A teenager with autism swims toward victory
Chen Xingrong won five medals, including a gold, at the 11th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 8th National Special Olympics Games.
Born in Hainan Province, Chen Xingrong could not say a word until he was 2 years old. When Chen Xingrong was found autistic(自闭的), his parents were worried. In 2012, his father learned that swimming could help people with autism, so he spent months learning how to swim by watching videos and reading books. When Chen Xingrong was 5 years old, he began to teach him how to swim. At the very beginning, he spent three months teaching his son, but all his efforts failed. To his surprise, after another three months, he discovered that his son had developed the ability to control his breath under water, which greatly increased his confidence, and swimming soon became a key activity of the family. His father planned all his exercises for him at first, but then it was all up to him. He decided how many exercises he wanted to do, and his parents respected his choices. It was a process of self-management. With his father's help as well as his good self-management and perseverance, he succeeded in winning many medals in the swimming competitions.
As well as swimming, learning basic life skills is also an important part of life for a teenager with autism. His father hopes that his son can live well on his own when he and his wife grow old. To help the public to know more about autistic people so as to reduce misunderstanding, he once organized about 500 people to watch an autism-themed film.
Thanks to his father's endless efforts, Chen Xingrong has learned to buy food in the market in their neighborhood. He also does voluntary jobs at supermarkets and fast-food restaurants, such as arranging shelves and cleaning dining tables. "He is good at skillfully arranging things. He is part of the community, and I hope he will live a wonderful life in the future," his father says proudly.
