"I wanted to find people I could be free to be myself with." After researching what tools were available to help people with autism make social connections, Cantu was disappointed.
This is what it's like (and what it takes) to be the father of a child with autism. Autism is not a childhood diagnosis; it is a lifetime diagnosis. I don’t profess to be an expert on autism, but I am an expert on my boys.
We know to not take on too many responsibilities alone, and we're not afraid to ask for help.6. Accepting our child's limitations and the strain that places on our relationship with child's mother as well as the effects of caring for a high-needs child can have on our job is simply overwhelming.
“I have to tell you something about myself, something important,” I said to my boyfriend. I could have pursued it, could have explained how difficult school had been: how I’d gone to see lots of educational psychologists before finally being sent down to London to see Francesca Happe, a specialist in autism, who — after one hour of tests, which seemed like games at the time — diagnosed me with Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, a form of autism.
I know this because I am a father of 7-year-old identical twin boys on the spectrum.
As fathers, we are an essential component of this autism phenomenon, and our parenting experience is unique.
Well, on the autistic spectrum, and it sometimes makes me seem weird, or socially awkward, and it’s difficult for me to get things — you know, body language things.” He paused, then broke into a smile. “There’s nothing wrong with you that most people don’t have.
The language of the body, that which makes up an estimated 60% of communication, was almost closed to me.She's unable to process the subtle hints or body language cues that indicate how he is feeling at a given moment, so the couple must practice very clear-cut verbal communication.In past relationships, partners described Fitzpatrick as "weird," "eccentric" and "intense," she recalls, which led her to be constantly anxious in social situations.Here are 13 observations (and some advice) that dads of kids with autism will understand and everyone needs to know.1. To the world, April is National Autism Awareness Month. We'll always be aware of the diagnosis and always work to make others aware and help them understand the disorder.2. and of "self-sufficiency."The goal of self-sufficiency does not change because of an autism diagnosis, only how we measure and teach it.We understand that each child will be limited in some capacity; however, potty-training, self-feeding, self-dressing, etc. Further down the road, we hope to help our children find jobs and live relatively independently.3. Superman wore one "S" on his chest, making him only half the man we are.Certain characteristics associated with the autism spectrum inherently go against typical dating norms.