April is Autism Awareness Month with the 2nd being World Autism Awareness Day. There is a lot of attention and advocacy for a great cause this time of year and I like to reflect on what this awareness means to me. In any given year I certainly spend more than a month being aware of autism that is for sure!
The prevalence of autism is staggering and there is always a new book, story or controversy related to the topic. All this "buzz" is good as it brings attention to autism spectrum disorders, which certainly deserves more research and effort regarding it's cause and cure. I definitely do not feel alone in our challenge to help our children live the best life possible. With so many children being diagnosed, I am blessed to have this connection with so many other parents and caregivers. It does make things easier, especially on those really tough days.
These days I prefer to read stories about families who have come into what I consider a new state of awareness. I define this as a place where acceptance and a fighting spirit are more balanced than things are in the beginning when you are searching for therapies and grieving autism. I love reading about families who have been working through autism for 15 or 20 years and are now watching their children move onto the next stages in life. I find solace in their patience and unconditional love. I will always be well read on all topics autism related, but as I have found a place of peace in this diagnosis, I would rather revel in the simple things my children learn and accomplish each day. I will always be an advocate for the autism community and April holds a special place in my heart. Autism awareness means different things for different people, but for us it encompasses what autism has brought to our lives, how we have changed and what we have to focus on for the future. After all, we will spend much more time with our children as adults and that time will sneak up on us unless we are paying attention.
This is a fantastic site. Love your posts-of what I have time to read today. I can't wait to read more and learn about your kids. I have known Mike for many years....Kelli was one of my best friends growing up on the lake. I have heard from Kelli a bit of your journey. We too have a special son. He does not have autism but is faced with many many challenges. His name is Andrew. He is 5, deaf/blind, profound hypotonia, not walking, crawling, and has two incredibly rare syndromes called Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome and Pallister Killian Syndrome. I have found it healing to read and listen to other stories and journey's. So, thank you for sharing yours.
ReplyDeleteIf interested.....here is Andrew's blog site
http://andrewjacobschmidtbws.blogspot.com
Nicole (Ohman) Schmidt, mom to Andrew Jacob