Have a 5 year old autistic child. Similar to Rainman. Had hope that would get better by treatments but now i have totally lost hope. Cheer me up.
You are going to be alright! It’s just a phase, you love your kid and that should only matter. Easier for me to say but I saw this show called Atypical and learned how good people can be with their autistic kids and friends.
Please consider joining non profits who provide services to kids. They are desperate for tech folks willing to work for less.
I wish. Something people don't know about autism parents is that they don't have time to even see their own doctor. Haven't been on a date with partner for years. Haven't seen my doctor for years. Haven't been to a movie theater, concert, museum for years. I can only check blind on my phone time to time as I am watching the kids.
This ^ as another snk parent I can vouch. I haven't been to a restaurant in years. The last time it was loud enough for my son that we stood in front of the restaurant for 40 minutes with my almost non verbal son and came back home.
It will get better. When your child is diagnosed with Autism, you will feel that he/she will stay at the same level forever. That is not true and they will progress, maybe not at the same rate as others. Please focus on necesary treatments, ABA/speech/OT and continue to include your child in every activity. Celebrate every small milestone. The most important thing to remember is to stop comparing your child with anyone else, including other kids or yourself. Find a good public school with excellent special needs services. 5 is such a young age to label a child permanently. Autism is a wide spectrum , I have known kids who are completely non verbal and needing life skills support to kids who are just socially awkward, all diagnosed with ASD. Mine was diagnosed at 2, I can relate to how you feel. My child has made great progress, but there will always be moments that break your heart when you see other kids. But I am so proud of how far he has come. He still struggles with many things socially. What helped was networking with other parents in similar situation at school or therapy centers for support. This is very important. This is one of the situations where others cannot understand what you are going through, however well meaning they are. Don't lose hope, things will get better. Continue doing everything you are doing even if it seems like there are no immediate benefits. Sending you positive thoughts. Take care.
Thanks btw_15.. we have turned every stone.. not a single therapy we missed. Thousands of appointments past 2 years. ABA, speech, feeding therapy, OT, equine therapy, swimming, physical therapy, gymnastics, marshal arts, music therapy. Our marriage is broken now. My NT child is hurt and traumatized by her sibling's so many meltdowns and us giving so much more attention to him. Yes I love my autistic child. But Autism has destroyed our family...
@apple do u mind if I DM you. Have to discuss few things
Where do you live OP? Are you in Bay Area?
I’m in a similar boat as you OP - it’s tough some days but it gets better with time and I’ve found that over the years I’ve been able to return to the same mental state I was at before it happened! It’s okay to have tough days. 👊🏼
Thanks it is encouraging to hear this
Sorry OP this is a very difficult thing to go through as a parent. A family member of mine js autistic and acts a little like rainman as an adult. He was extremely disabled at 5 (nowhere near rainman level of functioning) but made a lot of progress much later than other kids and interestingly still seems to continually improve well into adulthood
OP, I know a couple whose first child is autistic and second one stepped up to be his big sister’s protector. This couple also had struggles in the beginning (and still they do), but they sought counseling and eventually the child with autism became the reason the rest of the family came together. It is an amazing bond, and I had been in awe. For now, consider changing the mindset from finding cure to mending the overall family life. We live in a world where people are more emphatic towards those who are less fortunate, and with the kind of financial stability and resources your child will be happy with parents like you and sibling.
OP have you read Welcome to Holland? It was a reference from another book and worth a read https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18168200-welcome-to-holland
This is the best time in human history for your child to live in, and you’re among the best possible parents for them to be born to.
Daaaaaaaaamn right.