As many of you may know, April is Autism Awareness Month. I myself have been inspired to know more about autism. I have been very blessed to have friends who were willing to share their family story with me so that I can share it with you. Awareness is the power to knowledge and knowledge is the power to making a difference for someone in need.
Through the information shared by my friend, I have learned so much information that may help you or someone that you know. Reading this is just a start. There is so much information out there and each case of autism is different. Take everything that I share and then go out and continue your own research because there is so much that we can grow on.
Some of the things to be aware of is if you notice your child having any speech delays, noise or smell sensitivity or if there are certain ways that your child organizes his/her toys. If you notice any of these along with meltdowns, please contact your pediatrician so that together you can come up with a plan to help your child as they get older.
If your child is diagnosed with autism, make sure that you get as much information as possible from your insurance to see if there are any other forms that need to be filled out. Be aware that you will have to have meetings and paperwork to fill when or if your child is attending school, but keep in mind that it’s all for your child to have a better chance later in life. If you go to Autism Speaks, you can get more information on how to get involved, applying for grants and just so much more.
One of the questions that I asked my friend was, “What are some things that you wish people understood or took into consideration when interacting with your daughter?” Her response was, “Patience and understanding. My daughter can be very blunt, but we know that she doesn’t mean to hurt your feelings. She sometimes won’t answer someone just because she might not understand the question just because you asked her a certain way.”
This post is just a ripple in the ocean of information on autism. Experience makes masters and I see how amazing my friend is with her daughter. There are different forms of autism, so find something that works best for you and your family. So much love and support is waiting for you.
What is something that you would like others to know or take into consideration when interacting with your child?
What are some of the websites that you found the most helpful?
Share them in the comments so that other parents may have an extra hand of support.
Much love, peace and joy, 
Very informative and allows hope for those who need it.
I am the mother of an autistic 13-year-old, he is simply amazing, living in a world where he is misunderstood, treated like he is stupid when that is the farthest thing from the truth. He is wonderful, smart and funny. However, because he has trouble speaking people don’t see it. Also, the world is full of so much noise, so any lights, sounds and smells, going out in it can be a bit much for him, because he sees hears and smells EVERYTHING so much stronger than anyone I have ever me. So going out in public makes him retreat into his iPad, his wears headphones to block out the sounds, often with sunglasses to help him deal with the lights. Still sometimes he can’t handle it all and he has meltdowns, so few people will never see the amazing man I am raising. Thank you for trying to teach the world too! I have yet to meet an autistic who was anything less than amazing. I hope more people give them a chance to shine after seeing this.
Thank you so much for sharing. Being informed makes the biggest difference and I love the information you shared within your comment.