Autism Is..... World Autism Day and My Family

Both my son and I have Asperger's Syndrome. I thought I would share a poem he wrote in 6th grade that shows both how deep he was at a young age, and his knowledge that his Asperger's make him different.

I AM

I am an odd child whom takes interest in many things

I wonder where time originated

I hear the wind billowing through the overgrown plains of the Savannah

I see the light shining through a dark, dank forest

I want to understand the concept of life

I am an odd child whom takes interest in many things

I pretend that things always turn out right

I feel the light of inspiration overcome the abyss that is thoughtlessness

I touch ideas that have remained untouched for a long time

I worry that when death washes over us, we simply fade into oblivion

I cry, when someone dear to me passes away

I am an odd child whom takes interest in many things

I understand that true peace may never be achieved

I say that time cannot exist without space and that the same holds true for space

I dream of variation of things I've experienced

I try my hardest to never fail

I hope that I can do something with my life

I am an odd child whom takes interest in many things

                 ~Jaycen B

We do not need Awareness, we NEED Acceptance!

My son feels like a ghost in the High School he has attended for 3 years.  He is not spoken to by most unless he tries to start a conversation (Which is very difficult for many on the spectrum).  He has been bullied and the school denies it.  He has suffered major anxiety attacks within the walls of the school only.  His IEP is ignored even when I rail and fight so hard for him. 

My child who thought he was the center of the universe for so many years, is depressed, riddled with anxiety, and never told us!  His self worth is constantly challenged. This is not the happy go lucky child I had for 13 years prior.

NO MORE! He will no longer attend this school after the end of his Junior year. There is a wonderful program for non traditional learners at the local Community College, and he would also earn college credit!

And if that does not pan out, I will Home School. What I will not do is send him back into an environment which cannot accept him.

So, yeah- this is Autism in my house.