Aaron was not happy. Wednesday night was youth activity night, and since Leia was away at an all-girls camping trip, it was just him. The boys were meeting at Nate’s house for a pool party which meant being shirtless. Worse, his parents had decided they were going to walk there. Aaron didn’t mind walking, and… Continue Reading
We are an autism family. We are one loving unit, and autism is a part of who we are. There are times I feel autism is being at the mercy of what I cannot control. I cannot control the brightness of the sun, I cannot control the volume of the music in the car next… Continue Reading
At the age of four, my now nine-year-old son was diagnosed with autism. When he was being evaluated for weeks at a time at UCLA, my sense of loss and longing led me to write this poem. The flowers have wilted since you’ve been gone And the butterflies have stayed away, The cat keeps asking… Continue Reading
Where did 10 years go? My first-born son, Javier, is now in the double-digits. Motherhood has been the biggest blessing, although full of more challenges I thought I’d ever face! At the end of my pregnancy, I watched a talk show featuring celebrities speak about their children with autism. Not being very informed, I listened… Continue Reading
I lay in my bed not wanting to move. I don’t want to open my eyes because I know the sun will be too bright. As I try to get comfortable in my bed, everything starts to bother me. The smell of coffee from the kitchen is nauseating. Why does the whole house have to… Continue Reading
I was diagnosed with autism in my late teens, by which time many people thought the diagnosis came too late to be of any real use in terms of supporting me. What went unnoticed is that my family, whether consciously or not, had been making adaptations throughout my life that enabled me to manage a… Continue Reading
Sit down and talk to us, not at us. That is the best, most concise advice I, as both a mother to two on the autism spectrum and an undocumented autistic myself, could give to one wondering what it’s like to be inside our brains. Sit down and talk to us, not at us. And,… Continue Reading
When my son, Alex, was born with Down syndrome, we quickly connected with the community. We appreciated the connections with families walking similar paths and made friends with the people who get it in a way that even the most understanding friends outside the community cannot. When Alex was four years old, we brought home… Continue Reading
My name is Kaelynn Partlow, and I have been attending the school at which I am currently employed by for the past five years. My journey at Project Hope began with my mother tying my shoes, picking out my clothes and fixing my hair on that very first day of school. I was 14 and… Continue Reading
In regards to better understanding autism, it will help if you think of the human mind as a delicate tuning fork. Hit the fork with the right amount of tap and it will resonate in harmony, but bang it too loud and it will create dissonance inside the mind, especially for the person who dwells… Continue Reading