Chris Combs :: Inside the Spectrum

Inside the Spectrum

12 images in this album

"Autistic." A short word, often misheard as "artistic." It's a complicated word, one that refers to a developmental disorder, but also one that irrevocably brands its referents. It means a lot of things to a few people, but means very little to most people; it's a scary concept, perhaps because it is so little-understood. View the project description (opens in a new window)

Like most seven-year-olds, Danny Kramer's always on the go. What sets him apart is where he goes; as a child who has autism, he often retreats into a world of his own, singing to himself and moving ceaselessly. Here, Danny is "painting the beautiful trees" passing by.*
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Autism is difficult to summarize; the word covers such a broad range of disorders that the phrase "autism spectrum disorder" has come into common use. Most people with autism have difficulty with social interactions, such as making eye contact or holding conversation, and 40% of children with autism do not speak at all. (Danny, fortunately, is very verbal.) Extreme reliance upon routine is also a common attribute.*
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The Kramers love a good game of hide-and-seek. Danny Kramer is exiting, frame left; his mother, Andrea, is chasing him into the living room as his ten-year-old sister, Jesse, plays with her laptop. (She was drawn into the game several minutes later.) Danny often asks his father, Carlos (not pictured), to help hide him - within cardboard boxes, say, or underneath cushions. His parents aren't entirely convinced that he understands how to hide, as he tends to choose the same place each time, but Danny loves playing regardless.
Viewed: 86 times.

Danny is "uncontrollable," in the words of his mother; yet one of the hardest things to deal with is not the misbehavior, but the lack of understanding from other adults. Mrs. Kramer has printed cards that describe autism - "A Spanking Won't Help," to paraphrase - and distributes them when Danny's willfulness attracts negative attention.
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Petco's pet carriers proved irresistable, and Danny climbed inside while waiting for check-out. This is not his primary means of transit.*
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Young Mr. Kramer enacts a city in his living room, by means of Megablox and playing cards. He knows his city innately, and Andrea Kramer has described how she once switched two blocks while Danny was at school; upon returning home, he immediately spotted and fixed the errant block. Indeed, the city's order and routine are so important to Danny that his mother is able to use this as a disciplinary measure - "Don't make me put away the blocks!"
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Mark Sherrett, 25, loves horseback riding. He rides every Sunday, weather permitting, at the Piscataway Riding Stable in Clinton, MD.*
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Mark has autism. He is largely non-verbal; although he understands language, he rarely speaks more than a few words at a time. Here, Mark waited for his horse at Piscataway, as his younger brother Daniel and mother Marie conversed. It was his mother's first time riding, and Mark surrendered his long-time horse to her, so that she would be sure to have a good one.*
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Marie Sherrett proudly displays her sons' awards, including at least one bowling trophy won by Mark. He travels frequently with his mother - a major shock in routine, acceptable only if the host hotel has a Jacuzzi and pool - and frequently tries new foods. (Intolerance of texture, particularly in food, is a common attribute of autism. Danny Kramer, for example, only eats one food - a particular kind of cereal.)*
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Mark bowls most Saturday mornings with a Maryland Parks and Planning bowling team, organized for adults with developmental disabilities. He got a score of 130, which significantly outpaces this photographer's bowling ability. Two games only - more would be practice, and practice "doesn't count."*
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Mark works at Cintas, a company that makes uniforms, and is taken to and from work each day by a dedicated bus. His mother related a story of an attempt to switch transit companies - Mark staged a "sick-in," claiming to be unwell, until the original bus driver was restored.
Viewed: 103 times.

But when he's on horseback, all of the indignities and minor outrages of a life lived slightly out of mesh with the rest of humanity melt away, and for an hour, he's John Wayne, riding off into the sunset - no less proficient than anyone else, no less happy, and as intent and noble as one can be.*
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Gallery: Chris Combs