"Now in her late 40s, Christina was a successful financial consultant, with a specialty in helping women manage post- divorce. But the hitch came when, at 42, she found herself pregnant - after 10 years and three other kids. "We never thought of not having Danny," she told me. "I figured I'd take time off, and then life would snap back to normal." It didn't."
"Starting at around three months, just when Christina was set to resume her practice, Danny's developmental problems became unmistakable. Though Christina tried to allow for what she hoped was mere slowness, there was no denying that Danny wasn't making any progress. A clinic that specialized in children's developmental disorders diagnosed autism spectrum disorder, she told me. It's every parent's nightmare."
Christina, a successful financial consultant in her late 40s, became pregnant at 42 and expected a temporary pause in work. Her son Danny showed early developmental delays; by six he could say a few words, rarely made eye contact, became aggressive when unable to communicate, and often screamed. A clinic diagnosed him with autism spectrum disorder, making mainstream schooling unlikely. Christina felt devastated and guilty about having a child later in life. Danny began tapping pictures on a keyboard as a pathway toward communication, but speech progress would require years of therapy and evolving treatment approaches. Christina sought a new direction in life.
Read at Psychology Today
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