This person wants to share their story...This item was emailed to this blog--AR
Thousands of children are not getting the help they deserve because their parents are misinformed or uneducated. My 5-year old son Elias is high functioning Autistic, but you would not know it when first meeting him. Most people think of Rain Man when they think Autism. Elias appears to make eye contact, is very social with adults and is extremely verbal and polite.
We were turned away from services because miseducated doctors told us he couldn't be Autistic because he, "makes eye contact and gestures." These were doctors! With the growing epidemic (1 in 150 children) it is imperative that we show other parents that their "weird" child may be on the spectrum. People always told us that Elias was "just sensitive." I started feeling like maybe I was the person who had something wrong with them. I felt like no one else saw the things my husband and I did. I have never felt so helpless in my life.
We pushed to find out what was wrong with him. It took two years to get help. One doctor told us, if we hadn't pushed he would have surely slipped through the cracks and he would not be getting the therapy he so desperately needs to have a good shot of a independent life. How many other children are slipping through the cracks? Many parents don't know what to do. They are not sure what is wrong with their child. Education is key!
1 comment:
I totally know how you feel. My daughter Paisley, will be 3 in November. She was delayed in all areas and not speaking at all. Her pediatrician just said she was delayed, no push, no doing the checklist for autism red flags, no nothing...like you I had to push for testing. I had to get the referrals and find the doctors because like you if I wouldn't have persevered and pushed my daughter may have fallen through the cracks as well. It is amazing to me these educated doctors who are blind to the signs, or maybe they are just so use to overbooking and rushing patients in and out they don't really take the time to check each child out thoroughly. These well baby check ups shouldn't be so in and out. Parents should be able to ask questions. Since seeing that physician we have switched to a developmental pediatrician and my daughter recieves therapy, but so many people are probably being brushed aside and not diagnosed because the doctors are too busy or not educated on Autism.
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