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Photos by MIKE VALERI/The Standard-Times Above, Collin O’Brien works with Master Kim of Kwon's U.S. Tae Kwon Do Center in North Dartmouth. Right, Ian Mayo practices a kick with a member of his class. Both boys recently earned their black belts.

Martial arts 'a godsend' to autistic pair

DARTMOUTH — Earning a black belt in tae kwon do takes dedication, commitment and discipline for any child, but for two autistic SouthCoast boys, it also took courage.

Ian Mayo and Collin O'Brien have been studying at Kwon's U.S. Tae Kwon Do Center in North Dartmouth for four years. Both boys earned their black belts on Jan. 27. Both boys are autistic.

Ten-year-old Ian has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. As a result, he has limited social skills and sensory problems.

Those limitations made Pam and Robert Mayo of Dartmouth nervous about putting their son into tae kwon do.

"What if he doesn't behave? What if he doesn't listen? What if he runs around? That's all I could think of," said Mrs. Mayo.

Ian surprised everyone, not only with his enthusiasm and performance in class, but with how much he has grown through the program.

"He loved it," said Mrs. Mayo. "This was the place where no one judges him. He's able to focus and do what he's supposed to do. This place was a godsend."

Mrs. Mayo credits the patience and understanding of the instructors for Ian's success, even outside of class.

"The instructors have taught him some techniques to help his self control and anger, and he has made an effort to utilize the techniques that have been given to him," said Mrs. Mayo.

Ten-year-old Collin's communication skills are limited, but since he began tae kwon do, his ability to focus and pay attention seems to have improved. Collin's mother, Suzanne White, said his martial-arts class experience has helped him in school.

"I didn't even think he'd get half the way there," said Ms. White, who lives in New Bedford. "I'm very proud of my boy. That's a major accomplishment."

Collin studies tae kwon do in the same class with his brother Derek, who is 15 months older. Derek also earned his black belt last month.

"Derek helps him out a lot," said Ms. White. "He grew up with (his brother's) disability and you do what needs to be done. You just work with it."

As for the impact Collin's autism has had on the family, Ms. White said it is hard to imagine life being any other way.

"You learn to accept things as they are, not as they could have been or might be, because you just don't know," said Ms. White. "For right now, this is how it is."

"To see my son make so many changes and make so much progress and become so successful in society, as a parent you want to embrace all of the things that allow this to happen," said Ms. Mayo.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/02-07/02-13-07/09local.htm

That's good for him.
How come we don't see more of these stories for better arts?

market penetration.

i'm pondering the havok one could create at the head of an all autistic judo team.

In all seriousness, yes TKD is BS in how it awards BB's and such. BUT MA can help kids like this.

No they probably can't fight and might have an issue in life thinking they can. However I have seen kids in my children's class who have behavioral problems get better through MA

Maybe it's the different teaching environment with structured physical activity stimulating nurons that traditional school can't reach but there is a positive effect even from bullshido mcdodjo's for kids like that, which will be more important to them in their life than being able to kick ass.

As an adult with Asperger's syndrome, I have mixed feelings about the use of people of all ages on the autism spectrum being used for marketing opportunities. On one hand, MA can be good as a form of therapy for Asperger's kids who most often are dyspraxic (I'm no exception to this) and have frustration issues from years of trying to deal with the neurotypical in social situations, dealings generally met with ridicule.

However, on the other hand, I usually see self-serving news stories and adverts like this come from McDojos or TMA schools as anecdotal evidence of how great their l33t teaching skills are, and as a validator for the "MAs are for personal improvement" line of crap. As to why schools from more sportive arts don't tend to advertise this, I feel it's more because they pride themselves more on their competitive product and the fighting ability of their general student body as opposed to the self-improvement of a few somewhat-impaired children.

From my own perspective, this article appears patronising and stigmatizing. Celebrating the false 'accomplishment' of two autistic kids doing what neurotypical kids do on a daily basis only serves to cement autistics as objects of pity in the eyes of the public, and diverts attention from actual accomplishments made by autistic people within society that are laudable by any standard.

I'd personally much rather be celebrated for my MA accomplishments as another person then have the caveat 'and he's got Asperger's syndrome' added onto it, as if this makes it a greater overcoming of obstacles. From my own experience in BJJ, all it means for me is that I tend to approach rolling from different mental angles than most of my training partners do, which results in an unconventional personal rolling style and a few unique techniques that I've invented over time.



i'm pondering the havok one could create at the head of an all autistic judo team.


