Submitted by Brandy White Liverett
Recently, my two and a half year old son Dalton was diagnosed as autistic. I offer no technical explanation of autism however I will share some of my own experiences. As the parent of an autistic child, everyday is challenging and sometimes very rewarding. One needs to live with an autistic person to truly understand the impact it can have. Things a "normal" child can do are usually a difficult task for an autistic child. I know this will be a long and hard battle which will continue for the rest of his life.
An autistic child, in the eyes of an uninformed person, can sometimes be seen as naughty and out of control. These children do not know how to be 'naughty. They cannot use their brain to manipulate a plan to misbehave. What one sees is a child who has a complete fear of the world. An autistic child does not understand the world as we do. They do not naturally understand why you would wave your hand to say goodbye nor understand that if they cross the road without looking they could be run over. Autistic children have to be taught EVERYTHING. Nothing comes naturally to an autistic child.
One out of every 150 children have autism. It affects boys five times more than it affects girls. In the United States more than one and a half million individuals live with autism, making it more prevalent than Down Syndrome, childhood diabetes and childhood cancer combined. Most autistic children have sensory processing disorder (SPD). My son is non-verbal, will not touch certain objects, will not eat certain things because of the texture. He also does not like certain colors, sounds, smells, etc. It is more than a dislike, it is uncomfortable, painful, or upsetting sensations that are beyond his tolerance threshold. When you see a child in a grocery store having a "temper tantrum", it could very well be an autistic child having a total melt- down from sensory overload.
Stimming, or self-stimulatory behavior, is the oftentimes constant, repetitive actions or activities in which someone with autism may engage. These can be spinning an object, hand flapping, rocking or twirling, opening and closing a door, etc. All mothers are thrilled when their children learn a new word, or try a new food, or even make a new friend. But when you are the mother of an autistic child, these things are so much more than a milestone, it is a victory within itself. My son has never called for me, but I know he will one day. I will never forget the day he looked into my eyes, or smiled at me, or learned to play peek-a-boo.
Everyday is Autism Awareness Day to me and many of my friends. Please help us spread the word that April is Autism Awareness month.
The following links will provide information about autism.
http://www.autism-alabama.org/welcome-to-the-autism-society-of-alabama.html www.autism-society.org
www.autismlink.com
www.autism-resources.com 
