Bijan Bagheri is a computer whiz who works part-time at two high tech companies. He is also an athlete who loves to run, swim, play tennis and basketball. Like many students, the River Falls resident will graduate in June. Unlike many students, however, Bijan has autism. He will walk 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 31, with his family and friends in the National Autism Walk on the National Mall. More than 50 people will participate on "Bijan’s Team" and, along with thousands of participants, will walk the mile for autism.
Bijan’s mother, Fatimah Bagheri, founded this walk eight years ago. The national organization Autism Speaks now sponsors the walk which currently has pledges of over $500,000 for global biomedical research on causes, prevention, treatment and cures for autism.
Autism is a developmental disorder which usually shows up in the first three years of a child’s life. This disorder is characterized by difficulties with social interactions and communication, and often by repetitive behavior and lack of response to sensory activities. According to the organization Autism Speaks, one in 150 children is diagnosed with autism (one every 20 minutes) and one in 94 boys is on the autism spectrum. Autism appears in boys 3-4 times more often than girls. Family income, education and lifestyle do not seem to affect the risk of autism. Improved diagnosis and environmental influences are two reasons often considered to explain the increasing prevalence of autism, but the real cause is unknown.
Bijan was first diagnosed with autism when he was two and a half years old. His mother noticed a regression in his skills along with constant movement of his hands, an obsession with lining up his toys and a delay in his verbal and social development. Bagheri’s observations were confirmed by his pre-school teachers, who recommended educational and psychological evaluations. He was enrolled in Ivy mount School in Potomac when he was four years old and has remained there, receiving an individualized education with an emphasis on academic, social and personal skills as well as on career development. When he graduates, he will qualify for services from SEEC, a non-profit agency which provides community-based support to adults with developmental disabilities.
Even though Bijan was diagnosed with autism, Bagheri was very determined that they would have a normal life and he would be treated like his siblings as much as possible. Bijan’s family has focused on encouraging and supporting him in everything he would like to try. Bijan, an enthusiastic cook, prepares an extensive breakfast for his family every Sunday morning. He is the family expert on the television remotes as well as on their home computers. He loves music and attends concerts at the Kennedy Center and Strathmore regularly. As Bagheri said, "Bijan is helpful in every way. He loves his jobs at ManTech International and at Avectra where he helps input data into the data bases. He is a quick learner, very accurate and loves going to work. However, at home, he is expected to perform the same chores as his sisters. He is very sweet, loving and does not have a mean bone in his body. He is truly a beautiful soul."