With the right teaching style and a healthy dose of perseveration on the part of the team, anything is possible.



No they probably can't fight and might have an issue in life thinking they can


If you're referring to TKD - You do have a point

If you truly believe that autistics can't fight, my blue belt (gained for kicking neurotypical arse) assortment of Pan-Pacific BJJ championship medals (ditto) and teammates (many of whom are neurotypical and some of whose arses I kick) all beg to differ with you.

Say it with me. Autism. is. a. neurological. condition. This. does. not. necessarily. entail. physical. disability.



Maybe it's the different teaching environment with structured physical activity stimulating nurons that traditional school can't reach but there is a positive effect even from bullshido mcdodjo's for kids like that, which will be more important to them in their life than being able to kick ass.


If anecdotal evidence is to be believed, just about any form of structured physical activity can be beneficial to autistic kids if the kid is interested or the teacher can make the kid interested and teach in a way that the kid can understand. It bears repeating that McDojos and Bullshido artists tend to exploit autistic people and pander to negative stereotypes in order to gain a reputation as effective teachers within the wider community for their financial gain.

As such, I feel that more 'alive' martial arts schools with less emphasis on that nebulous concept of 'personal/behavioural improvement' and more emphasis on the ability of their students to fight is more beneficial if anything to autistic people.

The whole problem with debates like this, as NSLightsOut points out, is that it reduces people to diseases. There's a whole industry of spivs and social workers out there relying on Autistic Spectrum 'sufferers' and their 'problems', on the grounds that the poor afflicted dears can't do anything without a helping hand.

This is unhealthy as it doesn't encourage the autistic to function as independent adults, it panders to parents who love to wallow in their 'martyrdom' status and, as I said, it reduces how a person is dealt with to what is wrong with them.

(Plus it's THE fashionable problem to have if you're a sad bastard who spends far too much time online, but I digress.)

To be honest, most people I’ve met who ‘dwell’ in the Autistic Spectrum are still perfectly functional human beings and would be able to prosper in life if they didn't have so many dumb cock-jockeys either feeling sorry for them, resenting giving birth to them or picking on them. It is only a problem if you make it a problem and don't raise your brats to respect the differences of others.

And is being rather geeky really that much of a problem? I know people with dyslexia and colour blindness, and both can be truly crippling conditions. Compare and contrast to what is for the most part just an odd manner and an inclination towards Star Trek conventions, Dinosaurs and Linux, and you'll soon see what real problems are.

There's a whole industry of spivs and social workers out there relying on Autistic Spectrum 'sufferers' and their 'problems', on the grounds that the poor afflicted dears can't do anything without a helping hand.


The autism 'industry' of various quacks and profiteers mostly targets parents driven to desperation by negative societal stereotypes of Autism Spectrum disorders. This is largely driven by a group of parents and others wanting a cure for autism, oft known as 'curebies'. Much of their literature serves only to dehumanize those on the spectrum.

However, many autistic people do need therapy or assistance of some sort to enable them to interact with a primarily neurotypical society. This is not to say that such assistance needs to be indefinite by any means, although I believe that part of the current issue internationally is the paucity of funding being directed at better treatments and therapies as compared to the amount of funding aimed at 'curing' Autism.



... it panders to parents who love to wallow in their 'martyrdom' status and, as I said, it reduces how a person is dealt with to what is wrong with them.


Oh yes. For an example of parents who love to wallow, there is a video available on teh intarweb with the lovely title of "Autism Every Day" by the rather mistitled organization 'Autism Speaks' an organization run by parents with no actual autistic people involved. In said video, much of which was staged to make the parents filmed appear to be marytrs, as well as upsetting routine (which Autistics depend upon to function to various degrees) which drove the kids up the wall. In addition viewers were treated to the lovely sight of a mother treating her autistic daughter like a piece of furniture in which she talks of how the only reason she has not killed herself and her autistic daughter is because of her neurotypical child.

....deep breath. Apologies, this is a subject that invokes a lot of rage, from years of merely mentioning the word 'Asperger's syndrome' around various people, and watching their entire attitude towards me change. It's a fucking horrible experience.



