CARDIFF-BY-THE-SEA — Nick Cheeseman is like most other first-graders. The 7-year-old Cardiff Elementary student learns writing, math and science along with his peers in Ms. Easson’s class overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He enjoys interacting with his friends and playing outdoors.

He is also like many of the thousands of children diagnosed with autism each year. He has difficulty communicating his needs with verbal cues, repeats behaviors of those around him and is less aware of inappropriate behavior.

Nick was diagnosed with autism between the age of 2 and 3. The autism, coupled with a rare seizure disorder called Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, drove Nick’s parents to seek out specialists to increase the chances that he would live a more normalized life. “I was devastated (when we got the diagnosis) but knew I had to start educating myself and getting Nick the best possible treatments and services as soon as possible,” Julie Cheeseman, Nick’s mother said. “The sooner the better.”

However, when Julie Cheeseman made the decision to move him from a special day class in Del Mar to the Cardiff School District, she was nervous. Changes in routine for autistic children can have a devastating impact.

Julie Cheeseman said the experience has been just the opposite of her initial fears. “(The) Del Mar and Cardiff school districts worked together and a transition plan was put into place to allow Nick to ease into his new environment,” she said.

In addition to receiving special training in behavioral issues that children with autism typically exhibit, an inclusion aide was placed with Nick full time to assist him in mainstreaming into the typical classroom.

For two years, aide Kim Morris has focused on helping Nick achieve academic and social goals. “He is completing most of his work that the first-grade class is doing with little or no modification or assistance,” she said.

The most remarkable change according to parents, classmates, Easson and Morris is the compassion and understanding that the other students have developed by interacting with Nick. Annie Rump, the school librarian whose son George is also in Easson’s class, said she has noticed how the children treat Nick like any other kid. “I noticed when Nick is acting out or bothering them, they (the students) handle it with such maturity,” she said.

Easson prepared her students for Nick’s arrival by reading books about being different and discussing ways to accept and embrace the differences between each other. “The other children in his class are so kind and compassionate with Nick, it is so nice for them to learn about differences and to appreciate them,” Julie Cheeseman said.

Morris said that Nick’s classmates are given a rare opportunity to learn patience and develop leadership skills in order to provide a good example for him to follow. “I have been an inclusion aide for 11 years and love watching our special needs kids pull classes together,” Morris said