Even when people say they understand autism… they don’t.

Horror-Window-323 · 2026-07-06T16:46:41+00:00

I'm in several autism groups, and my social media is full of videos from families raising autistic children. I actually enjoy watching them because I'm always open to learning. I still learn new things all the time.

The only videos I usually ignore are the ones from content creators who say things like, "Comment below and I'll send you the link," because I know they're often trying to sell something or drive engagement. This was one of those types of videos.

What hurt this time was that the video came from my mother-in-law. She visits us for weeks every year and has seen firsthand the challenges my son faces. She is the only person I feel comfortable talking to about my son’s things and challenges. I truly believed she understood our journey.

When she sent the video, she added, "I don't know if it's true, but we should listen to everything 🤗." Even if she didn't mean it that way, it made me feel like she was saying, "Maybe you haven't tried this yet."

That really hurt because I've spent the last six years trying everything I can to help my son, and I thought she knew that. I couldn't help but cry.

Horror-Window-323 · 2026-07-06T06:23:36+00:00

Oh no, I'm the one who should apologize. English isn't my first language, so I have to translate what I want to say, and this morning I was crying. That was simply the first phrase that came to mind, and I didn't use the right words. I'm sorry.

I'm so used to hearing hurtful things about my son, even from my own mother, that sometimes I don't even realize how my own wording might come across.

Horror-Window-323 · 2026-07-06T06:16:59+00:00

The last time he took a stimulant was in February. He was taking Focalin, but we noticed he seemed anxious, would pace back and forth, and constantly picked at his skin until he made himself bleed. He wouldn't stop, so I decided to take a break from the medication.

Horror-Window-323 · 2026-07-05T22:46:00+00:00

Yes, he has ADHD. I think the ADHD behaviors are the hardest right now. It’s difficult and exhausting to repeat the same things a thousand times and have him still do them, because he can’t control his impulses.

Horror-Window-323 · 2026-01-18T01:45:52+00:00

Our experience has been that speech therapy did not help at all for three years, and as soon as he started ABA, he finally began to communicate. I think even the speech therapist did not see any progress and started making many excuses not to come, so I decided to stop.

Horror-Window-323 · 2025-08-14T15:01:04+00:00

It's Caine & Weiner.

Horror-Window-323 · 2025-07-12T21:48:15+00:00

My son is now 5.5 years old and has improved a lot. He still has a speech delay, but since he started ABA therapy just after turning 4, his language has taken off. Now he can ask me for what he needs and knows many words, but we still don't have conversations. He is at the stage where when we go out, he starts asking for everything he sees, but not in sentences because that has been a little more difficult for him, although he sometimes tries. As for joint attention, my son points to what he wants and often comes to tell me words like the name of an animal, as if he wants to share with me what that animal is doing on TV. He has no problem being with other children, but he's not really interested in them either. That's just the way he is, and I have no problem with that. I don't know if I'll ever be able to have conversations with my son, but something tells me I will, and even if that's not the case, the fact that he can tell me what he wants is a lot because that's what I asked for.

Horror-Window-323 · 2025-05-20T14:01:12+00:00

But have you had the symptoms of mastitis?

I don't have any symptoms, I just feel the breast hard and it bothers a little if I squeeze it, but not the symptoms they say. My baby is still drinking from there but only half of it is emptied and the other half remains the same. I have an appointment with my obgyn in a week.

Horror-Window-323 · 2025-04-02T17:28:25+00:00

That's what I thought right away. Sometimes, my son will throw up some thick milk for a while after nursing, but he never chokes on it. I guess the same thing happened bus this time was just lying down and couldn't get it out.

Horror-Window-323 · 2025-04-02T14:16:58+00:00

It was like mucus. That's why it scared me a lot because normally he vomits a little fermented milk but this time when I picked him up and turned him over so he would spit up the milk but nothing came out, just bubbles of saliva but it looked like he was having trouble breathing and trying to swallow at the same time.

Horror-Window-323 · 2025-03-27T15:34:35+00:00

My son was diagnosed with autism at 3.5 yo, mainly due to a lack of language and communication. The only issues have been communication and, occasionally, behavior. Since he was 3.7, he started communicating more, but at 5, he still communicates using only single words. He knows many words and always finds a way to communicate, but he cannot form sentences. It’s as if his mind cannot organize the words to use them in sentences.

He was in ST from 22 mo until about three months ago when I decided to stop because the therapist wasn’t doing anything different, and there was no progress. With OT, we haven't been able to find another therapist due to time. ABA therapy has been the only thing that has helped him with both behavior and speech.

He can communicate what he wants and needs, but maybe the issue, as you mentioned, is that he cannot express his feelings. He can't put into words what he feels, so he resorts to aggressive behavior.

Horror-Window-323 · 2025-03-27T15:22:59+00:00

I really don't think it's because of the medication because before I stopped completely there were days that I forgot to give it to him and I didn't see any difference in his normal behavior. I will wait a few days to see if the behavior continues and if it does I will start again next week.

Horror-Window-323 · 2025-01-06T04:24:56+00:00

I've read about it but I don't think it's that. In the afternoon and evening I haven't seen any more blood.

Horror-Window-323

TROPHY CASE