To be honest, most people I’ve met who ‘dwell’ in the Autistic Spectrum are still perfectly functional human beings and would be able to prosper in life if they didn't have so many dumb cock-jockeys either feeling sorry for them, resenting giving birth to them or picking on them. It is only a problem if you make it a problem and don't raise your brats to respect the differences of others.

And is being rather geeky really that much of a problem? I know people with dyslexia and colour blindness, and both can be truly crippling conditions. Compare and contrast to what is for the most part just an odd manner and an inclination towards Star Trek conventions, Dinosaurs and Linux, and you'll soon see what real problems are.


Your attitude is highly refreshing, even though I think that you oversimplify some of the issues faced by autistics.

If you're referring to TKD - You do have a point

If you truly believe that autistics can't fight, my blue belt (gained for kicking neurotypical arse) assortment of Pan-Pacific BJJ championship medals (ditto) and teammates (many of whom are neurotypical and some of whose arses I kick) all beg to differ with you.

Say it with me. Autism. is. a. neurological. condition. This. does. not. necessarily. entail. physical. disability.



I was referring to those particular kids in that particular school - Junior TKD black belts. I am sure the other non-autistic kids can't fight either.

I was referring to those particular kids in that particular school - Junior TKD black belts. I am sure the other non-autistic kids can't fight either.

Fair enough.

Your attitude is highly refreshing, even though I think that you oversimplify some of the issues faced by autistics.

Sorry, that's my journalistic tendencies running amok. In regards to your other points, I often wonder if it's really the parents of AS kids who have the real problem, their outlook and behaviour twisted by the shock that their son or, occasionally, daughter is 'different' in a way that is looked down upon in this society. It's just shocking that this response seems to override the basic need to love and support your children no matter what. God knows what these wankers would be like if their child was paraplegic or had Down's Syndrome.

Interesting debate. I am the father for two boys on the autistic spectrum. My oldest boy (age 12) was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome 9 yrs ago. He is an incredibly smart young man. He is encouraged and directed like I would any other child. He does need therapy due to the fact that he does not "recognize" many of the social signals that most of us see every day. He also attends therapy for fine motor skills.

My second son (age 11), is considered low functioning. He is Autistic and is mentally and physically not capable of doing many basic things, including speach. But hell will freeze over before I coddle him and do everything for him. He gets mad at me a lot because I push and push him to do even the most basic things. But after a bit and a lot of hard work he does it.

To me, all these parents who are doing everything for their autistic kids or pining for a cure are not willing to put the work, effort and confidence in these amazing kids. I am amazed everyday by the fact that if my younger son is given a chance and proper motivation he will try and try until he can complete it one way or another.

:new_argue Oh for cryin' outloud, I've got Asperger's Syndrome and I can stop my bokken about an inch from from someone's face on command and I can do the same with a two handed battle axe

so peope wanna call me uncordinated huh,? and whoever mentioned that video thanks I'm going to youtube to check it out now

damn Curebie bastards, don't mind'em usually but sometimes they get on my damn nerves

Sorry, that's my journalistic tendencies running amok. In regards to your other points, I often wonder if it's really the parents of AS kids who have the real problem, their outlook and behaviour twisted by the shock that their son or, occasionally, daughter is 'different' in a way that is looked down upon in this society. It's just shocking that this response seems to override the basic need to love and support your children no matter what. God knows what these wankers would be like if their child was paraplegic or had Down's Syndrome. I think the problem is not just parents of children diagnosed with AS, but it's parents in general. We're living in an age when dodgeball has been banned from schools, and the game of "tag" has been outlawed from schoolyards because of fears of lawsuits if a child is hurt. Many parents have one or two children at most, and think their children's lives will be an endless stream of acomplishments, and that they need to shelter their kids from any dissapointment or reality and baby them through life, while at the same time making them competetive and assertive, so they can be "successful". Many parents seem to have a really unrealistic expectation from life, and pass this on their kids. I think this attitude hurts all kids, whether or not they are on the autistic spectrum.

True, but it's even worse when parents have AS kids. That said, another big factor is the over-maternalising of society and schools in general. Rather than being dark, nasty patriarchal hellholes for schools, we now have restricted, suffocating and dogmatic hellholes run by people who neither understand nor value male behaviour.

That's not to say these places are idylls - it's still drugs and violence aplenty - and having experienced both extremes, my thoughts on the teaching profession are short, abrupt and full of terms like 'wankers', 'fucking' and 'useless'.