Love paves the way to the joy of today And promises dreams of a brighter tomorrow ...to a forever of tomorrows.
This blog is inspired by my family and all of those wonderful people around me who have listened to me ramble about the fear we had as the word “Autism” slowly crept on our radar screen; about the the wonderful attributes our little boy has; about the “challenges” we face; about the little victories we achieve each day; about the hope; and, yes, about our favorite -ism: the optimism. To all of them I say: thank you. Thank you for listening and I hope this new outlet for me gives your ears a much needed rest.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that our little man has not been diagnosed with anything as of yet. Part of the problem with the exploding rates of Autism diagnoses is that in order to get an appointment with a developmental pediatrician in these parts, you must wait on a list of anywhere from 8 to 14 months or more. But the signs are there. We qualified for and received the wonderful benefits offered by Early Intervention (EI). And, our little man, now 3, is now attending a self-contained, full-day special education program. We have little doubt that our little man is “on the spectrum.”
There are two reasons I am writing this blog: For ME and for YOU. For me, writing about our family, our little boy, his big brother, and our experience, is therapeutic. If we are the lone tree falling in the forest, this blog is our sound.
For you, -- the parents, the grandparents, the concerned aunts, uncles, neighbors and friends, of a child “on the spectrum” or believed to be, who have stumbled onto this site, I write to empathize, to share, to encourage, to listen, to offer perspective-- and to let you know you are not alone. May you find an idea, some solace, some commiseration-- but most importantly, may you find hope and optimism. You are not alone. There are many out there with you-- who pray for you and yours, though you don't know us, who have had your thoughts, your doubts, your fears, your experiences, and your hope.
May we all find something through this miracle of modern technology that maintains our happiness and optimism.
