About Emma....
An Autism success
story:
story:
At the age of 3, Emma's parents first
read about autism, and had her
checked out by experts. Sure
enough, Emma was diagnosed as
being on the autistic spectrum. The
doctor said that if she were to
eventually learn to converse, she
would still probably never have any
kind of a social life.
Fortunately for Emma, tests proved
that she was of normal or superior
intelligence. Before starting
kindergarten, she was enrolled in a
Head Start program at age 5, to get
her used to a school routine.
She entered school then, and
throughout the elementary grades and
3 years of high school, she had an
aide to "shadow" her, and keep her on
track. Finally, in her senior year of
high school, she was entirely on her
own and graduated.
read about autism, and had her
checked out by experts. Sure
enough, Emma was diagnosed as
being on the autistic spectrum. The
doctor said that if she were to
eventually learn to converse, she
would still probably never have any
kind of a social life.
Fortunately for Emma, tests proved
that she was of normal or superior
intelligence. Before starting
kindergarten, she was enrolled in a
Head Start program at age 5, to get
her used to a school routine.
She entered school then, and
throughout the elementary grades and
3 years of high school, she had an
aide to "shadow" her, and keep her on
track. Finally, in her senior year of
high school, she was entirely on her
own and graduated.
Now she is enrolled at San Joaquin
Delta College in Stockton, California.
She is working through the Fashion
Design program, and hopes eventually
to be a professional fashion designer.
In her classes, she learned to use an
industrial sewing machine, how to sew
from patterns, how to alter clothing to
fit, how to ornament clothing using
embellishments (tucks, gathers,
smocking, beading, etc), and how to
draw the human figure for fashion
illustration.
In the coming classes, she will also
learn to make her own patterns from
her own designs, as well as the fine
points of tailoring.
Delta College in Stockton, California.
She is working through the Fashion
Design program, and hopes eventually
to be a professional fashion designer.
In her classes, she learned to use an
industrial sewing machine, how to sew
from patterns, how to alter clothing to
fit, how to ornament clothing using
embellishments (tucks, gathers,
smocking, beading, etc), and how to
draw the human figure for fashion
illustration.
In the coming classes, she will also
learn to make her own patterns from
her own designs, as well as the fine
points of tailoring.
To begin her career, she has started a
small business called "Emma's
Aprons". She makes aprons from
various patterns, both purchased and
original. She chooses the fabric,
arranges the pockets and ornaments
according to her own design sense,
and sews them herself.
She has a loving family who assist her
in the business end of it, but Emma is
essentially the "brains" of the outfit.
small business called "Emma's
Aprons". She makes aprons from
various patterns, both purchased and
original. She chooses the fabric,
arranges the pockets and ornaments
according to her own design sense,
and sews them herself.
She has a loving family who assist her
in the business end of it, but Emma is
essentially the "brains" of the outfit.
Within months after her birth in 1990,
Emma's parents knew there was
something different about her, but did
not know what.
Emma did not like to be held, she did
not watch people, nor did she babble,
as most babies do. As she grew
older, as a toddler, she never learned
to converse nor to answer simple
questions. She seemed in a world of
her own. She would insist on
completion of any occupation, and
would throw a horrendous tantrum if
anything was out of order: for example,
a button missing, or an untied
shoelace. Then, when the problem
was corrected, she would be perfectly
at peace again, as though nothing had
happened.
Every time she got home and out of
the car, she would go to the outdoor
lamppost, walk around it 4 times, then
go over to the rosebush, put her nose
to a bloom, and say "pyetty fyowdow"
(pretty flower). She never varied the
routine a speck.
Emma's parents knew there was
something different about her, but did
not know what.
Emma did not like to be held, she did
not watch people, nor did she babble,
as most babies do. As she grew
older, as a toddler, she never learned
to converse nor to answer simple
questions. She seemed in a world of
her own. She would insist on
completion of any occupation, and
would throw a horrendous tantrum if
anything was out of order: for example,
a button missing, or an untied
shoelace. Then, when the problem
was corrected, she would be perfectly
at peace again, as though nothing had
happened.
Every time she got home and out of
the car, she would go to the outdoor
lamppost, walk around it 4 times, then
go over to the rosebush, put her nose
to a bloom, and say "pyetty fyowdow"
(pretty flower). She never varied the
routine a speck.