April and Autism

Today I was working on a project at my office and needed to do a bit of research on the latest statistics on autism. I was shocked to learn that today new numbers for children impacted  by the disorder were released by The Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The numbers show that now 1 in every 68 children (it was 1 in 88 just a few years ago) are on the autism spectrum. And now, instead of 1 in 54 boys impacted, the number is 1 in 42.

While girls are impacted at a ratio of 1 in every 189, as anyone who has read my blog knows, my baby girl is one of those. What is shocking to me is that it's been less than 7 years since the last CDC study on the impact and in a very short amount of time the number of children impacted by this disorder has increased dramatically.

With numbers like that it's very certain that almost everyone of you reading this knows a child on the autism spectrum. At the very least, you know my daughter.
As March comes to a close and we begin to move into April, I urge all of you to learn more about this complex brain disorder. I know that since being blessed with a special needs child, I have learned a lot - like how important it is not to be so quick to judge when I see a parent struggling with a child in the store. You know we've all done it. The child is acting out (or cutting the fool as my daddy says) and you think to yourself  "if that was me, I would NOT tolerate that."  But you never know what is at the root of what is going on at that moment.

Or the next time you speak to a child or ask a question and they have difficulty answering you, it may not be because they are being disrespectful or lack "home training". It may be that they lack the ability to remember or execute social norms like speaking when someone says "hello" or making eye contact.

Autism is a very complex disorder. And while there are common symptoms to look for, because it is a spectrum disorder, one child's struggle with it may look very different from another's. And it is also typical that many children on the spectrum often struggle with other diagnoses like ADHD or Sensory Perception Disorder.

There are several organizations including Autism Speaks and USF's Center for Autism and Related Disabilities that can give you a load of information about it. And for any parent that suspects their child is on the spectrum, I encourage you to talk with a neurologist and your child's pediatrician regarding testing. Early intervention is key.

This journey has sometimes been tough and we have a long way to go. But it has taught me patience, compassion, understanding, and pure unconditional love. My child has autism, but I wouldn't change her for the world.

So, Here's What I Need...

photo:wordpress.com

I am really tired of myself. I know that may sound weird but I am. I think it’s true what they say, there’s no need in trying to change others when odds are, you can’t even change yourself (or something like that). 

Procrastination isn’t normally something that I indulge in (except when it comes to doing laundry, I HATE it). I figure that waiting is only going to leave me with a bigger mess later, so just get it over with. But right now, there is one area in my life that has been full of starts and stops, and no matter how much I tell myself I am going to do better, I fall off the wagon (sorta like when I forget to post for over a week!)

 I have been working on a business idea for some time. I have built the website, talked to people who have told me they think it sounds great, even had a few people take a look at the website for me. And then… my daughter has a crisis, my son wants me to go to his basketball games, my husband needs my help on a project, I have to prepare songs for choir rehearsal, the dog needs a vet appointment, I forgot to take out something for dinner and need to figure out what we are going to eat – the list is endless. Oh, and I do work full time.

I’ve read about people who stepped out there, quit their jobs, and went for their dream. I am so not that girl. I believe in my idea, and so do the handful of the friends and family that I’ve shared it with -  but will others believe in it too? And meanwhile, how will bills get paid? Can I cut expenses enough to just live off of our husband’s income? Right now, I have to be honest. I don't think I want to find out. With a special needs child, two pay checks is so better than one. Her medical expenses are no joke! 

But still, I really need to get it together. I need to carve out some time each week to dedicate to my idea and if I think it will work, find a way to get it done. I mean, I can’t possibly be the first person to work full time while building a business after hours.  Some days I am all pumped and ready to work on the idea and then I get home and start dealing with household chores, the kids, and whatever else comes up and before I know it, it’s 10:00 p.m. and I am exhausted.

So here’s what I need – someone to hold be accountable. I am going to put a standing appointment on my calendar that each week I have to update all of you on my status. If I don’t, you have my permission to call me on it. Before I share my idea with all of you I want a few more people to take a look and give me some suggestions and then, I need to stop talking about it and launch the thing! Right?