BusynMember
Well-Known Member
Truly, my son (almost fifteen) is a mystery. He keeps so much inside of him (as all kids on the Spectrum do) and I often think he doesn't "get" things that he gets very well. I've tried to engage him in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) talk before, but he's never seemed interested (or disturbed). He just changed the subject.
Tonight he came downstairs and asked, "Mom, do I have autism?"
It shocked me. I'm not sure why, but it did, maybe because he never seemed interested in it. I calmly said, yes, he did and asked why he wanted to know. He said, "Oh, they're talking about it on the radio. People are giving their different experiences."
I had no idea he'd listen to something like that. I said, "Is it interesting?"
He said, "Yes. Some are very high functioning."
I said, "You are. Do you know that?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess so."
"Does it bother you or make you sad?" I ask, and my heart is racing.
He makes a face. "Not really."
"You like the way you are?"
He looks in the refrigerator. "Yeah."
"You don't want to change?"
"No." With that he grabs something out of the refrigerator and goes to the table.
He did not sound upset. He was very matter-of-fact and logical.
I thought this was really interesting. Kids on the spectrum don't share a lot, but, when they do, you realize that they know SO MUCH and are not as clueless as I tend to think (I can only speak for myself).
This summer has been a good one for my son. He has gone out on his bike almost every day, riding about four miles a day to the town where he goes to school. He has dropped by a few friend's houses. This is the first year (EVER) that he has tried to go out and seek his friends.
This is a child who couldn't speak until he was five, raged like a bull, had wrong diagnoses of ADHD/ODD and bipolar and was exposed to drugs in utero by his birthmother.
He is truly doing so well, it blows my mind.
Thought I'd share. Thanks for reading.
Tonight he came downstairs and asked, "Mom, do I have autism?"
It shocked me. I'm not sure why, but it did, maybe because he never seemed interested in it. I calmly said, yes, he did and asked why he wanted to know. He said, "Oh, they're talking about it on the radio. People are giving their different experiences."
I had no idea he'd listen to something like that. I said, "Is it interesting?"
He said, "Yes. Some are very high functioning."
I said, "You are. Do you know that?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess so."
"Does it bother you or make you sad?" I ask, and my heart is racing.
He makes a face. "Not really."
"You like the way you are?"
He looks in the refrigerator. "Yeah."
"You don't want to change?"
"No." With that he grabs something out of the refrigerator and goes to the table.
He did not sound upset. He was very matter-of-fact and logical.
I thought this was really interesting. Kids on the spectrum don't share a lot, but, when they do, you realize that they know SO MUCH and are not as clueless as I tend to think (I can only speak for myself).
This summer has been a good one for my son. He has gone out on his bike almost every day, riding about four miles a day to the town where he goes to school. He has dropped by a few friend's houses. This is the first year (EVER) that he has tried to go out and seek his friends.
This is a child who couldn't speak until he was five, raged like a bull, had wrong diagnoses of ADHD/ODD and bipolar and was exposed to drugs in utero by his birthmother.
He is truly doing so well, it blows my mind.
Thought I'd share. Thanks for reading.