Dear reader, come join me in the latest interview in the immensely popular - Empowering Voices series, that introduces us to Indian speaking autistics as they share their journey and insights. Today, we meet Mr. Siddhanth Palaparti. Getting to know him in the course of the interview, this is the poem that comes to my mind: Happiness uplifts me by Also Krass.
Happiness Uplifts Me
Poem by Aldo Krass
Welcome to my world
1. Please introduce yourself to our readers..
Hi, I am Siddhanth Palaparti. I live in Hyderabad with
my parents. Presently I am interning in an IT Company.
I also volunteer for NGOs with my graphic designing.
2. Please share about your hobbies and interests
or passions with us..
My hobbies are playing music on the keyboard, cycling
and swimming. I play Hindi film songs on the keyboard.
Music gives me immense happiness. I turn to music when
I am feeling happy or sad. I love to remember everyone’s
birthday and wish him/her for it. Almost everyday, I wish
someone known to me through phone call, text message
or voice message.
I can also do calendar calculations. I can tell day of the
week if the date is known. This helps me to break the ice
when interacting with new people.
3. How do you cope when you are having a bad day..
By praying to the Divine Mother of Pondicherry.
I bounce on the therapy ball and do stretching exercises.
When I was small, I used to colour with crayons. Now I listen
to peppy songs to uplift my mood.
4.What are glimmers in your life..
I like to search for pictures of Sri Annai and Aurobindo,
Balaji, Ganesha, Shiva and Hanuman on the internet
and also for new devotional songs. Sometimes, I like
to search for film songs of the same tune in different
languages. I feel happy whenever I think of someone’s
birthday. The clothes that I choose to wear daily makes
me happy.
From my childhood days till today, I look forward to my
evening outing everyday. I love watching KBC live. I also
feel happy whenever I remember the outings and get
togethers I enjoyed in the past with my friends or cousins.
5.When did you realize that you have autism..
Right from my childhood, I have been part of activities and
events for individuals with autism. So the buzz was always
around me. I used to participate in Autism Awareness drives
with my parents and family friends from the support group.
At that age when I was around 8- 9, I used to think people
with autism wear white half sleeve t-shirts and go for walks.
In my teens when I went to the Municipal Hospital for
assessment for autism and got accommodations for my
exams, I started realizing more about my autism, my
sensory issues in particular.
Education Experiences
1. What are your experiences in school/college..
School days were good. There were many field trips and
group activities. I loved going to school by school bus.
I have a lasting friendship with Karan, Amit & Somnath.
They were my classmates and bus friends too. I used to
feel happy when the recess bell would ring.
My school was very supportive. I used to find it difficult to
cope with changes - we had changing teachers and students
would be shuffled every year. So in every academic year I
had reduced timings in the beginning which would be gradually increased as the year progressed. I got opportunities to
participate in many activities and events such as reading
news in school assembly, Spell bee contests, picnics,
Annual Sports Day and Annual Cultural Day. I can never
forget my two Principals - Asha Damle Ma’am and
Manisha Arondekar Ma’am and my teachers and
Resource room counsellors - Vidya Miss, Indrani
Miss, Mayuri Miss, Shefali Miss, Sheetal Miss, Darshik
Sir, Alok Sir, Minal Ma’am and Neha Ma’am.
From my Xth grade onwards, I was allowed to give my
exams on the computer as handwriting was always an
issue.
I did XIIth grade from NIOS and BCA from YCMOU.
I used to do my computer practicals in
Keerthi Computers. I had fewer friends then. Sachin
Sir was very encouraging.
The lockdown during the pandemic of Covid - 19 opened
the doors for online learning. I have done many courses
and internships remotely.
2. What accommodations would help you thrive..
Written instructions, visuals, predictable schedules and
breaks.
Sensory Challenges
1.Please share your sensory world with us.
My auditory senses are very sharp. I can hear a person’s
footsteps when he is approaching our home even before
he rings the doorbell.
When it comes to food, I don’t like the strong aroma of
bananas, fresh coriander or curds.I also had tactile issues
with soft and sticky textures. For a long time I used to eat
rice with spoon though I had no issues in eating Idli, Dosa
or Chapati with hand. From around 11 years
of age, I started eating rice with hand.
I also found it challenging to trim my nails. My mother
used to trim them when I was fast asleep. Again around
11 years of age, one day I decided that from a certain date,
I would trim my nails on my own with a nail cutter. Ever
since it is a part of my Sunday morning routine.
When I sleep, I like to draw the curtains and put a pillow
over my eyes because I am sensitive to streetlights.
I can recognize pain in the ear or a mouth ulcer and I try
to address it immediately.
Communication Challenges
1. How different is your communication style from the Neurotypicals and how does it affect your daily
interactions?
I give short replies. I cannot explain in detail about the work
I do. Many times I find it challenging to raise my voice and
speak in online sessions. If I am asked questions
repeatedly, I freeze even if I know the answer.
I prefer to type in the chat box in online sessions. I am
more comfortable texting than speaking on the phone.
2. How do you cope with this challenge..
I try to improve my listening and conversation skills by
speaking more on the phone with people I know and by
listening to podcasts.
If I don’t understand something, I ask people to repeat
and to speak to me slowly.
3. What accommodations ( physical or changes in the
mindset of people around you) would help you thrive?
When others speak freely to me, I find it easier to share my
feelings with them. When their tone is kind and friendly, I feel comfortable.
Relationships
1. What do you look for in your relationships? What
challenges have you faced in your relationships?
