We have always tried to make the Christmas season a special one for our son, Angel. Last year, his fascination with Christmas trees and Christmas lights began. However, trees and lights are where his fascination with Christmas ends. As a parent of an only child who is on the autism spectrum, I have conditioned myself to understand that our celebrations will be different. … [Read more...]
5 Ways Providers Can Make Life Easier for Autism Parents
Autism came into his my son’s life as an uninvited guest. It affects the way he communicates, behaves, and socializes. It affects the way he learns and his ability to reach developmental milestones. Navigating the service delivery system that is in place to help him has been frustrating, but I know that I can never give up. As parents we depend on providers to navigate the … [Read more...]
3 Reasons Why this Autism Mom is Grateful
Raising a child on the autism spectrum is a never ending roller coaster ride, so today I want to celebrate the highs. Today, I want to celebrate the reasons why my son makes me feel grateful. Progress: When parents of children on the autism spectrum talk to one another, the word “progress” comes up a lot. We ask questions like: “How is he doing?” “Is he making progress?” We … [Read more...]
Why Autism Parents Need to be in it for the Long Haul
There is no cure for autism. I just want to put this out there because every other week we hear about a new cause or correlation between autism and everything from c-sections to maternal age. Since my son Angel’s diagnosis is not going away, all I can do is try to level the playing field for him as much as possible. This means that I need to treat my parenting journey as a … [Read more...]
Interview: Charles Jones Talks About “Autistic Like Me”
Autistic Like Me (ALM) explores the unbridled and unfiltered emotions that fathers experience while raising their autistic children. It also shows the world that autism transcends race, ethnicity, social class, economics, and religion. The making of ALM has been a labor of love for Charles “CJ” Jones. His only son Malik was diagnosed with autism when he was two and a half … [Read more...]
How Autism Rocked my Son’s World
Autism is an integral part of who my seven-year old son Angel is. I know some people say, “My child has autism, but autism doesn't have him” but I don’t see it as autism having my child. I see it as a condition that has a significant impact on how he interacts with and functions in the world around him. According to the CDC, “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of … [Read more...]
Four Ways Churches can Welcome Autism Families
When I was growing up, skipping church was not an option. Now that I am a parent, I want my seven-year old son to grow up in the church. As a child on the autism spectrum, attending church can be difficult for him. We have had more stressful church experiences than peaceful ones. Many of our Sundays have been spent in the church lobby because he would get overwhelmed due to his … [Read more...]
Why Autism Parents Need to Vote
I am calling on all parents of children with autism to recognize the importance of our votes. We have to hold our legislators accountable because the decisions that they make can have a huge impact on our families. Several states will be holding primaries for the midterm elections today and I encourage all of you to head to the polls and cast your vote. This is the first … [Read more...]
In the wake of Kajieme Powell: An Autism Mom’s Plight
As a mom raising a black son, a black autistic son, I fear the day he comes in contact with law enforcement. I worry about my son because autism affects the way he communicates and responds to communication from others. It affects the way he socializes and it also affects his behavior. We live in New York City: home to Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell, Ramarley Graham, Eric Garner, … [Read more...]
5 Things You Can Do Today to Prevent Autism Parent Burnout
If you are raising a child with autism, then you know that we always have a battle to fight. Our journey becomes a roller coaster ride that we board when our children are diagnosed. It is easy for us to burn out, especially when sources of support are few and access to services is limited. These are our realities. There is no way around it. So what can we do? We have two … [Read more...]
What Everybody Ought to Know About Wandering and Autism
Whenever an individual with autism wanders and goes missing, the autism community rallies around that family. We do what we can to get the word out and we do it with an urgency that screams, I KNOW WHAT IS AT STAKE! Despite your support for families affected by wandering, it will not hit home for you until it happens to you. When you have shared the flyers and sent out your … [Read more...]
Can We Get Rid of Autism?
Would you take autism away from your child if you could? This question has been circulating online and every time I read it, I have the same response: Why ask about something that can’t be done? Last time I checked, there was no cure for autism. I do not have the ability to take autism away from my six-year old son, Angel, so asking me this question is pointless and not very … [Read more...]
Four Ways to find Activities for your Child with Autism
Summer is finally here. And for the first time in years, my husband and I are glad that we found recreational activities that work for our six-year old son, Angel. He is enrolled in a great baseball challenger league and at a sports gym program for children with special needs. We also try to take advantage of the various access and sensory-friendly programs in our … [Read more...]
How We Celebrated Father’s Day with an Autism Dad
Father's Day means to a lot to our family. My husband started loving our son Angel before he was born. I remember being at our 20-week OB appointment and waiting to find out if we were having a boy or a girl. Angel's dad never missed an OB appointment. Not one. I remember as we looked anxiously at the screen during my ultrasound to see if we could tell what sex our baby was. … [Read more...]
Autism and the Gray Area Between Being Verbal and Non Verbal
Has anyone ever asked you if your child with autism was verbal? If your child can hold a conversation or even ask and answer questions, then you probably said that your child was verbal. If your child has no words at all, then you probably said that your child was non verbal. My six-year old son, Angel who was diagnosed with autism at age four falls in the gray area. This is … [Read more...]