Embracing Autism: The Signs {Part 1 of 3}

Embracing Autism: The Signs {Part 1 of 3}

In the fall of 2024, our son received a diagnosis of autism. I can tell you that the road to get there was winding, confusing, enlightening, and a lot of other adjectives that might be too explicit for a parenting blog. 

What I can say now, though, is that hindsight is 20/20. The entire process from start to finish really felt like three phases – discovering and noticing the signs, the testing process, and the post-diagnosis rigamarole. 

When I have spoken to others about our son’s diagnosis, the first questions I receive is the same: how did you know to get him tested?

The truth is, there is no silver bullet sign. There is no “one size fits all” approach. What I can do, though, is paint a picture of our experience in hopes that it might help another parent who might be walking the line. 

Where it began

My son is just 20 months younger than his sister. He was always relatively easy going and could easily get his needs met. It wasn’t until his two-year-old checkup that we were able to identify some things that were not developmentally on-par with other children his age.

The number one indicator was speech. Now, almost every parent will tell you that boys learn to speak later than girls. I think that might be accurate, but not necessarily scientific. Our pediatrician recommended enrolling him in speech therapy, so we started the process. 

Full transparency – our private health insurance did not cover any form of therapy unless it was the result of an accident. Needless to say, we looked for affordable options first. 

We first applied for Early Steps. These services are for children under the age of 3 who meet the criteria necessary for services. Upon his evaluation, we were told his scores were “off the charts” and that he would not qualify for services. He technically could receive what he needed through his communication techniques, though not age appropriate, so he did not qualify. 

The next step is the private therapy route. We reached out to Let’s Talk Therapy upon the recommendation of a friend. They have a clinic of their own, but they also will provide services at daycare, which is a game changer for two full-time working parents. They were quick to respond and assigned therapists who our son LOVED. Full transparency: one-hour sessions were $150 out of pocket because our insurance would not cover it. 

Seeing some signs 

Embracing Autism: The Signs {Part 1 of 3}

After about 6 months of speech therapy, roadblocks were identified. Our son was having difficulty transitioning from his normal classroom setting to therapy and again vice versa. Additionally, our therapist noted he could benefit from some occupational therapy to help him adjust to classroom settings, regulate sensory sensitivity, etc.

Occupational therapy was really helpful in giving both us and our son the tools in which to make requests, navigate transitions, and identify ways to modify behaviors. 

After several months of both OT and ST, his therapists recommended getting an autism evaluation. 

While both of these therapies were making an impact, we saw more signs that led us down the path to reach out for an evaluation:

  • Lining up toys
  • Walking on tiptoes
  • Flapping
  • Reciting lines from movies/shows but not engaging verbally too much otherwise
  • Making sounds
  • Trouble sitting in one place
  • Trouble engaging in circle time or group activities
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Trouble at daycare in sharing with other children or allowing them into his space
  • Disinterest in playing with others
  • Trouble communicating needs

As we started to see these signs accumulate as well as the recommendation of his therapists and pediatrician, we decided to get him evaluated for autism

The emotions that came with the decision were a little all over the place. There was a sense of relief knowing that the professionals working with our son made a professional recommendation, not just one based on feelings. There was a little bit of fear going into the process. We had an idea of what to expect, but it just seemed so daunting. There was even a bit of hope – we wanted our son to thrive, not just make it through the day. If it meant that a diagnosis would lead to answers, then we wanted to dive into that. 

And that is exactly what we did. Part two of this series will be all about navigating the ins and outs of getting evaluated and the emotions that come with it.

Jessica Hauerwas
Jessica is a nonprofit leader who loves bopping around Lafayette for the best burgers or bands in town. She is the Executive Director of Downtown Lafayette Unlimited where she runs the day-to-day nonprofit. She and her husband Chris have three littles at home (Jane, Clark, and Louise) where there is lots of giggling and always a cup of coffee brewing. Jessica is passionate about community-building and empowering working mothers. Jessica also volunteers for various organizations, is a member of the Lafayette Re-Entry Coalition, a graduate of Leadership Lafayette, and a survivor of being a mother of three under 4.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here