Miranda's smile ignites 100,000 Smiles

MIRANDA is a happy child. She is affectionate and beautiful.
She lives in Lexden and her parents Louise and Andrew Fullerton are devoted to her.
But to Miranda, who is 14, the world is a confusing and frightening place.
Miranda has autism.
To her, the world is loud, so loud she sometimes cannot bear it.
When she was younger, she would put her fingers in her ears to block the world out.
She would curl up in a ball and hope the noise and the chaos would subside.
When it got really bad, she was scream. Loudly.
Louise, who is especially close to her daughter, said going to the hairdressers was particularly difficult.
“She didn’t like having her hair cut. She thought they were cutting off bits of her body.
“I remember a woman saying to me once ‘I did not come here to listen to your child scream’.”
The condemnation was cruel and while Louise understands Miranda’s behaviour can prompt stares and comments, she is nevertheless hurt.
To her, Miranda is beautiful and special. They are incredibly close and while they may not talk, Louise knows her thoughts and feelings as though they were her own.
Louise and Andrew understand how the world can seem through Miranda’s eyes.
Andrew, who has been her stepfather since she was two, said: “The world can be quite scary and confusing.
“She can be extremely anxious. She tries hard to make sense of what is happening but, like many autistic children, she finds it difficult to understand.
“She can find people talking noisy. She used to put her fingers in her ears but now she will go out of the room.
“If she is worried or distressed, she will move away from the situation.
“It is like living in a world where the volume is turned up, she can’t filter out sound.”
Louise added: “If she hears a baby crying, she can’t bear it and she will scream the place down.”
Miranda also struggles to express herself. She did not speak until she was five but now she can say a sentence of three words.
Louise said: “It means she can express what she wants and recently she has been able to say when she is not feeling well. That is a big thing.
“She has also started to communicate for communication’s sake like saying ‘It is windy’.”
Miranda also doesn’t have social skills.
Andrew said: “She is like she is outside the world and trying to make sense of it. It is difficult for her.”
Louise added: “I really admire her because she tries really hard. It is so challenging for her.”
The couple say Miranda does not know how to interact with her friends at Lexden Springs School which cares for children with severe learning difficulties.
Andrew said: “She doesn’t understand empathy and she isn’t able to read expression very well.
“She can find children intimidating.
“She likes to be with other girls but she is often watching. If they tried to get her to join in or to pull her hand, she would pull away.”
As such, Miranda is often alone, watching from the sidelines.
She plays on an iPad enjoying the interaction. It is quiet play, unintimidating.
But playgrounds can simply be too daunting.
“There are often a lot of children using the facilities. She may want to go on the slide and will step near.
“But then another child runs up and she will step back,” said Louise.
“She is timid and she just withdraws from the situation.
“I am frustrated for her. She will wait for the others to move away but if they don’t, she won’t go on.
“Miranda does not have the physical restrictions of some of the other children at Lexden Springs but she is not adventurous and is often left disappointed.”
Physical exercise is important for Miranda. She is small and has to have a growth hormone. She also has weak muscles.
Through play, she can improve her strength, balance and her general health.
Miranda lives in a world isolated by her autism but with a little help, her world may be a better place.