I was thinking before how when the subject of autism was first raised I looked on Wikipedia to educate myself and came away distraught. It felt like my sons future was doomed, little prospect of getting a job, vast probability of being bullied, no chance of finding love, the only hope of leaving home being by moving into an institution. I was terrified.
Then I spoke to people and I heard so many different stories, my brother in law works for university and there is an ASD society there (so there can't be so few who go to university if they have their own society), my neighbours are teachers who told me of various pupils they've known over the years with ASD, including one about to go to university now to train as a doctor. I heard of many with spouses and children, I read the blogs of others with as varied lives as the neurotypical. In fact I love reading the blogs of people on the spectrum right now, their words are the ones I'm listening to the most as I try to understand my son and learn how best to help him. They are my greatest source of hope and wisdom.
But I feel so confused. Why are so many sources so bleak? Is it so hopeless? Well obviously not. But I guess I'm scared that the positive stories I hear about are actually rare cases, that for each of them there are another 50 who are isolated and alone and shunned.
I obviously am not writing my son off, he might be one of those who goes to university, has a job and marries. He might not. Even if he didn't have this he might not do any of those things anyway. I keep trying to be logical. No one knows what the future hold for their children, autistic or not...
No comments:
Post a Comment