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The good, the bad and the ugly of autism

Tulika Prasad

Many have asked me how it felt when my son was diagnosed. I’ve tried thinking back to that moment and all I can see is a blur. I don’t remember that instant. I was probably numb and dumbfounded. I don’t recall any feeling going through my mind. That was how hard the diagnosis struck me. It was like a romance, but different... it left me dizzy and swept me off my feet except that the warm fuzzy feeling was missing. It gave me cold feet instead. As we grew with our son, we got to know autism closely, an ..

Full-spectrum marriage: married to an Aspie

Kristi Sakai

Having a successful marriage requires effort, but when one partner has Asperger Syndrome it poses additional challenges. My husband, Nobuo, who is on the spectrum, and I have been married for nearly 17 years and refer to our relationship as a “full-spectrum ..

What's a dad worth?

Dan Coulter

I heard a discussion about a dad's worth the other day as I was radio channel surfing in my car. Two talk show hosts were hotly debating some comments made by actress Nicole Kidman. The topic: does a rich single mom have anything to complain about? The female ..

Love the gift of who you are and love yourself

Kristi Sakai

My 8-year-old daughter, Kaede, is warm, friendly, caring, empathetic, has a wonderful sense of humor … and she has Asperger Syndrome. We’ve often heard, “She’s too social to have autism.” Her personality and delight in pleasing adults has sometimes o ..

They still need us

Kristi Sakai

My son Tom is 15 now, and his hormones are predictably flowing. Almost before I even open my mouth, he frequently snaps at me, already assuming I’m about to say something “ANNOYING.” I’ve been working at renewing our mother-son bond. I try not to n ..

The cement mixer

Eric Blackwell

As a dad, when your child is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, you go through many different thoughts and emotions. Most are heavy and deep. Much like cement in a mixer. One by one, they come to the surface as your mind evaluates what is ahead for yo ..

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Talking about "it"

Kristi Sakai

As the experts recommend, I’ve kept an age-appropriate ongoing dialogue with my children about their bodies and sex since they were very young. Plus, we live on a farm (imagine my pride when I was informed my son had drawn a picture of where eggs come from, ..

Holiday meal suggestions

Kristi Sakai

Holidays are supposed to be Norman Rockwell picture-perfect moments: The extended family gathered ‘round the heavily laden table with an enormous turkey, everyone happy and thankful. The only mischief involves children peeking through their fingers during th ..

Falling stars

Kristi Sakai

All parents have those moments they hope their children forget! And, of course, we have those we hope they remember too. We hold on to them in our hearts and we hope they do as well. Our family has many such memories and, for whatever, reason, they often s ..

What’s Beneath the Words?

Kristi Sakai

Our kids on the spectrum sometimes say things that seem pretty straightforward, but it’s important to investigate what they really mean. Last spring as I was walking out of the mall with my son, Kito, he tugged on my sleeve and asked in a small voice, "H ..

“Dessert island” or “Let them not eat cake”

Kristi Sakai

Our son, Kito, who is on a gluten-free diet, has been obsessing about sponge cake. Thinking about it, longing for it, and talking about it endlessly. To satisfy my son’s cravings, I drove 30 miles one way to a store that carries gluten- free cake mix. I ..

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Events

9th World Rett Syndrome Congress
Surfers Paradise, QLD - Australia
Sep-30-2020 - 09:00 am
The Rett Syndrome Association of Australia (RSAA)email rettaust@bigpond.comwishes to draw attention to the fact that it is staging the 9th World Rett Syndrome Congress i ..
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