(WJBF) — A young author with Asperger’s Syndrome on a mission to motivate people to understand and accept those With different abilities.
Matthew Kenslow has amassed over 1 million followers on Instagram, nearly 70k on TikTok, and over 65k YouTube subscribers by sharing his insights, real-world experiences, and pearls of wisdom when navigating the world around him. At six years old, Kenslow was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome (now called autism spectrum disorder).
Today, Kenslow is a pianist, college graduate, substitute teacher, and the author of the book Juggling the Issues: Living With Asperger’s Syndrome, in which he takes readers inside what it’s truly like for someone living with a disability.
Told through a series of stories about his personal experiences, Kenslow sheds light on the ways in which certain challenges have impacted his everyday life. The way his mind works is different, he says, and he has struggled with social and conversational skills and poor eye contact. He explains that simple tasks take longer for him — like reading or organizing his thoughts — while remembering things like the president’s birth, term, and death dates; the elements of the Periodic Table; and the books of the Bible come more easily.
Juggling the Issues: Living With Asperger’s Syndrome is an important read for anyone whose life has been touched by autism spectrum disorder. Kenslow’s insights aim to lend understanding, inspire, and encourage readers to put aside differences and embrace the gifts that others have to share with the world.
Matthew joined weekend Good Morning Augusta anchor Shawn Cabbagestalk to talk about it.
