My name is Carson, I am 6 years old and I am Autistic.

Please remember that Autism is a Spectrum disorder, meaning that every Autistic person is different. With different abilities, difficulties, and varying levels of additional support needs.

So, whilst I know and respect that other peoples experiences of Autism will be different to mine, this is my story...

When I was very little, my mummy and daddy noticed that I was 'a little bit different' to other children of a similar age.

There were many things that i really struggled with, things that other children my age were developing and learning naturally. Things like eating solid foods, learning to talk, interacting and reacting to the world around them. I had very repetitive movements and a deep fixation with things not of usual interest for a toddler.

At 2 years old, It was very obvious that i LOVED to take things apart and look at the inner workings of things.

To an outsider, I didn't 'play' with toys, I 'broke' them.

To me, I was playing with them, I mean, how else would you play with a remote control tractor toy? Other than to take it apart and study the inner workings of the motor and cogs?

Instead of trying to discourage me from 'breaking' things, my mum and dad bought me a little tool kit and supervised me whilst i dismantled away.

At the age of 2, I discovered clocks. Westminster clocks, Mantle Clocks, Alarm clocks, watches, Cuckoo Clocks, Grandfather clocks, I loved them all. I loved them so much, that i began to collect them, old, new, working or not, it didnt matter.

I saw their spinning hands, found comfort in timing of the movement of the seconds hand, tick tock, tick tock, the quiet gentle sound coming from the inside the clock. BUT, wait, what is that inside? How is it making that noise, how is it moving?

When lockdown restriction began to lift a little, I bought a broken, 1880's German Westminster Mantle clock from a cr boot. The man selling it to me told my mummy that it hadnt worked in decades. A clock that had been long forgotten about, hidden for 40 years under a thick blanket of dust in his late mothers attic.

My mummy explained to him that i would probably be able to fix it. He looked down at a 'happy flappy' child and lauged at me. "No chance." he sneered.

Back home, I sat with my new clock and began to dismantle it.

Within an hour, the beautiful melody of an old Westminster clock chimed throughout the house. If only the sneering man could hear it now. Though maybe a little off key, it chimed.

In the same way that the man had judged the clock by it's appearance, never giving it a thought that maybe, just maybe, the clock isn't really broken at all, the man had judged me too, he saw a non-verbal, autistic child, not giving a second thought to the incredible inner workings of the mechanisms and cogs within me.

Just like my Westminster clock, I am not broken, I am just different.

xx

Carsons Diagnosis':

When I was 3 years old, I was diagnosed with non/pre-verbal Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder. Since then, I have also been given a working diagnosis of ADHD, and have been diagnosed with Avoidant, Restrictive, Food Intake disorder (Almost requiring a feeding tube twice in the past 2 years) and Hyper Mobility Syndrome.

When I was 4, my speech became much more communicative and I am now able to communicate verbally.

Having hypermobility syndrome also means that walking fair distances is a difficulty for me, which is why walking 100 miles in October is such a BIG challenge for me.

But I will try my very best.

Thank you for reading my story,

Love from Carson x

The National Autistic Society are there to help the 700,000 autistic people in the UK and their families - be it running specialist schools, campaigning for improved rights or training companies on being more autism-friendly, they are dedicated to transforming lives and changing attitudes.

Your donations towards Carson's efforts are greatly appreciated and not only that, they will be a huge help in creating a society that works for all autistic people and their families, thank you! 💜