Chaotic Summer 4: Camp Autism

Chapter 2

Shellington: Gideon has what?

Tweak: Autism? Last week we went to see a child psychologist and after interviewing and analyzing, Gideon, he informed us that he's autistic.

Capt. Barnacles: It is perfectly normal to receive a diagnosis at his age.

Shellington: Why are you nervous?

Tweak: I came to y'all because I don't know what to do. I don't know how to raise an Autistic, I mean, I don't know where to start. I've raised a Neuro...Neuro...What's that word?

Capt. Barnacles & Shellington: Neurotypical.

Tweak: Yes! Neurotypical. TUFFIE is one? Right?

Capt. Barnacles: Yes, has she shown signs of Autism, Asperger's, ADHD, or ADD?

Tweak: No...

Shellington: Then she's Neurotypical.

Tweak: Alright...

Tweak ran her paws through her hair, nervous about how she would do this, Shellington and Capt. Barnacles went over and comforted her, they knew how she felt about raising a child with Autism since AJ and Junior are Autistic too. AJ received an Autism diagnosis at the age of four following her parents' observation of her communication challenges in daycare. Similarly, Junior was diagnosed at three years old after his parents noticed his sensitivity to noise. 

Shellington: We can help you Tweak, we were discussing a summer camp for Autistic Children.

Tweak: A summer camp?

Capt. Barnacles: We used to go to the Summer Camp when we were kids, and the camp is still going on we were thinking about returning to the camp as counselors and we were wondering if you want to join us, unless you have other plans this summer, and it's okay if you're not interested in-

Tweak: No, I want to come along, maybe I'll get some tips from the other parents who also have Autistic children. But I just want to ask y'all if this is normal in an Autistic kid, especially my Gideon.

Shellington: Okay, shoot, what is it that you want to know?

Tweak: Logan and I noticed before and after the diagnosis that Gideon had been obsessed with dinosaurs, so we bought a lot of dinosaur books, toys and went PJs for him and I recently got him a dinosaur blanket to go on his bed and just out of curiosity, is that normal? For an Autistic kid to be obsessed with a topic that they like?

Shellington: Oh, absolutely. I was obsessed with Science and Marine life when I was pup.

Tweak: And look how you turned out, you became what you were obese with, An Autistic Marine Biologist. Do y'all think that Gideon would grow up to be a Paleontologist?

Capt. Barnacles: The Study of Dinosaur?

Tweak: Yeah.

Shellington: That we don't know? But it's a good theory.