Young boy’s poem about Asperger syndrome goes viral

Benjamin Giroux’s original composition, entitled “I am”. Screen Grab from National Autism Association’s Facebook page.

A 10-year-old boy with Asperger Syndrome (AS) has captured the hearts of American netizens for his heart-wrenching poetry about what it’s like having the disease.

Benjamin Giroux, a primary school student from Cumberland Head Elementary School in Plattsburgh, New York, wrote the poem for his fifth-grade homework, entitled “I am”.

Citing reports from the Huffingtonpost, the young lad completed the homework enthusiastically, not leaving his family’s kitchen table until he was happy with the work he had done.

His father, Sonny, was moved to tears upon reading his son’s work and decided to share the poem with the National Autism Association, who posted it on Facebook.

“We [Benjamin’s parents] were both so proud, and yet so heartbroken, that this was how he felt,”  said the boy’s father.

Benjamin’s touching foray into poetry proved to be unexpectedly popular, as the post garnered 22,000 likes and went on to be shared more than 14,000 times.

Netizens who felt inspired by the youngster’s words flooded the comments section to express their admiration for the boy.

One person wrote, “Thank you for sharing. I am going to show this to my son so he knows he isn’t alone,” while another person added, “Amazing. Who wants ‘normal’. Only dead fish go with the flow xx”.

“Each like, share and comment he’s received since has made him feel like not only does he fit in and belong in this world, but has also moved him beyond words that he’s touched so many,” Mr. Giroux said.

Benjamin, meanwhile,  was supposed to read his poem aloud to the class the following day, but he opted to stay home due to an anxiety attack.

AS is a form of autism characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication.

Those who suffer from the disease may also be prone to dyslexia and dyspraxia, or other conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) and epilepsy. Khristian Ibarrola, INQUIRER.net