A special child’s gift
Painting has given this 11-year-old child with autism an avenue for self-expression
By KRISTELLE BECHAYDA
Every child has an innate talent to share with the world, and it’s up to parents to provide him with opportunities that can hone his gift. While a child’s journey toward becoming his best version might be filled with doubts and challenges, enforcing in him a positive mindset will help him stay focused on his goals.
For stayat-home mom Maria Christina
Otero, or Chris as she prefers to be called, her son’s condition didn’t deter her from letting him explore his interests. When
Diego was only a year old, she noticed he started to lag behind in his developmental milestones. Having had experience working in a camp for children with disabilities, Chris suspected her son might have autism and immediately acted on it.
“He started losing his speech. I asked our pedia for a recommendation for a development pediatrician. We brought him in. We were told it was too early to tell whether he had autism or not. But dahil sabi nila early intervention is best, we did an early intervention first.” Chris tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle.
At the time, the hands-on mom was focused on getting her son the intervention he needed. It wasn’t until Diego was brought to a therapy center that Chris realized the challenge that lay ahead.
“When I started seeing the older kids, doon nagsink-in na this is a lifelong disability for him. That was when I wondered how we could help him. I’m lucky that my husband is very supportive. He was the one who calmed me down, tapos sabi niya sa akin, ‘What are we going to do? We’re just going to love him, that’s what we’re going to do,” she adds.
’Wala siyang subtlety. Diego’s very bold, he has no fear when it comes to the color and the paint. So whenever he comes up with something, there are no mistakes.’
A child’s first love
Fast forward to the present, Diego has grown up to be a child artist. The 11year-old boy has developed an interest in painting, which all started when his mother enrolled him in a summer workshop.
“He first started taking painting classes when he was eight. We noticed that he liked drawing, but [his work] looked very abstract. The gallery was opening, and they were open to people with disabilities, so we decided to enroll him for the summer to see if he liked it,” she says.
Diego made use of oil and acrylic for his materials. Even his parents were amazed with how beautifully his first artworks turned out. Describing his masterpieces to be bold, Chris explains her son usually gets inspiration from his experiences. Whenever they would visit a new place, Diego’s next subjects would be what he saw in his travels. She adds that when Diego was much younger, he would choose the colors of his artworks based on his shirt.
“Wala siyang subtlety. Diego’s very bold, he has no fear when it comes to the color and the paint. So whenever he comes up with something, there are no mistakes. Even what can be termed as a mistake is a part of the whole picture. So for him, that’s a thing,” she says.
More doors have opened
Apart from providing an avenue to express his emotions, painting has also helped Diego adapt to his surroundings. Typically, a room filled with people and noisy chatter would make him want to leave, but having a digital tablet close by where he can illustrate to his heart’s content pacifies him to stay.
“When I start to think about what we’re forcing him to endure, but at the same time, he needs to do that so he gets used to this. The world is not going to stay quiet for him, so he needs to adapt to it. I believe this is one way he can adapt,” Chris says.
Diego’s amazing talent in painting has gotten the attention of many. Just recently, the 11-yearold was referred to be included in Southstar Drug and Project Inclusion Network’s Drop the Prefix advocacy, which highlights the talents of persons with disabilities (PWDs). Diego, along with several other artistic PWDs, were tasked to design the advocacy’s ecobags, which are now sold at Southstar Drug branches.
“It’s fulfilling to see PWDs looking beyond their disabilities. That’s why our campaign is to drop the prefix, to look at the ability because you are already empowering them,” says Christine Tueres, general manager of Southstar Drug. She adds that part of the proceeds from the ecobags will be given for the education of the organizations’ PWD scholars.
Meanwhile, Chris adds that if there is one important gift that painting has given Diego, it would be how it has changed people’s perspective of him. Instead of looking at him with pity, his artistic talent overshadows his condition and makes everyone appreciate him for what he can do.
As for this amazing mom’s tips for fellow parents, Chris echoes her husband’s words. “I want to tell parents that it may look very daunting, but you do the best you can do. You love your kid, you provide what you can, and you expose him to as many things as you can and see where his strengths are,” she says, adding that finding the right community will also give parents and their children the additional peer support they need.