The Devil Series

The Autism Society of America Needs Your Help!

 

       Did you know that, in the United States, one child out of every 166 has an autism spectrum disorder? That’s a scary number, far scarier than anything I could ever write in my Devil Series. The sad fact is this: many people think it will be someone else’s kid. That’s what I thought until my son, Randy John, was diagnosed with PDD-NOS, one of the five main diagnoses on the autism spectrum.

       Randy was born in 1999. He grew and developed pretty much like a normal baby, except he didn’t babble a whole lot. He also enjoyed playing with bizarre things, like vacuum cleaner hoses and fly swatters instead of rattles and teddy bears. When he ate, he wasn’t crazy about getting his hands dirty. Sometimes it seemed as if he couldn’t hear us when we spoke to him and, when he became a toddler, his temper tantrums were the stuff of legend...and not the good kind.

       Being typical parents, my husband John and I grew increasingly worried over Randy’s behavior. When his first birthday came, he could say maybe three or four words, and even those were garbled. While he was making an effort to walk and toddle about like a normal baby, we noticed a lot of repetitive movement, such as flapping of hands and rocking. As this became more and more prevalent, we took Randy to various doctors with our concerns, and that’s where things got frustrating in a hurry.

       “He’s a normal little boy,” professionals told us. “Kids develop at different times, and what’s normal for one child might not be the same for another.” We heard this over and over and all the while, the tantrums became harder and harder to deal with. Going to a restaurant was out of the question. I couldn’t take him to the supermarket because the sensory overload would send him into a screaming fit. Church was the one time during the week I thought I could relax, but taking Randy was a chore. He couldn’t handle the services. When children are two, people smile at you and say things like, “Oh, my little boy was just like that” or “I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.” When the child is almost four, you get another look entirely...one that says, “You’re a lousy parent if you can’t control him.”

       Thanks to some wonderful preschool teachers who were able to see what John and I had been seeing for years, we were finally able to get Randy into some testing, and got the diagnosis of PDD-NOS, which stands for “Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified.” Randy had several, but not all of the characteristics of a child with autism. This news was a crushing blow in some ways, and a relief in others. For one thing, the diagnosis made us rethink what Randy’s life might be like. Gone were the dreams of a doctor or a police man, replaced with the feelings of “Will he graduate school?” “Will he ever be able to live independently?” Things become very narrow at first. We blamed ourselves, how we raised him, what we ate, everything.

       Bottom line, though, autism’s roots are nebulous at best. Both genders can be born with it (although boys outnumber girls 4:1), autism is not caused by being a bad parent and, most importantly, autism isn’t some sort of prison. People with autism have become doctors, lawyers and researchers. They can be architects, engineers, scientists, teachers...anything at all. With proper education and early intervention, many people with autism can become productive members of society. Think of an autism diagnosis as a trip to Russia, when you were planning to visit Mexico. Of course, Mexico is a beautiful country, but Russia is a place filled with intrigue and mystery as well.

       I am writing my “Devil Series” because I like writing, but also to help support the Autism Society of America. A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated directly to the ASA so that they can continue looking for a cure for autism. It’s a cause I believe in, and it’s a cause everyone ought to be aware of...because in the next ten years, the number of cases of children with autism will likely quadruple thanks to earlier and more sophisticated testing. 1 in 166 children are born with autism.

       Will someone you love be diagnosed next?

 

       To learn more about autism spectrum disorders and the research being done to help those with the spectrum disorders, please visit the Autism Society of America here: www.autism-society.org .

 

 

 

 

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