1 in 54 children are diagnosed with Autism each year. My son Cotton is 1 in 54. Cotton was diagnosed at the young age of two. Like most moms with a newly diagnosed child, I did not really know where to turn or what to do. I quickly was introduced to several other moms who had children with autism. I found my tribe so to speak. These women guided me in so many different areas and were just good emotional support for me. We understood each other like no one else could or ever would. Since Cottons diagnosis almost five years later I have in turn been able to be a mentor and guidance for countless other women and be their support system. That is truly an honor and passion of mine.
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Early diagnosis is not as common as it should be. For many children, it takes years to finally get an autism diagnosis depending on the severity of the child. Since Cotton was diagnosed at such an early age I am very passionate about early intervention. In my opinion, early intervention is so important for the child to reach his or her full potential. There are several different therapies these children can benefit from- Speech therapy, Occupational therapy, Physical Therapy, and Applied Behavior Analysis(ABA) just to name a few. At one point Cotton was attending 35 hours a week of therapy and it was very intense. It was very hard and emotional for him many days. Although he struggled very much to get through those long hours of therapy each week, that is something I would not trade for the world. All of his therapy, especially ABA, has been key to his success today. He has also participated in our local HAT(horse assisted therapy services) and the Dixie Diehards baseball- a baseball team for children and adults with disabilities. I am so thankful to have programs like these in our area.
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Unfortunately, the autism population is growing rapidly, but if you have met one child with autism you have met only one. Each person's autism traits are unique to that person. Cotton became verbal at the age of 5 and he appears to look like any (almost) 7 year old would. But Cotton is very unique in his own way something I now think is so beautiful. Cotton is truly a bright light in this world and loved by so many. He never meets a stranger and can tell you just about any fact about an animal I am sure you’ve never even heard of. But Cotton also struggles with school, large crowds, loud noises, bright lights, and becoming overwhelmed and overstimulated just to name a few. There have been many, many times we have been inside a store, a park, or even church, and Cotton has become overwhelmed. He has become so overstimulated and distressed, but he doesn’t always know how to express himself nor does he understand to remove himself from the situation without my help. To someone who does not know him, they may just see an unruly child or a child being emotional and in their opinion in need of discipline. So many times people assume this and they truly have no clue. I do not fault them for their assumptions. But I do want to challenge more people to do their research about autism or offer help to intervene in this situation. Speaking from experience a little kindness and understanding can go a long way. If you can be anything in this world just be kind.
If you have any questions and want to talk with me, I would love to chat with you. My email is allierawls@yahoo.com. Lastly, I would like to share one last resource I have found helpful as a mom- Autism Society of North Louisiana!
