Susan explains. 'They have patterns, they like routines. Autistic people don't like change." If you kiss one resident goodnight on the left cheek, for example, he will always want to be kissed on the same cheek. "He'll even go as far as moving my face to make sure I get it right," Susan says with a grin. Many autisic people have pro- blems talking. Some can't talk at all while others repeat and mimic, a problem called echolalia. "If you say something,"' Susan says, "they may not understand what you said." Some are upset by loud noises, with fine-tuned senses easily disturbed. Others have senses that are dulled. "It's a matter of knowing your client," she explains. So far, scientists don't know for sure what causes autism, but they believe it is chromosome related. Most cases are autistic from birth, but some children don't contract it until later, often the result of a high fever. PARENTS PAIN For parents, the discovery of autism is a painful and frightening experience. Up until the age of two, autism usually goes undetected. The child, after all, appears healthy and "normal," but when the time comes WY LAS 2D §i') Yad \ NE } AES LF Al LY yk { 4 [hg | Sa FE Fa dd ~ Ee Bi ih ik 3 3 a, 9h Jd, the end of a tree-lined lane in Caesarea. The farm Meet just a few of the people who make Scott's Place such a homey environment for the autistic. Susan Repa (far right) is program direc- tor ---- her assistant program director is Daniel for he or she to begin talking, toilet training and other social skills, the parents begin to realize something is wrong. And in many cases, it takes repeated trips to different doc- tors before autism is diagnosed. "If you have a child that appears to be normal up to the age of two and that changes, it's scarey," Susan points out. "I think the part that scares people the most, is these kids are good-looking kids. They don't look anything different." That's one of the reasons Scott's Place isn't really well-known in Caesarea. Residents are often seen walking to the store, going to school (all but one resident goes to regular public school) and participating in work-related activities, while few realize they are autistic. And while few people in the com- (Turn to page 13) oh re 3 Sed is hearth and home for six autistic children and adult, as well as a challenging workplace for staff. GIANT FALL \ story for details. EB THE ndo hh aa) Get ready for winter with fabulous savings at DURHAM SHOES All Men's, Ladies', Children' S Winter Boots Smith. Julie Wilson (seated) and Mary Lou Molenaar also work at this special house. See NINZN nih featuring quilts, baby items, greeting cards, pine accessories, a Christmas Corner, antiques and many other items. 1/2 MILE EAST OF THE 4 CORNERS IN CAESAREA 15% off CRAFT SHOP 986-4833 All Men's, Ladies', Children's RUNNERS 25% Off All the latest Fall & Winter Styles Pumps Stats 10 to 50% Off DURHAM SHOES INC. 1230 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY | YOUR FOOTWEAR SPECIALISTS FOR LADIES, TEENS & CHILDREN 27 Now Open Thursday & Friday to 9 PM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday to 6 PM