Puzzles have been associated as the symbol for autism. It was created by a Gerald Gasson, a board member of the National Autistic Society in London in 1963. At that time, they felt that autism is a “puzzling” condition.

I like the interpretation of the puzzle by Erin Clemens who is also on the ASD spectrum.

“I like the puzzle piece. I like it because it’s not about the end result, but the PROCESS of putting the pieces together. I also like it because it reminds us that each person, even though all grouped in as being on the spectrum, is still unique and has their own way of fitting in.” – Erin Clemens

The logo is made of puzzles which represent the uniqueness of children with autism, as well as the process of finding the right ways to teach a child. The logo has a heart shape, as it reminds me of the heart behind what I do. No matter how tough the journey can be, always remember the heart behind teaching.

Each puzzle piece is then embedded with different symbols.

Light bulb stands for the cognitive goals I want the child to achieve. The child should have understanding of basic concepts like colours, shapes and common vocabulary. It also signifies the cognitive goals I will work on so as to bridge the gap between the child’s level and mainstream.

Hand stands for the independence I want the child to achieve. After therapy, the child should have the capacity to carry out daily activities like eating, preparing his own food, toileting etc. independently. Hand also signifies the fine motor skills like writing that I would work on during my therapy.

Person stands for the social goals I want to work towards to. A child with autism may have difficulties connecting with people. I want the child to be able to make meaningful social connections, to be able to interact with his peers and ultimately assimilate well into mainstream society.

Speech bubble stands for the communication goals. For verbal children, it is about working on their speech and language so that they can communicate clearly to others. For non-verbal children, it is about working on their capacity to communicate with others using alternative methods like PECS and AAC.