The small, too-bright room would’ve made almost anyone feel overstimulated, but my 3-year-old felt it more than the rest of us. He flapped his arms, climbed on the table, and asked to go back out to the waiting area.
But I barely heard him — I was staring at the developmental-behavioral pediatrician, who’d just confirmed what I already knew.
“Your son has autism spectrum disorder,” he said, before rushing on to say, “and autism is 80% genetic. What are your family planning goals?”
I looked at him blankly. “Uh … I don’t know? I’m currently not exactly fertile.”
He hurried on|He hurried on
Discovering this autistic community was its own gift|Discovering this autistic community was its own gift
I signed up to receive newsletters from the Autism Self-Advocacy Network, whose tagline is “Nothing About Us Without Us,” and whose board is almost exclusively composed of autistic adults.
At night, as I lay my precious son down to sleep, I whispered to him that he’s autistic — beautifully so. That he has a right to a full and productive life like anyone else.|I signed up to receive newsletters from the Autism Self-Advocacy Network, whose tagline is “Nothing About Us Without Us,” and whose board is almost exclusively composed of autistic adults.
At night, as I lay my precious son down to sleep, I whispered to him that he’s autistic — beautifully so. That he has a right to a full and productive life like anyone else.
One day, if he wants to, he can have children|One day, if he wants to, he can have children
That life might be more difficult for him because the world sees autism as scary and sad but that there’s a whole community out there of people just like him with powerful voices that need listening to.
Over and over, I tell my son that I would be happy to have another autistic child. That doctor? He put his advice where the sun doesn’t shine.
Because my son is not scary. My son is not someone you should pity.
But he and all his autistic peers are people that we should all work tirelessly to welcome into the wider world with open arms.|That life might be more difficult for him because the world sees autism as scary and sad but that there’s a whole community out there of people just like him with powerful voices that need listening to.
Over and over, I tell my son that I would be happy to have another autistic child. That doctor? He put his advice where the sun doesn’t shine.
Because my son is not scary. My son is not someone you should pity.
But he and all his autistic peers are people that we should all work tirelessly to welcome into the wider world with open arms.
