If you have never...

 If you have never.....

Sat down to be told your child has a disability and handed a diagnosis to confirm.
Been treated like you don't know your own child by therapists or doctors.
Lost family, friends, or a spouse due to not accepting that diagnosis.
Cried with your child due to physical struggles even doctors can't help you solve.
Solved the problem on your own and eased the struggle for your child.
Been called a bad parent.
Gone days with only what seems like minutes of sleep.
Sought strangers online who can possibly offer support because none exists in your personal world.
Gone days, months, or years repeating just one small word with the hopes of hearing it back.
Cried because that word was spoken.
Cried because you fear it will never come.
Left a public place carrying a screaming and hitting child with a smile as you go.
Cried when you got to the car.
Fixed hundreds of meals gone uneaten.
Cried because your child sat down and took a bite.
Searched relentlessly for supplements that will take the place of nutrition that you know is not there.
Celebrated because you found one that was accepted.
Had to refuse events that you want to be at, repeatedly.
Placed locks on windows and locks on doors for your child's own protection, no matter what age.
Planned to attend an event based on sound, crowd, and escape route.
Celebrated because it went better than expected.
Cried because it was to much and the escape route failed.
Celebrated a moment of progress for a child and parent you have never met in person.
Explained a behavior only to know the person listening thinks your insane.
Signed up for a program that sends someone to your home to take over, just to take a nap.
Wished you had access to a program that offers that.
Driven or moved long distance because that is the closest helpful therapy available.
Been unable to move or drive long distance and do not have helpful therapies available.
Fought with an insurance company to cover it and lost or won the battle.
Tried numerous diets with the hope one works just a little.
Gone weeks, months, or years without taking a break because you are your child's only voice.
Been told your strength is superhuman, only to know you are in fact not superhuman.
Wondered if your doing it all wrong.
Understood the progress made, no matter how small, means you are doing it all right.
Had someone tell you, your child might go on to live a normal life.
Sat and thought about a "normal" life and realized it's all bull shit.
Been overwhelmingly grateful for a teacher, therapist, or friend who gets it.
Accepted circumstance and learned more than you could ever imagine you would have in life.


   If you have never experienced these things and many more it would be ideal to not tell someone what does or does not cause autism. It's autism awareness month and that seems to bring out the people who think they understand but there is much more to understanding autism than just reading about it online or knowing a statistic. The experience is a crazy ride full of celebrations and heartaches and living it is so much more than a few "study suggest" articles blasted out on the Internet. It's not autism argue cause month, it's not autism vs vaccine month, it's not make autism parents want to crawl in a hole month. It's AWARENESS month and many people are feeling to many are not really aware at all. It's not about just being aware of autism. It's about being aware of the effect and feeling what others might feel because that is how understanding is created.

   According to Wikipedia.org
 Awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects, or sensory patterns. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an observer without necessarily implying understanding. More broadly, it is the state or quality of being aware of something. In biological psychology, awareness is defined as a human's or an animal's perception and cognitive reaction to a condition or event.

Don't let the research drive you mad...

   In honor of Autism Awareness month I think it's important to give people a perspective on why an autism parent might sometimes disengage from a cause conversation or grow a bit frustrated with the science/research we are given. This blog is especially important for the parents who are new to an autism diagnosis. A new autism parent will go through the cycle of convincing themselves they can find the cause and will in fact drive themselves partially insane trying. Today I am listing all of the studies I have come across just in the last two years on the cause of autism or possible connections to autism researchers have provided us with. This list is off the top of my head and I know more autism parents could add and probably triple the length of the list.

Vaccines
Genetics
Inducing labor
C-sections
Lack of oxygen during birth
Diabetes
Gestational diabetes
Flu shot while pregnant
Swine flu shot while pregnant
Flu while pregnant
Fever while pregnant
GMO
Obese mom
Obese dad
Age of mom
Age of dad
Age of grandparents
To much TV
Pollution in the air
Pollution in the water
Linoleum flooring
Chemicals in household products
Flame retardant in furniture
To much Tylenol
Tylenol given before vaccine
Yeast overgrowth in the body
Gluten intolerance
Cows milk intolerance
Taking antidepressants while pregnant
Random change in brain development between 15 and 18 months
Gods punishment for fathers sins and yes that is a real theory I come across believe it or not.

   Autism parents are not just utilizing extreme patience with their overwhelmingly amazing children, they utilizing extreme patience with the research given to us, both good and bad. One thing we know for sure is that it is not due to anything a parent may have done wrong, although according to this list a new autism parent could easily feel that way. We also know, according to research, autism can be connected to just about anything and that is exactly why everyone should be aware and understanding.