"[So-called] Mild autism doesn't mean one experiences autism mildly... It means YOU experience their autism mildly. You may not know how hard they've had to work to get to the level they are." -Adan Walton I got the comment the other day basically saying that since Drew was behaving so well, his autism must be less severe. I just smiled politely and said that it has taken a lot of hard work to get where we are, but I'm not sure if they really knew what I meant. Autism is now diagnosed in 3 levels. I have attached an image below describing the different levels. Drew was diagnosed with level 3, meaning he would require the more support. This has been through y ears of early intervention, (speech, PT, OT, and special instruction), BSC/TSS, outpatient services, early preschool, routines, trial and error, patients, and lots of tears have brought us to where we are. There are still days that I don't want to take Drew certain places because I'm unsure how he ...
"Mental Health is not a destination, but a process. It's about how you drive, not where you're going." -Noam Shpancer, PHD A friend shared an article titled " Traumatic Stress and Moms Of Children With Autism" and it really got me thinking about how important mental health is. I think mental health is more that just a vacation once a year, or having a stress ball on your desk. It is like "the exhaustion is so real, you feel like you are trying to get over a flu that you never had, but never seems to quite go away." (Article 1). I have been struggling with my mental health for a few years now and wanted to share my journey . My abridged mental health story starts with the birth of my son. I had postpartum depression that I hid very well for awhile. I decided I needed help and reached out to my PCP. We decided that taking medication would be a good place to start. I did very well until a year later my father passed away. I reached...