Parenting is tough at the best of times, but caring for a child with special needs is even tougher. Sopee Chaweewon knows that all too well.

“Living with autism is like a roller-coaster ride. Some days are hard. Some days are beautiful. But we never give up. We’re doing what we can to help our son thrive and make sure that he feels loved and supported,” the mother said.

Sopee is the mother of 3 children – Eim, 25, Alex, 17, and Earn, 14.

Her personal journey into the world of autism began with the birth of Alex. He did not reach certain development milestones. He had speech delays and communication problems.

“When he was born, he took longer to develop and spoke little for his age. I knew something wasn’t right,” Sopee said.

When Alex was four, Sopee and her husband made an appointment with a developmental pediatrician who, after a series of tests, diagnosed their son as having autism and a learning disability. His mom was overwhelmed by the diagnosis.

“When the doctor mentioned autism to me I was shocked. I cried for hours, hoping that we would be able to provide our son with everything he needed,” she said.

Sopee and her husband immediately set about learning how to be able to best support their son and cater to his needs.

They took Alex to speech therapy in order to help improve his verbal communication skills. He was also introduced to gymnastics, which helps foster his cognition and fine motor skills. Piano lessons help improve his attention span, social skills and make him feel more relaxed. Math classes advance his mathematical skills and gain confidence in his abilities. Alex developed a love for art at a young age, learning basic drawing skills from his father who is passionate about art.

“We empower our son, encouraging him to take part in activities to find inner strengths and develop the skills he needs. Alex has a lot inside of him. It just takes him a little longer to express it,” Sopee said.

Alex has made huge progress with his skills following years of therapy and activities thanks to his therapist, his teachers and his parents’ hard work to build his communication skills. His breakthrough has a lot to do with music and art lessons.

“He’s so good at math, art and writing,” the mother said.

Alex has struggled with some of the challenges that come with having autism, especially communication issues. Autism makes it hard for him to develop friendships. He doesn’t make a lot of eye contact. He is sometimes bullied due to his differences. He plays computer games and watches cartoon movies for relaxation and to focus during anxious times. Fortunately, his family has always been a source of strength and inspiration for him.

“You can do it, I can do it too.”

Autism and a learning disability haven’t stopped Alex from being a keen artist and writer. He has written “Paper Heart”, a story of a boy who has tried to fight the dark side and make it brighter. It was published in Joylada, an app for readers, creators and authors to read, write and post creative stories and novels online. The story now has more than 135k followers on the site.

“The majority of readers who have read the story didn’t know that it was written by an autistic child,” Sopee said.

Alex also illustrated the story. Pieces of his digital artwork are posted for sale on JNFT Marketplace, making him the first creator with special needs on the site. Money generated from selling the young creator’s works goes to the Autistic Thai Foundation to support its programs and activities.

The marketplace is a digital platform for buying and selling non-fungible tokens which are digital assets that can come in the form of art, music, game items, videos and more.

It was Earn who loves reading and art who helped Alex find his niche, Sopee said, adding that she is his biggest helper, cheerleader, best friend and sister.

“I usually read stories aloud to my children at bedtime. Earn really loves listening to them. When I need to work late at night, Earn asks Alex to tell a story to her. And that’s got him to use imagination and speak. She also inspires him to write stories and helps him edit copy before it is uploaded to the site. Eim also helps Alex with the computer program he uses for drawings. At school, Earn also helps Alex with his homework and assignments. I’m blessed by the love my children share for one another,” the mother said.

Alex is studying in Grade 11 in a general education classroom, while Earn is in Grade 9 of the Demonstration School of Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University.

In January 2023, the young autistic artist showcased the digital pieces of work he’s created in an exhibition entitled “You Can Do It, I Can Do It,” held at I’m Park Chula, a lifestyle mall in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district, with former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva presiding over the opening ceremony.

“I couldn’t believe it. My son who has a learning difficulty is able to write a story, get it published on an online site and create digital drawings for sale. This seems to be an outlet that allows him to use his imagination and helps him express his feelings and emotions. Being an artist connects him to people. He enjoys giving a presentation of his work to an audience. Now, we have to tell him to speak slowly,” Sopee said.

Love heals all wounds

The mother recommends that parents with an autistic child embrace him or her instead of trying to “cure” the condition. It is important, she adds, to pay particular attention to the areas of communication, self-help and skill development including socially appropriate skills that will open opportunities for them as they grow up.

“Love heals all wounds. For me, having autism is not better or worse. It’s just different. Just because they don’t learn the way typical children do doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with them. It’s our job, as a parent, brother or sister need to find ways to connect to them. We should accept him for who he is and stop comparing him to others. The most important thing is to make sure he feels loved and supported. And that means you give him opportunities to master and see him shine,” Sopee said.

She is also calling on the government to increase the rights of people with autism and ways to improve their education opportunities.

According to the figures from Autistic Thai Foundation, there are more than 300,000 autistic people in Thailand. The diagnosis rates in the country are on the rise.

By Veena Thoopkrajae