The Tribune

By YANIQUE SMITH

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD): a complex, neurodevelopment disorder characterised by repetitive patterns of behaviour and difficulties with social communication. (National Institute of Neurological Disorders)

It is spectrum disorder which refers to the wide range of functional levels that can occur in individuals with this condition. Early common signs of ASD include:

• Little or no eye contact

• No babbling by age one

• No response to name

• Loss of language and social skills previously acquired

• Obsessive fascination with lights or spinning objects

Later indications of ASD include:

• Repetitive motor movements such as flapping hands

• Obsessive fascination with objects, toys or subjects, for example trains or waterfalls

• Impaired ability to initiate or engage in conversations with peers

• Impairment of imaginative play

• Repetitive use of language

It is one of those moments a parent will never forget. Hearing the words, “Your child has autism”. Those words have struck fear in the hearts of many parents.

In today’s world, where the autism diagnosis is one in 68 people, for a parent to feel overcome with despair and uncertainty is normal and even expected. In my 13 years of working with parents of autistic children, a common thread that seemingly runs through each of their stories is the overwhelming feeling that they are alone in this and no one understands. A plethora of questions flood their minds. “Will my child ever be normal?” “Does this mean I’ll have to quit my job?” “What did I do to cause this?” “Why me?”

Hope: a feeling of expectation and anticipation; a feeling of trust. (Oxford Dictionaries)

Autism is not a death sentence. It does not mean that you are bound to a life of misery. And it certainly isn’t punishment for something you did or didn’t do. Autism can affect any race or gender.

There’s hope. I know it may feel as though your situation is somehow different or worse than everyone else’s. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, no two autism diagnoses are alike, but grief is grief and the pain associated with each diagnosis is shared. Yes, you’ve had some unbearable days and sleepless nights, but what I know for certain is that you are not alone.

Here in the Bahamas the cases of autism have risen in the past decade. The exact number is still undetermined, but there have been many institutions stepping forward to advocate for this condition. They provide strategies and support groups for parents affected by this disorder. Parents, I encourage you to seek out help from these places and become more informed on how you can better help your child with autism. Reach out to other parents for support. It lessens the load when you have someone there who “gets it”. It helps you breathe a sigh of relief when you have someone you can discuss the hard things with. Yes, travelling the same road is not the same as having the same journey. But at least you are not on the road alone.

Know that you are strong. You are tenacious. You are resilient. And if you still feel afraid and alone, let this column be a source of refuge and encouragement for you. I may not know first-hand the difficulties you face, but what qualifies me to be a source of hope for you is the many years I’ve worked with and encouraged parents like you. I’m not saying that the journey will be easy. Some days your strength may be depleted. But I know for sure that you are not alone. Hope is rising.

• Parents, teachers and other interested persons can send questions and comments to tutoringtherapy@gmail.com. Information provided will remain confidential.