World Autism Day
Though they are seventeen years apart, from the time he was an infant, my daughter Jayde-Rhiannon and my nephew Stephen shared an undeniable connection. As Stephen aged, the pieces of the puzzle began to slide together. It has been over twenty-five years since my son Brady was in Kindergarten, and I began volunteering in our school district. In that time, the world of Autism has come so far. There was this little girl I regularly worked with. Not long into the school year, I remember asking her aid what she was diagnosed with. She brusquely responded, "We don't know. She is a tough nut to crack." The aid's response saddened and angered me. I quickly informed her that the idea of any child being described this way was unacceptable. When Jayde began Kindergarten, there were a few autistic children in her class. Two of the autistic classmates were sweet and responsive, while one was primarily nonverbal, headstrong, and occasionally combative. I quickly understood I coul...