"Simply gazing at the uniqueness of my son brings about so many differing emotions." My name is Kapil Sharma and I am an employment specialist for people with disabilities. More importantly I am a father to a child with autism. My oldest son, Lukah, has autism and is therefore neurodiverse. I entered vocationally [...]
"Her achievements and those of children like her deserve to be celebrated..." It’s that time of year again, graduation. As I scroll through Facebook, I see post after post of adoring parents boasting the accomplishments of their children: Grade Point Average, college pursuits, athletic achievements, class rankings, and more. These parents are excited [...]
"Autism does not define Aiden, nor our family. Autism guides us." I felt so appalled the first time someone suggested that Aiden "maybe" had Autism. He was only 2-years-old at that time and he was going for speech therapy because of language delay. I remember being so angry. How could she say such [...]
"The life we live with Anna is nothing like the life I see in my dreams, but I’ve come to learn that not everything is the way we imagine." Sometimes it hits me when I least expect it. I was sitting in front of my computer reading my son's high school athletic face [...]
Dear Parents... Rayni Brindley, Devereux's SVP of Organizational Development, and mother to a child on the autism spectrum has written a letter to fellow parents of children with special needs. The letter provides some light relief and steps to stay safe, healthy and calm during this crisis. Dear Families and Caregivers: I wanted [...]
The New Normal. I've always hated phrases like, "the new normal," or "it is what it is." In my eyes these expressions are just the lazy person's way of not trying hard enough to make a difficult situation better. We'll just call it, "the new normal" and move on. I can't make it [...]
"Autism is difficult and stressful but it’s also indescribably special." Recently, my Mom asked "what does ASD mean?" It hit me that I never explained what it stands for. ASD is an acronym for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Someone can be mildly, moderately or severely autistic. In Kenden's case, he is severely autistic because [...]
All-Time Funny Moments with My Autistic Son Don’t let the title give you the wrong idea - autism is no joke. However, if you are a parent of an autistic child you probably find some humor in every day challenges. I know I do. I must admit I went through a phase of [...]
Autism Families Share the Special Ways They Celebrate the Holidays As a parent to a child with autism spectrum disorder you already know, there aren’t any ‘right’ answers. Some kids love the lights and sounds of the holiday season, and there are kids who cannot walk through a busy mall or sit on [...]
Autism Isn't A Lifestyle Choice Autism diagnosis continues to increase year on year. With that comes more awareness and hopefully more acceptance. More and more adults are now seeking diagnosis and some even ‘self identify’ as autistic. Not a day goes by when there isn’t a press article, a blog, a meme or [...]
