"I've never asked myself why my older son has autism. I didn't ask why three years ago, when he was diagnosed, or before that, when he was a toddler struggling to meet developmental milestones. I've always been a solutions-oriented person, so when I learned that my son had a developmental delay, I focused on what I could control. I want my son to have the support he needs to be a thriving, contributing, independent member of society."
"I know that he can be that: he just might need a bit more hands-on support. It was never important to me what caused his autism. After all, my son is here and I love him just as he is. Knowing what caused his condition isn't going to change anything. He isn't an item that I can return to the store."
Her son received an autism diagnosis at age three, but she never focused on why he has autism. She concentrated on actionable steps to help him thrive, pursuing occupational, speech, behavioral, and mental health therapies. Those therapies improve his functioning but are not cures. Financial and administrative hurdles persist: the family faced large out-of-pocket expenses, ongoing insurance disputes dating back years, and long waits for specialists. She invests thousands of dollars and significant time arranging care and navigating bureaucratic processes to obtain essential medical and academic support for her son.
Read at Business Insider
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