I vividly remember when I first considered that Brantley might have autism. He was 7 months old, and my once-vocal child had been undergoing noticeable changes—he no longer looked at himself in the mirror, and my previously always babbling baby had become silent.
I was sitting at our first Christmas and thinking “this has to be Autism”. Brantley's intense focus on his favorite vtech steering wheel meant he couldn’t tolerate the mere vicinity of a new toy, resulting in what felt like the longest and most heartbreaking meltdown. I tried to mask my worry with jokes about returning packages he clearly didn’t want to save a few bucks, but the awareness of his atypical behavior lingered.
I wish I could have seen a glimpse of what our life looks like today, when I first felt the fear of Brantley having Autism. Because, while this journey is undeniably challenging, it has also been so much more.
Raising a child with Autism has taught me perseverance to overcome each challenge and bump in the road. It's shown me to take nothing for granted and to have immense pride in each new accomplishment and skill. And above all, it's grown a bond between me and Brantley that I could never have imagined during those initial thoughts of Autism.
While Autism has certainly shaped our life in unexpected ways, we consistently find a way to overcome each challenge, and that resilience is what I wish I could have seen during those first daunting thoughts of Autism.
Comments