Things I wish someone had told us

When your child receives a diagnoses of Autism, you are given all sorts of information about intervention, therapy, the newest programs, etc. What you are NOT told is what everyday life would be like. *That he would be reading, doing advanced math, and able to memorize ANYTHING by age 4, but still not be potty trained or see any need to use the potty. *The tantrums that come with not able to express himself completely. Boy oh boy are these a doozy. *How awful overstimulation can be. Sometimes you feel as if you can not leave your house. *How alone and isolated you can feel because it seems like no one else knows what you are going through. *Your older children will have to learn to fend for themselves earlier than you would like due to all of your time having to be devoted to your child with autism. *How AWESOME a moment it is when your child says "MAMA" for the first time. *When he give you a spontaneous hug for the first time. *When he says "I LOVE YOU" you will melt and cry happy tears for hours. *That through it all, you probably would not change a thing because with the bad also comes the good. And the good outweighs the bad. It just might take a few years to get to the good stuff. Trust me.