Autism.
Small word. Big meaning.
Yes, change is constant and inevitable ... but my life really changed in August 2010 when my son Will was diagnosed with autism. He had turned 9 two months earlier.
My wife and I had always thought Will was just quirky. He enjoyed being by himself at times, was obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine, he didn't like going to noisy children's birthday parties at McDonalds or Hungry Jacks, he didn't have a lot of the social skills other kids his age had (saying "hello" didn't mean much to him), he made up his own words for certain things in his life, he hated being in group photographs and so on.
We'd checked all the available information on "autism" when Will was two years old and three years old but were told by our GP and paediatrician that Will definitely wasn't autistic. So for the next six years or so ... which aligned with two years of pre-school, then kindergarten, year one, year two and into year three we tried to help Will "fit in". Those early school years were absolute hell ... for Will and for us as his parents.
Will was diagnosed at ASPECT in Sydney and eventually was given an aide at school but that unfortunately didn't work out as we'd hoped and when Will was mid-way through year four he commenced distance education, which he's been doing for a year now.
Like a lot of parents in the same situation, after the diagnosis we did a lot of reading, scoured websites, watched a myriad of documentaries and attended seminars including that of Australian autism-expert Tony Attwood. Autism is most likely genetic and the finger is pointed usually at the father, especially "older" fathers. I was 41 when Will was born. So I was assessed and classified with aspergers. At age 50!
That's my background and the reason for starting this blog. Aspie with an autistic son. This will be about life as I know it.
