Case Study D: Damian
Damian is a young man whose autism has not prevented him from developing talents across the arts from painting to music to drama. During his time with Solutions Social Care we have been encouraging him in these pursuits, as well as helping him improve his ability to access activities and engage in routines.
Both these last areas present difficulties for Damian due to his demand avoidance and difficulty communicating, and we have taken a number of approaches in helping him with these. Although he can communicate verbally, we take care to provide visual clues as well, as these help him to understand more fully; we have also created social stories to help him master social situations including shopping or taking a bus. We have supported him in developing his use of technology such as iPad, phone and computer to research and plan his days. A sign of his progress was the work experience he undertook recently in an organic shop, where he helped to organize the Monday morning deliveries.
Because of his keen interest in the arts we have also offered Damian Dramatherapy sessions. This is a creative therapy that allows individuals to explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences in a direct and non-verbal way: it’s our hope that his artistic inclinations will make this a great way to give him the space to be seen and heard on his own terms.
It’s gratifying to see a young man who faces the kind of challenges that Damian faces who is nevertheless so creative and talented. Helping him make the most of those abilities is a real thrill.