Hello steemit. My name is Matt Parker, I'm 53 years old and have an 11 year old son with severe autism.
There is part of me that cringes at the use of this term. It's become a catch-all and is nowadays mostly used to describe the brilliant geeks over at the chans. In the minds of the general public they're nearly always a savant of some sort or at least a genius in their area of expertise, maybe just a little socially awkward. In some circles it’s even become cool or edgy to refer to yourself as autistic, in the same vein as queer, sapiosexual or bi. This is unfortunate, since instead of drawing awareness to a rapidly spreading health epidemic it’s become associated, in many cases, with a narcissistic teenage fad. Or even worse, among many families and circles, as a “gift”.
True autism is not a gift and I’ll explain why (as if it should need explaining) in my next article.
As a family we went through some very rough times, especially in the beginning. Along the way my marriage derailed and everyone nearly lost their minds. It’s been quite a long and eventful journey these last 10 years, to go from complete chaos to the peace we enjoy now. For more than six years I have been the custodial parent and sole caregiver for my son. By trusting my instincts and believing in my own connection with my son, and rejecting the orthodox pharma controlled medical, educational and social establishment, I discovered a quite natural lifestyle where my son could live a happy, healthy life. This I what I plan to write about.
To write our story from the beginning would be too cumbersome. So instead I’ll write a series of essays that relate to our experience. I’m not an expert on autism (beware of any who claim to be, regardless of their credentials). I try not to offer advice, only reflections on an alternate path that everyone is free to consider. You can be sure my methods are unconventional and my observations and opinions controversial. I expect many people will find themselves unintentionally offended ;)
