Autism Is OK

Welcome to Autism is OK. Thank you for visiting my website. My name is Pat Hays. My son, Nicholas, has Asperger’s Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. Since you have come to this website, perhaps you are a parent, grandparent, or other family member who is searching for answers in dealing with autism spectrum disorders. You may not find answers here, but you will find comfort. You will find understanding and you will find someone who is walking down the same path as you. You are not alone in your experience even though you probably think that no one else could possibly understand your daily life and the pain you often feel.

Parenting an Autistic Child

Parenting an autistic child is an exhausting, ever-demanding job. Autism doesn’t take a day off. It is a 24/7 lifetime job. There are times when the experience is frightening, especially when a child exhibits aggression. There are also times when it is joyous, when something unexpected and wonderful happens.

God has given these special children to us to parent for His own purposes. God does not give us more than we can handle with His help, but He does require us to rely on Him. God does not want us to feel hopeless, inadequate, or incapable of accomplishing the task He has given to us. We learn through living with autism that we have more patience than we ever believed was possible. We learn to love in an entirely different way as we slow down and view the world through the eyes of our autistic children, rather than through our own eyes.

I am writing a book with a working title of Welcome to My World. This title refers to both the world in which I live as a parent of a child with autism and the world in which my son lives. These worlds are different than the worlds that “normal” families experience. This book is not a reference book on autism. Rather, it is a chronicle of our journey with God as we navigate each day with autism. It is written from a Christian perspective. This book is at times both sad and funny, painful and hopeful. My prayer is that it will be inspirational to you as well and that if you identify with some of the feelings expressed in this book, you will always know that you are not alone. You can get an overall glimpse of our story by clicking here.

Share Your Autism Stories

I invite you to share your stories, thoughts, and questions with me. If you wish to submit a story, click here. If you wish to post a question or comment, please click here.