I love someonw with Autism (my blog post from January 30, 2009)

My youngest son is 5 years old and yesterday he was officially diagnosed with Autism. I am not in shock because i knew it already. I am just happy that now he can get the help he needs. Nicolas has already done such a great job in school and just started this year so I believe that my son can do anything. Yes i have done the stages of grief not by the book but if i think back i have done them over the past three years.

Why did it take so long for an official diagnosis?

That one is simple or maybe not but here is our story...... Nicolas is a
twin and his twin is way I mean way more active. At first i thought that
he was just the outspoken one. It was around two and a half that i first
realized that there was problem. When I or anyone else would try to talk
to Nicolas it was like he was ignoring us. i then went to my friend and
sometimes enemy the internet and put the pieces together myself. That was
the beginning. At first I was in denial. I mean i have three other
boys that have had no other problems besides being a little over active.
Then nicolas started to go into his own little world. He stopped playing
with his brothers and seemed happy and content to just play on the sidelines by
himself.

At three I was convinced and ready to seek help. Lets just
say that was a long and winding road that took till he was four and started head
start. And there was a year wait to get him into to the clinic at Riley to
get an evaluation. (if you live in indiana and you have medicaid make sure
that you have MDWise because if not it takes awhile to change and a bunch of
letters and phone calls to explain to you that you need to do this.)

Since starting school he has been doing so much better. I waited to start him in
head start till he was four because he has such a hard time leaving home he
throws fits and gets very scared. Not the case since starting school he
runs to the bus, and when i visit his class he runs away from me. This did
not upset me but i did cry happy tears. My little boy was happy and I was
not the only one he had to relie on for this. I have to give credit
to his teachers they are so great very helpful to him and me.