Did you realize, when you held your precious child that the rates of autism are climbing at staggering rates? That now it has become one of the most commonly diagnosed childhood psychological disorders? Makes it seem like you are that much less alone, doesn’t it?
One child out of every 165 children are now diagnosed with it. This means in a normal sized regular elementary school, at least a few of the children suffer from this disorder. This means in a city of 1 million children, there are now over 6 thousand autistic children.
And the worst news is, the jury is still out on the causes. We know of course that part of the high figures now in comparison to twenty years ago is simply in the misdiagnosis that occurred back then. But in either case, the numbers are on the rise and more and more parents are struggling with daily life raising an autistic child.
Parenthood wasn’t meant to be like this.
It becomes such a daily struggle when you are lost in this world, trying to make sense of their world and they are lost in their world trying to make sense of ours. It becomes a difficult task to spend hours each day trying to avoid the next melt down, the next upset over a simple daily task, that to most children, they would adjust to and move on.
Even when my son isn’t with me, I cringe at the sound of sirens. Why? Because if he were with me he would be on the ground in seconds hands over his little ears, rocking. I will never forget the day that really put it into perspective. We walked past a police car and the children got excited. The officer turned on the sirens for the children and my little man recoiled in pain. Now he cringes at the sight of them. Turns from police men, simply because this officer had done something other children would love.
And like all you other parents, I know it doesn’t stop at just that. Every little thing in the day, holds potential to become a moments of pure pain and upset. Nothing is worse for a parent than your child being in pain and distress and being unable to calm them or make all in their world right. And worse yet, the little ones we can’t touch and hold, the ones who recoil at our touch, so we are left standing there watching them scream out at a world they don’t understand.
I see signs now even in my youngest. He will only play with yellow and red blocks, he just screams at the rest. And with tears in my eyes and an ache in my heart, I know he will never be a normal child, and all that I have done with my older son, I will be repeating with him.
I hope knowing you are not alone helps in your healing process. I hope understanding that more and mroe parents are battling this disease day in day out, helps to ease some of the heartache you feel. I love my children with all my heart and would never want them to be anything else but themselves, and I know you love yours too, and togetehr we can end autism and make it a brighter day for all children.
