April is Autism Awareness month and since 1 in 88 children (1 in 54 among boys) are diagnosed on the spectrum, it is an issue that touches many parents today. Sadly, most doctors paint a very bleak picture when telling parents that their child falls on the spectrum. Filling the parent's heads will all the thinks that their child will not be able to do. Having been at a school that had to self contained autistic units (most of the children were sever), I will tell you that each year that I was there I saw progress in each and every one of the children in those classrooms. Don't let the doctors tell you that your child will not be able to do many things. I believe in the power of faith and self-fulfilling prophecies. If you think they can do it, they stand a much better chance of achieving the goal than if you think that they can't do it.
The family of Holly Robinson Peeta, an actress of 21 Jump Street and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper fame, has written two books that are worth a read if you are part of a family that has an autistic child. Holly has a teenage son who is on the spectrum. He was diagnosed at the age of three. Her husband wrote a book called Not My Boy which provides us with a father's perspective. Holly and her daughter Ryan Elizabeth wrote a children's book called My Brother Charlie to help children understand this disorder. She is a great advocate for her son and all the children who are on the autistic spectrum. If you have a child with autism, the most important thing that you can do for them is advocate for them in the schools, with the medical community and with your friends.
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