Ben Twist was only 5 years of age when he was diagnosed with autism. Now 11 years old, he attends a special school for children with learning difficulties at Merseyside, United Kingdom. Recently, he took a series of exams and despite doing his best, the results weren’t really favorable.
Fortunately, Ben has been blessed with awesome people in his life. Assistant teacher Ruth Clarkson took the time to write Ben a lovely letter explaining that life isn’t really all about getting good test results.
Photo credit: Twitter
In an interview with Metro, Gail Twist, Ben’s mom, said:
“He has social and communication difficulties, sensory issues and his brain processing is slow – he is a visual learner and needs a lot of repetition.”
“But, much more than that, he is kind, funny and loving.”
According to Gail, the fact that Ben was able to take the test was already a big achievement. Clarkson’s letter was, of course, much-appreciated and it actually moved her to tears.
Photo credit: Twitter
She later shared the letter on Twitter, saying she hopes that more children will be able to get positive feedback as well. As for Ben, he thought the letter was “amazing” and that “he couldn’t quiet believe that someone had said all those lovely things about him.”
“In his words it was ‘awesome.'”
Apparently, Twitter users were also touched by the heartwarming letter.
Photo credit: Twitter
Photo credit: Twitter
As they say on the interwebs, stories like this definitely “restores” one’s faith in humanity.
What Is Autism?
KidsHealth gives us a simple definition of what autism is. According to the website, autism “is a brain problem that can make it hard for kids to communicate.”
Meanwhile, AutismSpeaks shares the following “red flags” which may indicate that your child is “at risk for an autism spectrum disorder.”
• No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter
• No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by nine months
• No babbling by 12 months
• No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months
• No words by 16 months
• No meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating) by 24 months
• Any loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age
If you notice any of these signs on your child, the website encourages you to quickly talk with your pediatrician or family doctor “for an evaluation.”