While I applaud these women for their honesty, I also want to provide a place where autism moms can be just as candid. There's dozens of things you don't dare tell a mom with a new autism diagnosis.
So, here's my top 10 surprises in raising a child with autism:
10. Autism children need very little sleep. I still have nightmares of all the times I've watched Disney's 'Jungle Book' from 2-5 a.m.
9. Most autism children don't like very many foods. I wish my child came with cooking instructions, all the tricks my mom raised me on didn't work.
8. The first thing I think about when I wake up is getting my son's vitamins and other supplements in him so I can enjoy my day.
7. I had no clue how often I'd be paying attention to my child's poop... is it regular, backed up, what color and smell? These are all things the doctors want to know.
6. While grooming any child is busy work, try cutting the nails or hair of a child with autism. (We are talking hours of screaming!) See our earlier post on nail cutting called 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday'.
5. I never could have imagined the price tag of a child with autism -- the cost of therapies, lab work, doctor visits, educational testing. And you never feel like you are spending fast enough to heal them.
4. I was shocked at the guilt you'd feel that you haven't ever done enough to cure them of autism.
3. The tantrums and screams of a child with autism can disrupt the smallest of activities -- even going to the bathroom in quiet or trying to read an e-mail.
2. I never imagined the internal strength I'd need to find to withstand the judgments of others that I'm not just raising a brat.
1. Nobody ever told me how intense the joy is the first time your child looks you in the eye or says "I Love You!"
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