Sunday, April 26, 2009

An Essay from Any Mom, Any Dad

Hand rope Managing Editor's Note:  I read this recently and I thought it spoke to and about all of us.  K

A Parent's Essay

How do you explain to someone that you spent two hours straight (your only good quality time with him after school) just trying to get your four-year-old child to say the "puh" sound?  How can any normal family understand what it's like that despite how badly your child wants the "P" snack (pecans), despite the fact that he's very hungry, and despite the fact that he can physically make that sound, that he cannot fulfill such a simple request?  It's not that he doesn't want to do it.  It's not that he's being difficult.  He wants more than anything to get his reward for doing it.  But in two hours, he could only make the sound one time.  One time.  And despite his frustration - despite your frustration, it was a small victory. 
 
You know he's learning from each and every interaction.  You know he can probably even spell the damn word you're just trying to elicit one sound from.  And you know one day, when it's his time, his light switch will turn on and all his hard work, all your hard work will be worth it.  But he has autism and nothing you or anyone else can do will flip that switch.  You just have to be patient and wait for his brain to make those connections.  A few prayers to his maker can't hurt either.  But you have to keep on teaching, keep pushing, and fight the urge to cry every time you bring him to tears trying to teach him to communicate his most basic needs.  You have to do it because you love your child and it's the only way.  And you need the support of the people who love him, who love you, to do it day after day.  You want their understanding too, but it's not possible to comprehend the mind of a child with autism unless you live with it every day.  So just support us.  Share in our small victories and help us to keep striving for more.
 
April is Autism Awareness Month.  Odds are good that in 2009, someone you know is affected by autism.  Supporting research and education are great ways to help, but so is just loving, supporting, and accepting the children with autism and their parents who would give anything in this world to help their child.


 

 

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