7yr old daughter received diagnosis 🥹🌟

As a woman who was not diagnosed until I was an adult... I endured a lot of abuse, confusion, disappointment, depression and anxiety through my childhood, adolescence, and part of my adult years. I was told repeatedly by my parents (and others) that I was just stupid or lazy, weird and unlikable.

I did not and do not want that same experience for my children.

I first recognized Autistic traits in my daughter when she was an infant, but I was dismissed by pediatricians and family members. Family members told me "don't say those things like that about her." A pediatrician said "she is looking at me in the eyes so I doubt she's autistic. l've written papers on autism."

This is the bane of "high functioning/low support needs" autistic experience.

The board at her school denied implementing an lEP or extra support because there was no formal documentation even though she was struggling academically and socially.

But my husband and I refused to accept their excuses and outdated rhetoric. We continued to seek diagnosis and the warranted accommodations for our daughter. Today we received her official evaluation back. And it feels like justice. and it feels like hope. We are proud of our daughter, she is a lovely person, kind to the depth of her soul. She deserves to have support and her differences recognized and celebrated.

As a woman who was not diagnosed until I was an adult... I endured a lot of abuse, confusion, disappointment, depression and anxiety through my childhood, adolescence, and part of my adult years. I was told repeatedly by my parents (and others) that I was just stupid or lazy, weird and unlikable.

I did not and do not want that same experience for my children.

I first recognized Autistic traits in my daughter when she was an infant, but I was dismissed by pediatricians and family members. Family members told me "don't say those things like that about her." A pediatrician said "she is looking at me in the eyes so I doubt she's autistic. l've written papers on autism."

This is the bane of "high functioning/low support needs" autistic experience.

The board at her school denied implementing an lEP or extra support because there was no formal documentation even though she was struggling academically and socially.

But my husband and I refused to accept their excuses and outdated rhetoric. We continued to seek diagnosis and the warranted accommodations for our daughter. Today we received her official evaluation back. And it feels like justice. and it feels like hope. We are proud of our daughter, she is a lovely person, kind to the depth of her soul. She deserves to have support and her differences recognized and celebrated.