Autism? You've Got To Be Pulling On My Leg!

Well, along with my little rascals, I am extremely fond of Despicable Me, although, we've just started to get into films, and have only watched the first one. I just love the part when the orphan girls are knocking on the door, selling cookies and Mr. Gru says "You've got to be pulling on my leg!"...or something...sleep deprivation does this...memory vanishes without a trace!

Anway, that phrase is used quite often in my language, and it's a good phrase to use, because it makes me chuckle...a lot.

That's how I felt when we were told that our second born was showing autistic traits.

We noticed quite early on in our second born's life that routine was important, that certain toys were required more often than others, that a ride in the car needed five toys to go along too.

No....I didn't want to think about it.....

We noticed that vehicles needed to be lined up...to the extreme. It was like a motorway gridlock in our house and we are lucky to get through so many years without any leg breaks due to falling on the gridlock.

Still didn't want to think about it!....

We noticed that certain foods wouldn't be touched, we noticed loud noises like the hoover and hand dryers were terrifying. We noticed that coats needed to be fastened up in the hottest weather, and that even thought the car was like a sauna, the windows needed to be up, and the A/C had to be off.

....I know, I know....but no....surely

We noticed that when over stimulated, flapping occurs, word repetition occurs and the onset of a meltdown is catastrophic.

....So, I guess, we kind of expected the diagnosis...does it make it any easier? That would be a 'NO'.

Autism is complex, difficult to understand and exhausting.

Being told that we had to deal with ASD in our child made us want to protect,wrap up in cotton wool and shield our child from the world. Worrying that the 'nasty' people out there would give them a hard time.

As it happens, the support has been tremendous, which has enabled us to have a more positive outlook on ASD and also, be a support to others who have had trouble coming to terms with living with Autism...it is to be embraced...

...and no, I'm not pulling on your leg!