by Pat on Apr 18, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Filed in Autism and Education | Christian Autism Stories | Parenting Autistic Children | Stories from Readers
My son was diagnosed with (nonverbal) mild-moderate Autism Feb 15, 1995 at the age of 3 1/2 years. It took some time for my husband and our pediatrician to admit there was a problem. Of coarse I read everything I could get my hands on and "early intervention" was key. Wilmington TEACCH had a year long waiting list, our school system (a different couny) had a special needs class with 18 kids, 1 teacher and 2 assistants but 1 assistant was entirely assigned to one child. This would not do. A new Wilmington had a school with a classroom specializing in Autism. He would have to go there. I began my quest with the second in charge of the Exceptional Childrens Dept. I got nowhere. He politely told me that the classroom we had visited was all they had to offer. My next step was the Director of the EC Dept. and got the same answers. THEN GOD MOVED IN. TEACCH began a new program and wanted my child to start right away. The Assistant Director of EC moved away, the Director got promoted, fired, I don't care but she was gone. Into those positions, God moved people who came from school systems that new what Autism was and what needed to be done. Trevor was allowed to go to the special school in Wilmington and 3 years later began a regular first grade class with "out of class resource" 2 hours a day. By second grade he no longer left the class for resource. I called one day to thank the director of EC and tell her the difference her decision had made, only to find out that she had moved back to her old job in another part of the state. I hope she knows how God used her and I know she is being blessed for her obedience. I only wish that I could learn to watch for God to move instead of watching the storm. I totally agree that God gave us these children for a reason. I have learned so much from my son. God is so good!