TAKING IT HOME
On a warm sunny day, a gathering of neighbourhood children set out to play baseball at our corner baseball diamond. With the sun and the excitement, the children got their baseball game underway. Jeffrey has FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder). It was his turn to bat, so up he went. Serious and focused, Jeffrey watched the first ball go by. He then swung at the second ball. Far, far away the ball flew. All of us cheered Jeffrey to run fast. As the ball continued to fly further away, Jeffrey’s father encouraged Jeffrey to keep on running: “keep running Jeffrey”. As Jeffrey ran from base to base, he looked at his father for advice as to whether he should continue running. Jeffrey’s father continued encouraging his son: “run Jeffrey, run home, keep running home”. And so Jeffrey ran towards home: his home. Jeffrey’s father was taken aback and soon realized what he said and the fact that children with FASD and other disorders such as Asperger’s take things literally. Jeffrey’s father quickly ran after him and brought him back to the baseball park to continue playing with his friends.