Parenting Autism

Moms of ever shape and size deserve a shout out just for being a mom, however a mom of a child with Autism should get some extra love for all that they deal with everyday!

I can remember looking at that beautiful little girl screaming, yelling and throwing things and thinking to myself how am I suppose to help raise her; there is something wrong. One second this changeable child could be sitting in my lap listening to a book, the next screaming or even standing in the middle of the room flapping her hands. I knew something was wrong.

He took her to the Dr, who tried to push pills; then came the play therapy, and things would get better, then they would get worse. I knew something was wrong. Helping to raise a child I did not give birth to, I had no way of knowing what had come before in her little mind. We tried diet changes, Dr changes and every form of discipline known to man, nothing helped and I knew something was wrong.

Even after we got a diagnosis of ADHD and we gave in and gave her the pills. I knew something was wrong. The screaming the yelling, the fits of rage, and I felt helpless to help this beautiful little girl. We went to Girl Scouts and she went to school, and IEP's and teachers who cared and still we could not help this beautiful little girl and I knew something was wrong.

The pills seemed to help and she did well in school, but at home I could not reach this beautiful little girl; she was angry and did not want the medicine to help her and she knew something was wrong. It was a beautiful day and we were celebrating all together when she snapped, and even though it broke my heart to take her to the hospital, I had hope that someone else would know something was wrong.

We sat with the new Dr and listened to the words, Autism and Asperger's, and nodded like we understood but at that moment I was relieved to know what that something was. It had a name, that something that was wrong, and at that moment the love of my life and I started a long journey to try to help that beautiful little girl and teach her that she could overcome that something that was wrong!

Every set back breaks my heart, every tear and meltdown. Worst is knowing that this thing is both the worst and the best of that beautiful little girl. I hope that one day she sees all that we tried to do to help her and she knows she is loved for just being that beautiful little girl.