Here's what you really need to remember about raising your autistic child...
There's a thousand things that I want to tell you about autism.
I could start by telling you about which therapies to pick or not pick, for instance. Or I could tell you about these common autism myths. You know, the ones that I'm sure you've heard many times before...
I could even hand you copies of my favorite autism books, just hoping you'd find the time to carefully read every single page and absorb all the details contained within those pages.
But I know that it would be all too much at once to take in...
And I certainly don't want to overwhelm you with all of that information right now, especially if your child has just been diagnosed with autism. You're likely already overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next.
So instead, I'm going to tell you the single most important thing that most people seem to forget when it comes to autism.
Most people - if not all - visualize a young child, most likely a boy spinning around or flapping his hands, when they hear the words "autism" or "autistic."
But here's the thing...
Those autistic kids?
Well, one day, they grow up.
They eventually turn into autistic adults.
Yet, the world seems to forget about that...
So that's why it's important to teach our autistic youth skills that will be valuable to them as adults. Give them the tools they need for a strong future.
And that's why it's even more important to listen to what autistic adults have to say about autism because, guess what? They know what it's like to be autistic.
And that's what I really want you to know about autism.
So how come there's such a lack of resources and support available to these autistic adults?
I know the previous sentence is ironic considering the resources found here on my blog are geared towards autistic youth, but I am writing as my son grows. We're not even into the teen years yet so I don't have experience beyond the early elementary years, but I hope to write more about autism in adulthood as my son grows and as I learn what resources the autistic adults need.
What I do know is that we need to start doing a better job of supporting our autistic adults.
Other Resources You'll Love
The Best Autistic-Led GroupsBest Chew Necklaces
Fiction & Chapter Books Featuring Autistic Characters
