My father had severe physical disabilities, as did my husband's father. Our love for them instilled in us a strong sense of responsibility for others.
One of our core values is that "different" does not mean "less than". Also, because I was the smart, skinny girl with glasses that kids liked to pick on, a mission for me as a mother has been to ensure my kids always feel loved and accepted for who they are.
That may be why I didn't see signs of autism in my kids. I thought the sensory issues, fixations, and difficulty adapting to change were just part of their personalities and it was my job to help them navigate the world in a way that worked for them.
My yougest daughter was a teenager when she asked to be tested for autism. I suggested we approach testing as an exploration rather than assuming we knew what the outcome would be. She agreed, but at the end of the day, she was right! Between conversations with friends and her own research, she figured it out before I did.
Once we had the diagnosis, she felt better having a name for how she felt, thought, and saw the world. She started educating me and I started to see in hindsight how obvious it was. So why didn't I put the puzzle pieces together when my kids were young?
In truth, girls do not always show the traits that people usually associate with autism. Because more research has focused on boys, girls may get diagnosed later or not at all. Check out this article for more information:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/signs-of-autism-in-girls-260304
I am running with Dougie's Team because the funds I raise will help other families affected by autism. Thank you for helping me reach my goal of raising $5,000!