Autism Awareness Day

As you may or may not know, my son is on the Autism Spectrum. He was seven when he was diagnosed, and only because I pushed for testing. Some people have stated that receiving a diagnosis of Autism for their child was devastating. For us, it was a relief. We finally understood what was going on with our precious boy and could parent him in the way he needed. It was also a relief for him.

I was nervous telling him about his diagnosis as I did not want him to see himself as less than, or have any negative thoughts about his diagnosis. I remember sitting with him and my daughter at the dinner table and explaining what Autism was and how it helped explain some of the things he experienced (the texture of food, picking out patterns when others see randomness, sensory overload, perseverating on things that happened to him, etc.). We talked about famous people who were also on the spectrum. His shoulders relaxed and a look of peace came over his face. It was as if by receiving the diagnosis he finally understood himself.

It has not been easy, and as with any kid, we have periods of calm and periods of not so calm. But he is intelligent, witty, logical, loving, expressive, and sees the world in a way that is unique. He loves games of any kind (and usually wins), vanilla ice cream, and soft blankets. We are blessed to parent him and to glimpse the world through his lens.