KeatonStory

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classroom. They also did not plan to hire an aide for

me but my parents insisted. I was lucky my parents

knew school law because they were both teachers.

I had speech therapy, occupational therapy, and

physical therapy. My occupational therapist taught

me how to write and tie my shoe using backward

chaining. My speech therapist taught me how to

annunciate and listen to words. My parents paid a

physical therapist to work with me and build up the

strength in my legs. I learned how to ride my bike

around the parade circle at Virginia Military Institute

before 3

grade. I also learned to swing myself by

pumping my legs. This sensation of swinging gave

me quite a feeling. I enjoyed this feeling up through

middle school.

I was scared of loud noises in the cafeteria at school.

Therefore, I ate in the storage room off the main

office. I was also scared of fire drill bells. Someone

would take me outside before the bells went off.

Three bad things happened to me while in this

school system. I was diagnosed with attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) so I had a hard time

sitting down for eight hours. My teacher would allow

me to walk around in the hallway when I was restless.

My principal did not like me being in the hall and

he would make me get into push up position in the

office in front of parents, students, and other faculty

members. My occupational therapist walked in the

door one day and saw this. She called my mom to tell

her what my principal was doing and a meeting with

the principal was scheduled. They made available

some training on autism for him.