Asperger Help

Jimmy is my son. He is 12 years old. He was diagnosed with autism when he was eight years old. Long before his diagnosis, I knew that Jimmy was not developing in accordance with typical developmental milestones.  As a mother I have experienced a range of emotions in regard to my parenting experience.  Predominantly, fear and anxiety comprised a big part of my experience.  My biggest fear was that I was inadequate to handle the job of raising a child with special needs. I experienced fear when I realized that my child was not developing in accordance with benchmarks outlined in parenting books.  After realizing that Jimmy’s speech and motor skills progression were atypical, I grew anxious about Jimmy’s future.  I agonized over Jimmy’s educational placement and held a negative picture of Jimmy’s social future.  Most impaired has been Jimmy’s social development.  Jimmy has difficulty relating to other children and his perseverative interests in fish and unusual animals have made him the object of ridicule by his peers.  As his mother, these experiences have been painful.           

Out of this experience of parenting Jimmy, it was important to write how I grew and transformed to be a different kind of mother than I would have been if Jimmy would have been “normal.”  I grew to appreciate how Jimmy’s strengths like his sense of humor and use of odd phrases made him a unique individual.  The journey of parenting Jimmy enabled me to develop advocacy skills that I probably would not have developed otherwise.I learn from Jimmy every moment.  In order to begin a process of developing my strengths as a parental advocate, I have grown to know and understand my son and learn how Asperger Syndrome would potentially impact his learning and social interactions.  Then, I had to understand that he needed an advocate; he needed someone to serve his interests.  I know my child better than anyone else.  I know him better than his teachers and all of the clinicians who work with him.  I know that he has social and academic weaknesses, but he also possesses vast strengths.  As his mother, I have claimed the responsibility to advocate for him.  I have served him through advocacy, particularly in both public and private school settings.  I will not allow anyone working with Jimmy to forget his strengths.

My work is a reflection of my affection for Jimmy and others living on the spectrum. I understand their unique needs and deeply understand the systems impacted by and impacting these uniquely gifted and often misunderstood individuals.