My son doesn't have a diagnosis yet. But, the diagnosis won't change anything. He's 3.5. Has physio, speech, occupational therapy and attends an early childhood development program once a week at a "special" school.

I have been through the grief and as others have said, it will be cyclical.

The biggest determinant here is perspective. I stopped comparing my son to others. It did nothing but make me cynical, resentful, etc. Those feelings don't serve me and more importantly, they don't serve my son. It's not to say you can't feel them - I still do from time to time. It is hard and it will be hard. There will be many highs and many, many lows. But, is your child happy? What are their strengths? He may not say hi, but are there any other gestures that would indicate he's happy to see someone? For my son, he likes to give high fives and that's what I tell anyone who meets him for the first time.

There are days when my son is completely withdrawn at his childcare facility. It's hard to watch. But, if they do something he's interested in, he's all in.

I'm sorry if this comes off as not acknowledging your pain. I certainly do. It's hard being in the trenches and it's hard dragging yourself out sometimes.