Crystal Slagman-Anjema
My blogs
| Location | Kollumerzwaag, Friesland, Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Introduction | I'm a Dutch-Canadian, now Canadian-Dutch, born in London, Ontario, Canada and since May of 2000 living in Friesland, the Netherlands. I'm married to Jan Slagman, and our daughter, Ilianna, who was born on September 17, 2004 has been diagnosed with having autism. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability. It is part of the autism spectrum and is sometimes referred to as an autism spectrum disorder, or an ASD. The word 'spectrum' is used because, while all people with autism share three main areas of difficulty, their condition will affect them in very different ways. Some are able to live relatively 'everyday' lives; others will require a lifetime of specialist support. The three main areas of difficulty which all people with autism share are sometimes known as the 'triad of impairments'. They are: difficulty with social communication difficulty with social interaction difficulty with social imagination. It can be hard to create awareness of autism as people with the condition do not 'look' disabled: parents of children with autism often say that other people think their child is naughty; while adults find that they are misunderstood. |