You bring up some good questions. After reading through the history you gave, it seems clear you felt something was 'not right' very early on with your son. This 'early intervention' has proved to be the cornerstone in effective treatment of children with autism of all types. Social oriented and functional therapies such as Occupational and Speech Therapy are invaluable to children like these, who some have described as having 'lost their way' It's not a matter of losing their way at all, the key to success lies in the enthusiasm, care and persistence of parents, teachers and care-givers and 'making contact'

There is no magic cure for autism, though many parents wish there was one. Those that seem to really hate the autism are those that understand the condition the least. Those parents who say they are in tune with their child don't seem to share that opinion, they seem to feel that the autism is a problem, but it is a part of who that child is and should they be offered a magic pill to make the autism go away, they wouldn't take it. Some autie adults also feel that way.

Many parents of autistic children are far more appreciative of their children reaching the milestones, particularly if the child has numerous problems on top of the autism. Each child is of course an individual, whether or not s/he has a disability. The best you can do as a parent is to love and support your child and help them achieve the best of their own potential.

For an autistic child, doing anything is harder (than for a child of the same age with a different makeup) harder - but not impossible (see The boy who could Fly) and he needs all the encouragement that you can possibly give him. Don't let the possibility of failure colour your aspirations for him and his dreams for himself. If you read many powerful and successful mens' biographies, you may find that a mothers unconditional love and unwavering support (and sometimes their sacrifices) had a lot to do with building their character and their strength. Don't keep him in a cage, make sure the door is always propped open, just a little...

Good Luck, and thank you for coming to The Sexual Health Network, Melissa BEE

Reviewed by Sexual Health Editorial Team