Recently, a nine year old boy was running away from home down my street. I happened to be watering my lawn and having a son with autism, I knew that this little boy needed help. He did not have a diagnosis of autism, but from what I could see he did need the supports of a very special child. I stayed with him in my front yard. The police came, ambulance came, his family came, and even the fire department came. I saw the policemen genuinely trying to help and talk to this little boy. I wanted very much to tell them all that I knew about mental disability and physical illness. I wanted them to reach out to him with more compassion rather than a lecture about running away from home. I wanted them to know and understand what I know and understand after years of raising a child with autism and having so many friends with children on the spectrum. I realized that it was not possible for me to give them that knowledge or experience in this short interaction, nor would I ever want them to have to live through it to understand.
I decided to contact a few people about possibly having a first responders training for our government agencies and people who should know more about our individuals and children with mental and social challenges and disabilities. Nothing will come of it. The agencies have to be open to it and there has to be someone who can with sincerity and knowledge convey the information, so that it will be accepted and used in responding to crisis and emergency situations.
Awareness, knowledge, and compassion, it isn't going to happen unless someone cares. Nobody cares as much as us, the autism community and families. We should all share our story. We should share what is difficult for our loved family member with autism. We should share how hard they have to work to achieve success. We should tell what happened and how they regressed. We need to share how overwhelming the world can be for them and how their bodies struggle to function properly. We need to share what is helping and where we have found help and hope. But most of all, we need to share how very dearly our special children are loved and cherished. We have to share how much they mean to us and how precious their well being is. We have to teach compassion through our own story about our son, daughter, brother, sister, grandchild, loved one with autism.
It is up to us, and we need to tell everyone, so that they will know.
I don't think that a training or workshop could have as much impact as our whole community could have after years of telling our stories.
Tell your story and teach compassion.
Lynne Sanchez is a proud mother of two children. Her son struggles with many medical issues and has a diagnosis of autism, but both children could not be more loved. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Recently, a nine year old boy was running away from home down my street. I happened to be watering my lawn and having a son with autism, I knew that this little boy needed help. He did not have a diagnosis of autism, but from what I could see he did need the supports of a very special child. I stayed with him in my front yard. The police came, ambulance came, his family came, and even the fire department came. I saw the policemen genuinely trying to help and talk to this little boy. I wanted very much to tell them all that I knew about mental disability and physical illness. I wanted them to reach out to him with more compassion rather than a lecture about running away from home. I wanted them to know and understand what I know and understand after years of raising a child with autism and having so many friends with children on the spectrum. I realized that it was not possible for me to give them that knowledge or experience in this short interaction, nor would I ever want them to have to live through it to understand.
I decided to contact a few people about possibly having a first responders training for our government agencies and people who should know more about our individuals and children with mental and social challenges and disabilities. Nothing will come of it. The agencies have to be open to it and there has to be someone who can with sincerity and knowledge convey the information, so that it will be accepted and used in responding to crisis and emergency situations.
It is up to us, and we need to tell everyone, so that they will know.
I don't think that a training or workshop could have as much impact as our whole community could have after years of telling our stories.
Tell your story and teach compassion.
Lynne Sanchez is a proud mother of two children. Her son struggles with many medical issues and has a diagnosis of autism, but both children could not be more loved. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.