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...]
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: Moving Beyond Awareness to Acceptance
I have mixed feelings about autism awareness month. I am glad for the attention that autism gets during April but by the time May comes there is a cloud of neglect that is cast over the autism community. What society needs to realize is that for families of individuals with autism, we are aware of it every single day. We are aware of the challenges that come with raising a … [Read more...]
How I’m Raising the Bar for My Autistic Son
I have a confession to make. I have been holding my son back. Angel will be seven this year and there is so much that he can do. He can do more than I thought, more than I imagined. Of course, I did not realize this before because I never gave him a chance. I told myself he is autistic. He needs me. I need to do these things for him. Then, I would get a note from school about … [Read more...]
Teaching Your Children How to Interact with Autistic Children
Have you ever seen a group of children playing tag on the playground and noticed one child repeatedly going down the slide? He probably wanted to play with the other children but he did not know how. If this sounds familiar, you may have just seen a child who is on the autism spectrum. Autism has been called an invisible disability and it is. When you look at my son, you will … [Read more...]
How Couples Can Support Each Other in Parenting a Child with Autism
Being a supportive spouse is something that can make a marriage thrive. However support is even more crucial when raising a child who is on the autism spectrum. Sometimes your spouse is all you have to help you deal with the challenges that autism can bring into your family. Here are 10 ways that couples raising a child with autism can support each other: Give each … [Read more...]
The Impact of Autism on My Marriage
Marriage can be a roller coaster ride. This is to be expected when two people are trying to build a life together. So what happens when autism enters the mix? Although autism impacts each child and marriage in a different way, there are some common issues that autism families face. They can include financial challenges, child care, special education, lack of support, parenting … [Read more...]
Facing Autism: 10 Things We Think About When Considering A Second Child
When are you having second child? Does Angel get lonely? People ask me these questions all the time. Some even tell me that I am depriving Angel of having a playmate. In essence, they all want to know when my six-year old son will get a brother or sister. All I can say is: “I don’t know.” When Angel was born, my husband and I never asked IF we would have a second child. We … [Read more...]
Autism Is Not Contagious!
Picture this: I am standing on the train platform with my six-year old son, Angel. It is cold. Too cold for November. Angel is munching on Doritos as we wait for the next train. All of a sudden, he turns around and looks at one of the ads on the platform wall and yells: “BLUE"! The lady sitting next to him jumps. She is startled. I understand. But, what she does next, I do not … [Read more...]
Autism: What You Should Do Before and After the Diagnosis
The fact that autism is diagnosed later in minority children saddens me. It saddens me, but it also motivates me to be even more diligent about spreading autism awareness in my community. Our children are beginning the race when children of other races are already on their third lap. Angel was not diagnosed with autism until he turned four. Here is the action plan that I … [Read more...]