I clap, I flap, I twirl and stim and once I’m done, I’ll do it again.

Sometimes I’ll eat, sometimes I don’t, I’ll take a drink, or I won’t.

Eating for me is sometimes tricky, I don’t like to touch foods that are sticky.

I don’t like things crunchy, or maybe I do.

Mealtime for me depends on my mood.

It’s not my fault, it’s how God made me, and in his eyes I’m a perfect little baby.

Sometimes I stare, or look as if I’m in a cloud, but I’m very aware of what is always around.

I like to walk on my tippy toes, I don’t like my face touched or my nose.

My eye contact is limited, but just know when I do, that is my way of saying, I love you.

I like to smile, I like to laugh and my favorite thing of all is taking a bath.

The water is calming, it makes me feel safe, and I like to rub the bubbles all over my face.

I love to watch the trees sway and move, it makes me smile and in a happy mood.

When bedtime comes, I cuddle my blanket tight, and though I can’t speak my heart tells my parents, night night.

You may wonder why I’m telling you this, it’s simple, you see.

I have something called autism, but it does not define me.

What is autism, you might ask?

Take a seat, sit down, relax.

I will explain to you what it is. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and I stim.

Stimming is what I do to feel better, it can be clapping your hands or twirling a feather.

This helps me when my world is too much, like hearing loud noises or even being touched.

It calms my body and relaxes my brain, it helps me with anxiety, excitement or pain.

I also see things in a different way. My world is magical every single day.

I’m like a rainbow that has many different colors, and just like rainbows I stand out to others.

Having autism is not bad, you see.

I’m just a boy named Beau, and it’s great to be me!

Stephanie Wemssen wrote this poem about her son Beau, who was diagnosed with autism last year, just before his second birthday. She hopes to help others learn that an autism diagnosis does not define who someone is, and that being their own unique self is enough. Learn more at AutismSpeaks.org. Connect at [email protected].