Ellis's "Big Blue Hug™"

Autism is one of the most devastating neurobiological disorders for a parent to deal with. Imagine not being able to communicate with your own child, not being able to talk to him, hug him, kiss him, and have him respond in kind. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) has no less than 12 symptoms of autism listed and an individual must display at least six of these symptoms to be given the diagnosis.

To give you an idea of the severity of the disorder I will list a few of them here, courtesy of Autism.org: "The symptoms which fall under the social interaction category are: marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors; failure to develop age-appropriate peer relationships; lack of spontaneous seeking to share interests and achievements with others; and lack of social or emotional reciprocity. The symptoms which fall under the communication category are: delay in or lack of spoken language development (with no compensation through alternative modes of communication); in verbal persons, marked impairment in conversational skills; stereotyped and repetitive use of language; and lack of spontaneous age-appropriate make-believe or social imitative play."

Jason Goldsmith's son, Ellis, has autism. According to Goldsmith, he has never been able to communicate with his son. In an interview with CTV news on January 3, 2007, Goldsmith explained that, "Ellis objectifies people, and there is no difference between his parents and the couch." It was very frustrating and heartbreaking.

Then, working with an art therapist, Ellis found a way to convey his thoughts and feelings. He drew a picture of a big blue hug to let his father know what he needed from him. This picture became the catalyst for communication with his father and the world.

Goldsmith is also hoping that Ellis will be able to expand his social interactions beyond his immediate family. To share this wonderful breakthrough with the world, Goldsmith has created a website called the Big Blue Hug™. Goldsmith explains that Big Blue Hug™ website is a tool to share the stories of autistic children with the world through the use of talking pictures. This website helps "to show us what's on their minds and in their hearts."

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