Share How Autism Has Affected Your Life

Who in your life has been affected by autism and how?

My daughter. Since birth, she cried all the time. One minute, she was ok, the next totally hysterical. Motion/smell/taste/touch/noise/pain/constipation, all affects my daughter on different levels on different days. It has been an exhausting journey for her and for me.

Where is your loved one on the spectrum?

Waiting to be diagnosed. Specialist said possible Aspergers?

What do you wish people would understand about autism?

I wished that people would stop saying. "Oh all kids do that/ she will eat when she is hungry/my child doesn't sleep, that's kids for you/she looks fine to me/there is nothing wrong with her, all kids behave like that/ It is the terrible two's, she will get over it/ Is she your only child?/do you think you should just ignore her behaviour/kids do scream when the blanket is the wrong way around....." There is a difference, my daughter's behaviour is exaggerated, she really can scream with fear if a stranger looks at her in the super market, she will be sick with the pain when trimming her toe nails, my daughter will only eat cream coloured food, and may not eat anything for weeks at a time, my daughter will wake up during the night 8-10 times on a bad night crying, my daughter feels pain more than others, when teething she had a fever constantly, nothing helped her pain. My daughter will hide how she feels when in public, but may lash out when comfortable back at home. The list goes on and on and on.  Children do and can act like this, BUT the difference is my daughter is really affected by these things, she isn't having a tantrum, she really is scared.  Parents who have children with no issues do not have a clue what we go through. It has nearly killed me, the exhaustion, the constant battles, crying,....blar blar blar....Give me three children that are naughty any day, no problem..  Try having a child with Autism, you will then realise how hard and exhausting it is daily. Please don't judge parents that seem to have a naughty child, you don't have a clue what we have been through, just to get out of the house some days is a big deal...lol...I love my daughter so much, she is amazing, so bright with an amazing memory, and she feels things very deeply. I just wish people would support parents who have children with issues. So many people love to push the knife in, rather than give you support. Rant over...lol...