I like to have fun moments with my friends and cousins. I
used to play Holi with my building friends in Mumbai. Now
in my online weekly hangout with friends, we play word
games and sing songs. I enjoy being in get - togethers with
friends and relatives.
I feel happy in surroundings where I can be myself. With
peers I like to be part of the team in group activities.
I like to talk to people. I look for trust and respect in all my relationships.
Regarding challenges, sometimes I wish that people around
me can understand that what is very easy for them may be
a challenge for me - e.g. closing a packet with a rubber band.
I do it but not well. I am still trying to get better at it.
2. How do you cope with these challenges..
Sometimes I ask for help . Sometimes,I avoid doing it and
look for alternatives like using a clip to close a packet.
3. What accommodations or changes in the mindset of
people will help you thrive?
An encouraging environment helps me to learn many new
things.
Any new skill introduced to me organically in a given
situation makes me feel less self- conscious and more open
to learning. If I start feeling that there are many demands, I
may withdraw and stop trying.
Bullying
1. Have you ever faced bullying..
When I was in grade 6, while commuting in the school bus
one boy from another division used to come and sit next
to me. He would talk gibberish and ask me to repeat.
I could not realize that he was making fun of me. A girl in
the 9th grade would ask me to come and sit near her.
This happened for 2 - 3 days.
When I shared this with my mother at home, she explained
to me that it is a kind of bullying.
Next day when he came to me, I told him ‘You’re a bully’.
He did not understand the meaning of the word and went
away with a puzzled look. A few days later, he was passing
below our home with my friend Somnath. I showed him to
my mother and we called them up. He was curious to see me
in my home and came up. I offered them coffee and biscuits
and we chatted nicely for a while. We made no mention of the
bus incident. He did not tease me afterwards.
2. What accommodations or changes in the mindset
of people around you would help you thrive?
Individuals with autism are very sensitive. We may not
speak much but we can listen and understand. Sometimes
people comment about us in front of us and it hurts.
Masking
1. Have you ever had to mask in front of others and
would you like to share the experience with us..
On rare occasions, I mask in front of strangers. I am not
comfortable revealing about my autism to them because
many do not understand.
Executive Functioning Challenges
1. What executive functioning challenges ( adaptable
thinking, planning, self-monitoring, self-control, working
memory, time management, and organising) have you
faced. How does it affect your life?
I feel a bit anxious about change in schedule. Although I love travelling, when a trip is first proposed to me, I feel a little
worried. A little prep helps me and then I enjoy the process.
I have a very good long - term memory. I have to keep working
on myself to ignore thoughts which keep coming in my mind
and to focus on the present. I am more self - driven in my
areas of interest and routines.
2. How do you cope with it..
Whenever I am anxious, I ask a lot of questions and seek
clarifications.
I try to apply all that I have learnt from various sources.
In my daily routine, I allocate time for a little exercise,
meditation videos and prayers. Using priority planners
helps me to plan my day.
3. What accommodations would help you thrive?
I like quieter surroundings and happy faces around me.
Visuals, videos and written instructions help me learn
new skills.
Social Life
1. What challenges have you faced in your social
life..
While speaking to strangers, sometimes they do not
understand me because I speak very fast. Sometimes
it is difficult for me to be assertive or to ask for help.
2. How do you cope with these challenges..
I try to practise slow rate of speech.
In any social gathering, I try to look around for people
I know to ask for help.
3. What accommodations or changes in the mindset
of people around you would help you thrive?
If those who know me talk with me more, I can get better
in my social interactions. Many times my neighbours or
distant relatives do not speak to me beyond greetings. If
they take the initiative to start conversations, I can sustain
more in my interactions. There are a few people who are
extroverts. I get on with them well. There are some elderly
relatives who are very caring and talk to me gently and with
lot of affection. I can maintain longer conversations with
them.
Co-morbidities
1. Please share what co-morbidities have you faced
and how did you cope with these challenges..
I had sleep issues in my late - teens. Indulging in physical
activities and meditation have helped me.
Towards a Better Tomorrow
1. Please share your message to parents of autistic
children in how they can create a nurturing environment
at home.
Create an environment where the child will get lot of happiness
by interacting with people.
Create opportunities for get togethers like birthday parties,
playing board games and going out to parks with friends. Make
learning fun and interesting. I learnt counting in my activities
- 30 bicycle rounds, 10 turns on slide and so on. I learnt count
of 10 (1+9,2+8,3+7 and so on..)on the slide. When I would
take 10 turns on the slide in the park, after each turn I would
say, how many are over and how many are remaining e.g.
(1 is over, 9 are remaining and so on…)
Encourage the children to explore many activities and share
their creative work with everyone at home.
2. Please share your message to therapists on how they
can include neurodiversity affirming practices in their
approach.
Therapists can make learning interesting through games and
fun activities. My interest in train rides was used by my
therapist to overcome my fear of going on the scooterboard.
So special interests can be an advantage.
Therapists can focus on identifying the strengths of
neurodiverse children and using it to help them to
overcome their challenges.
3. Please share your thoughts on how we can
work towards an inclusive and neurodiversity
friendly society.
There should be more options for neurodiverse
individuals to study and work. There must be more
opportunities for neurodiverse individuals for participating
in all social activities by making use of their strengths.
Having more visual signboards in public places will be
neurodiversity friendly. I am personally
attracted to scrolls on display systems.
Thank you dear Siddhanth for sharing your journey and
insights with us. God bless you, may all your dreams
come true!
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by the guest in this interview are their own independent opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host and owner of the blog. Readers are advised to exercise their own discretion and seek professional advice where necessary.
