THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 12, 1994 TAG: 9408100112
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
TIMOTHY EDWARD HOWARD is a special 14-year-old.
And Tim's parents - Robert and Carol Howard - think Christy Thiemens, a Great Bridge district recreation specialist, is a mighty special person who possessed the wisdom to know what to do with their special son.
Timothy has autism, a lifelong developmental disorder that begins in infancy.
Carol Howard, a speech pathologist at Oakwood Elementary School in Norfolk, said Timothy has Asperger's Syndrome, which is less involved than many forms of autism. Where many autistic children never develop the skills to communicate effectively, Tim has a high degree of fluency and is a good conversationalist.
``He has a real personality and is quick with his tongue,'' she said.
Tim has an unusual way of relating to people and objects, she said. And he has difficulty in areas like math, abstract reasoning and reading comprehension. He regularly sees a therapist, psychologist and psychiatrist and must take several types of medicines to help control his behavior.
He also has autism's characteristic obsessive/compulsive disorder. For Tim that means he constantly rearranges things at the Howards' home, he writes hundreds of notes to his family, he has repetitive thought patterns, and he's preoccupied with his extensive Pez candy dispenser collection.
But Timothy is considered a jewel by the recreation staff at the Great Bridge Community Center.
He has been volunteering as a playground helper at the center this summer. And he pulls his weight, does whatever task is asked of him and does it with enthusiasm.
``He comes in with a smile every day,'' Thiemens said. ``He says `I love you' to everyone he sees and is ready to work.''
Thiemens said Carol Howard approached her at the beginning of summer to see if Timothy could be ``mainstreamed'' into the Great Bridge summer program. But one look at a typical group of teens hanging out at the center led Thiemens and Howard to decide differently.
``Tim's been going to the rec center since he was a little boy,'' Howard said. ``But now he's past the age of being a special child, so I brought him there this summer to see what we could do with him.''
``I've known Tim and his mom ever since he was 5,'' Thiemens said. ``We talked about what kind of program he could fit into. He's a very sweet kid. I wish all the kids around here had a positive attitude like his.''
Thiemens hit upon the idea of using the Great Bridge Middle School North student's skills and special personality to help her with the community center's smaller children.
The idea worked wonderfully.
``All the children like Tim and take to him,'' said summer counselor Melissa Mangini.
``I wish I could pay him,'' Thiemens said. ``He does everything we ask him to do and he does it well and cheerfully.''
Tim's duties include housekeeping chores and helping set up various programs and events, both natural ways to channel his obsessive/compulsive behavior; helping with arts and crafts; assisting the staff in any capacity; and reading to the little kids.
``He loves reading to the smaller children at camp,'' Carol Howard said. ``When I go to pick him up from the center he tells me what he read and says the children all ask him if he's a teacher. This time he's a leader. He feels like top dog. He's never had this kind of experience before. He's radiant about interacting with these children. We've all noticed a positive change in him.''
Howard said Tim's success is a direct result of Thiemens' insight.
``She was smart enough to see that Timothy could work well with younger children,'' Howard said. ``She had the wisdom to see how to get something productive and worthwhile out of him. She's got a real understanding of people.''
Howard added that Thiemens watches over Tim and is careful and meticulous in planning his activities and duties.
``It's not a loosely run thing,'' she said. ``Timothy's supervised very carefully, and if there is a problem Christy immediately discusses it with me. I think her ideas on the way she's handled Timothy could work in many other settings. This has been the best summer in his life.''
``All I can say is that Tim really helps us and has made a real difference this summer,'' Thiemens said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Timothy Howard is a volunteer playground helper at Great Bridge
Community Center.
by CNB