Autism and the World of Harry Potter

Okay, now really. You are probably saying what does Harry Potter have to do with Autism? Not a thing, really, unless you are a huge fan. Which my son and I are. True fans. I have all the books, all of the movies that are available on DVD and some of the PC games. I love Harry Potter. But still, what does this have to do with Autism. Well, it could just be that the world of Harry Potter is so fantastic that it can expand any mind, including one with Autism.

Now, according to some people, this series is not appropriate for younger children. Well, it's funny how things turn out. Matt was barely 7 years old the first time he saw Harry Potter, I believe. And instead of being scared to death by the Troll, he just laughed his head off when Harry levitated and dropped the club on the Troll's head. Go figure. So much for being scared. And every time after that, he was never scared, he was more than a little fascinated by the whole thing. He started asking questions, trying to understand the movies and the stories behind them.

Matt doesn't have the reading ability, unfortunately, to read a Harry Potter book, but he sure tries. I caught him peaking in my Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince last year, looking for information on why Snape had turned against everyone and killed Dumbledore. For those of you who didn't know that, sorry! But, it was a valid question in Matt's eyes. He is very curious about everything in the books and the movies. And he's not afraid to ask. Which to me, is very important.

As every parent knows, kids love to ask questions. And a lot of kids who have Autism are not always verbally able to ask the questions that they want to. But what's important is HE ASKED!! He's able to because his Autism is High-Functioning. And blessedly, this allows him to enter the world of Harry Potter more easily than most. He's able to draw on his love of the Dramatic Arts and see the world of Harry Potter as it was truly meant to be seen. Now, this is NOT exclusive to children with Autism, but it certainly helps matters. And I am not saying that him having Autism is a good thing. But it's a fact of his life. I have accepted that. It's his uncanny knack to understand better than most people, which is a gift brought on by the Autism, that often amazes me.

The funny thing about all of this, is that, as with all of the movies he has watched, whether it be Disney or Harry Potter, Matt can remember, most, if not all, of the scripts used in the movies. He will ask me if someone used the infamous Killing Curse on someone else. And he can actually pronounce it correctly! Mind you, I don't really like the fact that he knows what a Killing Curse is, but at least he was paying attention and understands what the nasty business is about. And when he asks me if Harry used the disarming spell to get someone's wand away from them, it's always a treat! He's paying attention to the small details and appreciates the complexity of the series. He isn't scared of this fantastic world of Harry Potter, he embraces it and allows it to feed his imagination! Which is how it should be. So, the next time you hear " Are you scared Potter?", don't be surprised if the person who says "You Wish!" isn't Daniel Radcliffe, but Matthew. I did warn you that he knows all of the scripts!

Excerpt taken from J.K. Rowling's: "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"