The Day They Named It, and the Signs That Followed

When the pediatrician said it was autism, I cried.  Not because I didn’t suspect it — I did. But I thought she was going to say something else. Something lighter. Something that would pass. Instead, she confirmed what had been quietly growing in my heart .And the word hit me like a wave.

I cried because I knew everything was about to change. I cried because I had already seen the signs. I cried because I wasn’t ready — even though I already knew.

At the time of diagnosis (age 3.5

• He was very shy and murmuring instead of talking

• Hitting his head on the ground when he didn't like what I told him

• His vocabulary did not expand at 3 years old, but i thought that maybe it was because I was not reading books to him

• Did not want to do thinks he used to like napping and reading books

• Hated being around other children

• Did not want to be around other besides I and his father

• In 2020 he had a diarrhea and fever that lasted almost two weeks and after that he started becoming a little bit picky with foods

After the diagnosis

• He was diagnosed in June in 2021 and later in July or August, he stopped sleeping , one hour was all he could do

• A very loud beast like noise

• Very aggressive ( hit everyone and especially other children) which led him to be suspended from school

• Very angry

• All other embarrassing behaviours that I do not want to name here

• Very rigid

• Very hyper to the point where he could not sit for 1 minute

• Spitting and touching everything outside

• More extreme separation anxiety

• No wanting to play on playground, he would just make noise and throw sands everywhere and other children were scared of him

  This is just a summary of terrible changes that happened to my son