Beneath the Surface

Understanding Autism

By Kelly Burgess

Raising a child with autism is a different, often bumpy road to travel. It can also seem like a long, one-way street. Needy and self-absorbed, the autistic child doesn't fit into what most people consider the social norms. And many people aren't shy about pointing this out.

In her book, Souls: Beneath and Beyond Autism (McGraw-Hill, 2003), author Sharon Rosenbloom writes, "Unlike those whose limitations are obvious, people with autism wear the mask of normalcy. Their faces do not betray the burden they carry, yet their actions invite rash judgment on themselves and those who tend to them."

Rosenbloom speaks from experience. In her book, she recalls a luncheon she had with her son, Joey, who is autistic. As they were leaving the restaurant, her son reached for a lady's wallet lying on the corner of a table. The lady self-righteously accused Rosenbloom of bringing an untrained brat out into the world. Angry and ashamed, Rosenbloom could not find the words to defend herself or her son.

That incident happened many years ago. Since then, Rosenbloom has come to terms with society's misinformed view of people with autism. From her experiences and the experiences of other parents with autistic children came the book Souls: Beneath and Beyond Autism. It's not an informational tract about autism or a guide to caring for an autistic child. Rather, it's a work that carries a larger message: Don't be so quick to judge a book by its cover.

Appropriately, the original idea for the book came from a person who is accustomed to looking beyond the surface, photographer Thomas Balsamo. A photographer for 25 years, Balsamo believes that the eyes are truly the windows to the soul. For years, he's had the idea of a book that would explore that theme, but with a deeper meaning behind the pictures. He had known Rosenbloom for many years and had photographed Joey many times. At one of their visits, when Rosenbloom was talking about Joey's autism, it all just clicked.

Balsamo was inspired by two experiences working with autistic children and their families. One, which came rather early in his career, was when a mother called him and asked if he thought he could capture the true relationship between her three daughters. The girls were all very young, and one was autistic. The mother knew of the unique and beautiful relationship between the three girls, but because autistic children do not "bond" on command, no photographer had been able to capture that bond. Balsamo said he'd do whatever it took to succeed. The little girl was very distractible, and it was a time-consuming photo shoot, but the results were amazing.

Ten years later he had an opposite experience. A family he had worked with many times showed up for a sitting with an older boy they introduced as their son. He was present during the family portrait discussions, but when the time came for the portrait, they left the boy to sit in the waiting room. As Balsamo later discovered, he was in an institution and was just home for the weekend. The family didn't even want to acknowledge their tie to him.

"The first experience helped me to learn a lot about both life and portraiture, and the second devastated me," says Balsamo. "He's really the reason I did the book, because I know there's something beautiful behind these seemingly emotionless children."

Want to see more?

• Autism: Understanding the Disorder
• Pervasive Development Disorder: What Parents Need to Know
• How can I help my autistic child with his bedwetting?
• Talk about it!