Little Girl With Autism Pens Friend Wish List
— -- It's the simplest things in life that matter most. Like the qualities of a true friend.
When 7-year-old Molly-Raine Adams from Ireland was asked to put pen to paper, she came up with a list that pretty much says it all.
Molly-Raine has autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and "a few other special needs," her mom, Karen Adams, told ABC News.
"I'm very proud of her," Adams said. "It takes a lot for Mol to stay on task and write anything and she did this homework independently which is a huge achievement for her. She thought about it for a good while first and I think she just wants what all children want, to be understood and accepted for who she is."
The note reads:
Wanted
A Friend
Someone who . . .
anbrstans (understands) me
nos I have atesm (knows I have autism)
smiles all the time
cees me comgin wen im sad (sees me coming when I'm sad)
"Mol struggles with everyday things that people take for granted," Adams explained. "She may start screaming or lashing out at me in a shop due to sensory overload when her brain is struggling to process all the sights, sounds and smells. Because she has adult like speech people don't realize she has special needs and assume she is just being naughty. When [adults] say and do things [Mol] isn't expecting and when it comes to other children that anxiety is amplified. She panics and gets upset and vocal tics or says the wrong thing but really she just wants other children to understand why."
Adams said her daughter was diagnosed with autism in July and Molly-Raine was "so relieved. Before she had cried her heart out saying her brain was different and now she understands it is, but that's okay!
When I asked her if she would mind the picture of her work being put online she said she thought it was a good idea because someone might read it and tell their child about autism."
