Refusing to be defined by a disorder
The Autism News | English
The Math Center in Bond Hall bustles with activity most days of the week. Math Fellows, those who tutor at the Math Center, hop up to help answer questions when students raise their hands.
“Aris is my bro!” a Western student says as Math Fellow, Aris Hudson, walks over to him.
Hudson, a 21-year-old math and economics major, sits and listens intently as the student explains what confuses him.Hudson doesn’t jump right in with the solution, but asks the student questions to help him reach the answer. He sits back in his chair, assessing the best way to go about helping the student. He then uses his hand to demonstrate a concept.
“Slope is rise over run,” Hudson says.
They talk for a few moments and the student lets out a long “Oooh” as he begins to understand the topic.
Hudson stands 6 feet 5 inches tall and can be seen around campus wearing glasses, a button-down shirt, khakis and black Chacos. His most noticeable feature, though, is his frizzy, light-brown hair that seems to float around his face. He gives off an air of aloofness, which can be attributed to his Asperger’s Syndrome, which he was diagnosed with at about age 6.
Asperger’s syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to socialize and communicate well with others. It is an Autism Spectrum Disorder which is disorder that affects developmental skills due to problems with the brain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC estimates that, on average, one in 110 children in the United States has an Autism Spectrum Disorder. People with these disorders can range from being mildly to severely effected.
“Children with Asperger’s syndrome typically exhibit social awkwardness and an all-absorbing interest in specific topics,” according to the website for the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit medical research organization.
Hud Hudson, Aris Hudson’s father and a philosophy professor at Western, explains that with Asperger’s comes a social blindness where the person has difficulty picking up on body language and social intentions of peers and isn’t always aware of what other people think.
Despite the social disconnect that often arises in those with the syndrome, Aris Hudson has been tutoring at the Math Center since fall 2010 and before that tutored in logic for the philosophy department. As a tutor, he interacts with others daily.
Please share your reaction! Give your opinion by filling out the form below.
Share this news with friends, family, or colleagues by clicking on the shortcuts below:
