There are many sites out there that will tell you a clinical definition of Autism. There are many sites out there that will give you a list of traits that accompany Autism. However, there is a saying that there are as many forms of autism as there are people with it. Truer words have never been spoken.

Let me tell you a little about my son. He loves music, movies, playing with his little brother, hot wheels and just starting to really take notice of girls. He is handsome, has a sense of humor and creative. He can be loving, he can be sad and yes….he can have a temper. Sounds a lot like a typical 10 year old boy. He has autism. Something you are never prepared to hear from a doctor’s mouth. But I did.

I remember it like it was yesterday. I had went to his pediatrician time and time again only to hear that I was a first time mom, over paranoid and inexperienced. What crap! You know when something is wrong with your child, you just know. And I did, I did not stop until I found out what. I made an appointment with a regional center and before the appointment was over the doctor, a lovely woman who had a step-son with autism, delivered that word. “Of course I can’t give the official diagnosis until all the evaluations are done.”

After the appointment, I put Nick in the car, went home and acted as if everything was normal. That night I tucked him in bed and made a pot of coffee. I sat in front of the computer clicking on site after site until the wee hours of the morning. I had cried until there were no tears left. Not for me, but for him. I was terrified for what life would be like for him. Then the words “Life is what you make it.” and that was the turning page. I did get the official diagnoses. Nick went through occupational therapy before he was even old enough to go to school. He has went through a lot of therapies since then; speech, occupational, physical and behavioral.

In the ten years since I had this beautiful baby boy I have been thankful for him everyday. Yes it is hard raising a child with autism and yes there are challenges. But you overcome them, one by one. I have found that Vitamin B is amazing and helps a lot with his emotional stability. I have found that you can see a Disney movie one too many times but still watch it anyway. I have found that a five star reward system for good works 100% better than time-out’s for bad behavior when your dealing with autism. But most importantly I have found that raising a child with autism is just raising a child. Nick has autism. He is not autism. It is what he has not who he is.

I hope that my telling you a bit about my son gives you encouragement. Especially if you have just heard the diagnosis. I urge you to join groups for parents of children with autism. I urge you to learn as much as you can but keep in mind that your child is a unique person. Your child will have some traits but not all, will have some challenges but not all and respond to some treatments or therapies better than others. But, more than anything I urge you to embrace your child’s uniqueness as a gift.