Mother says 'treatment is not from a textbook'
Submitted by jcht2010 on
Edna’s James Dean Coleman loves to laugh and loves to smile. Coleman is the typical pre-teen who likes iPads, iPods, computers, music, movies and books, however, the 14-year-old was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder, a type of autism, at the age of two.
April is Autism Awareness Month.
His mother, Donna Coleman, says her son is a real delight and enjoys spending time with him.
“We love to read, go riding in the vehicle looking around to see different animals, go flying in the helicopter, boat riding, visiting parks and swimming,” she said. “His favorite places to visit are the Texas Aquarium, where he spends hours in the dolphin exhibit and Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, which is a park that is designed for children with disabilities.”
Donna said any exhibit with animals is of interest to him at the local zoos. He loves seeing elephants and giraffes.
“The most rewarding times with him are to see him smile,” she said. “I know I have done my job to know that he is happy.”
James finds it hard to be around a large crowd of people, which is common for people with autism.
“People in general, especially crowds, can be feared by children with autism,” Donna said. “The input from so many people in a crowded scenario is too much for an autistic child to absorb. Their minds are wired differently and process things differently than the common person.”
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