| Some families are impacted dramatically by an Autism | | | | to access resources is strength. |
| diagnosis. Other families just seem to take Autism as | | | | As time goes on the parent and the child learn. This is |
| an aspect of one child's personality. It depends on | | | | another important change. The parents learn their own |
| many factors. First you have to look at a typical family, | | | | ways of loving and caring for their child. They become |
| if there is any such thing. | | | | involved with other parents and professionals and learn |
| In the beginning you have a couple. Two people who | | | | even more. By now parents have become so much |
| probably do not have any disabilities. They could but | | | | more knowledgeable and flexible. |
| probably not. Even further let's pretend they do not | | | | People in general think a parent becomes |
| have anyone in their family of origin who had Autism. | | | | overwhelmed with the fact their child is different. What |
| The couple we are talking about decides to start a | | | | they forget is that all of our children are different. |
| family, a large family by today's standards. They have | | | | Some are more dependent on their mom. Some are |
| a few children, boys and girls, in no particular order. At | | | | more dependent on their dad. Some children do not |
| some point one of the children receives the diagnosis | | | | want any help what-so-ever. |
| of Autism. The dynamics of this family have changed | | | | A child with Autism is the same. Some depend on |
| forever. | | | | mom. Some depend on dad. Some do not want our |
| The immediate family members must adapt to this | | | | help and some depend on everybody! Sometimes |
| situation. The changes start here. They become | | | | they live at home and sometimes they do not. |
| stronger because they learn to adapt early. The | | | | We also should not forget the siblings. Siblings become |
| parents have to become creative. They have to be | | | | do not understand like the parents do because of |
| primary caregivers to all of the children taking into | | | | course they are not adults. If a sibling is older they may |
| account this new aspect. | | | | help more. What we forget is that this happens with |
| Most of the parent's children interact on some level in | | | | the older siblings anyway. It has been like that in the |
| what we call normal. The parents recognize this as this | | | | distant past as well. |
| is how their families of origin interact. At first with the | | | | Younger children may notice that a sibling with a |
| child with Autism there does not seem to be any | | | | disability needs more care. This is an opportunity for |
| response or communication. | | | | them to learn tolerance very early. All in all, as any |
| This can be hurtful to the parent who does not | | | | family does, they all find their place and role in the |
| understand. In an effort to understand parents reach | | | | family. They all care for each other in their own ways |
| out. For some people this is uncomfortable, but learning | | | | and they all live, age, love and simply "are' accordingly. |