My son Akash is 12 years of age currently. Akash was diagnoised with Autism Spectrum disorder at age of 3. Akash was delivered when I was 37 weeks pregnant because I developed Pre-eclampsia. Akash reached appropriate milestones up until age 2 and half. At his 2 year checkup the pediatrician asked if he was saying at least a couple of words. I told her no he has not started speaking the pediatrician looked at me and then my son on the examining table rocking back and forth. The peditrician told me that I might want to consider consulting with a developemental pediatrician since he had no reached his milestone as far as speech was concerned. After about 6 months we were able to get in to see a Developmental Pediatrician at Saint Christopher's Children's Hospital in Philadelphia. The pediatrician took one look at him and confirmed every parent's worse fear that our son was severly autistic.
The Developmental Pediatrician handed us literature and some resources that we could use to help our son. My husband and I read up everything on the internet about autism. We are first generation Indian family and in India Autism Awareness is not widely spread like it is in United States. We as parents did not even understand what this meant for our child or my family. Our world stopped as we knew it I was 9 months pregnant with my daughter when we found out my son was autistic.
When Akash transition to Kindergarten the school had an IEP or Individualized Educational Plan in plac for him. Akash is currently in 7th grade private school that is funded by the school district. Akash has yet to call me a mom or his father dad. We are hopeful that one day my amazing son can call us mom or dad. Our son teaches us to look at this world from his prespective. Akash might be non-verbal but he is an amazingly special child. Loving, Sweet and looks at this world from a different prespective. We are truly blessed with our "special" son...
Levittown, PA