So, what is Autism Spectrum Disorder? It's an umbrella term used to classify a group of developmental disorders such as Autism Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder - not otherwise specified including atypical Autism (afflicted - NOS), and Asperger's. The spectrum is so broad that these kiddos can present with a variety of different symptoms, at different ages, to parents who may or may not see and address them. The numbers are staggering, and early intervention is key. Hence the need for awareness of the disorder, parent advocacy, and most of all, arrangement of services to support and educate the entire family.
I know first hand -- my son was diagnosed with Autism Disorder the day before his third birthday. I knew something was amiss with him developmentally and called Alta Regional to self-refer for testing because his doctor's office was taking too long, in my opinion, to arrange the appointment. I asked for my son to get testing for Autism or other developmental disorders. He initiated and maintained eye contact well, so I wasn't personally convinced he'd receive a diagnosis of Autism. I was hoping there was another explanation for what I was seeing; his absence of consistent speech could be caused by a problem with his hearing, or maybe it was simply easier to grab my hand and pull me to the refrigerator, pointing at the gallon of milk instead of using his words. As I sat quietly watching him fail test after test for three hours, I realized my little boy was definitely on the spectrum.
My heart felt as through it were literally ripping apart. As the psychologist confirmed my fears, I mourned for my child as though his life would be cut short. "Cry", the psychologist advised. "Allow yourself to get it out. It hurts", she acknowledged. "Process this, then it's time to focus. Your little boy needs your help. Now the real work begins."
She couldn't have been more right. The next year was the hardest I'd ever experienced as a mother, and even hearing or seeing the word Autism made me cry. This made educating myself pretty difficult, but I managed somehow. I researched different diets, therapies, and looked to other parents who were going through the same issues for support. I arranged for my son to attend a preschool program for developmentally disabled children immediately, requested in-home therapy services and even equestrian therapy for my little boy, all the while working with the most compassionate service worker with Alta Regional to facilitate my son receiving these services. As a family, we worked hard to understand what he was going through. Amazingly, my son excelled before our eyes. He quickly exceeded the diagnosing psychologist's expectations, and graduated from in-home therapy services way ahead of schedule.
Today, he is an extremely bright, very vocal, totally well-adjusted 9 year old who displays very few symptoms. He recently told me, "Mom, I used to be Autism, but now I'm not." I thought to myself, you were never Autism. You were always way more than that. All the kiddos who are afflicted are way more than that, and we all have to remember that. I always tell people, my son is not Autistic, he HAS Autism. He's so much more than that. He's a happy little jokester who enjoys playing video games, is fascinated with Earth Science, and who's amazing with electronics. He enjoys researching topics that interest him, and is extremely independent. He builds lasting friendships, and has empathy when appropriate. He's simply amazing.
We are fortunate as a family to have learned how to support and understand him. Not ever family is so fortunate, however, and that's why awareness is so important. We have the most amazing Alta worker who's proactive, patient, and genuinely cares about my son and my family. We were blessed with in-home therapy services administered up to 3 times a week for 3 hours a day with regular meetings to check and assess his progress, and with friends and family who also educated themselves to help support us. In my opinion, we've overcome Autism. If there's someone in your life who's been diagnosed, do everything you can to help that child overcome Autism as well. And if you have any questions or need support along the way, don't forget there are other parents going through the same. Feel free to call or email me if you have any questions, and remember, you are not alone!
Mitzi De La Cruz
CalBRE License 01929064
Real Estate Professional
Lyon Real Estate
cell~(916) 871-8132
email: mdelacruz@golyon.com
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