As a child, we all have this fairy tale fantasy of what life will look like when we grow older. The picture perfect marriage with the magical wedding we all dreamed about as a little girl. Gathering together for holidays and family reunions with our aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters. That dream job making us a ton of money. Life with children would be everything we wanted. Taking our boys to soccer practice, while the girls go to gymnastics and dance recitals. Life couldn’t get any better than this!
Fast forward to your teenage years.
Pregnant.
Life alone with a baby on the way.
Alone.
Life looks a little different now.
Motherhood is what keeps you going because you always dreamed of having a baby. It’s just a lot sooner than you expected. You manage to make ends meet, and you’re figuring out your new life as a young mom.
Then there’s that one doctor’s appointment that turns your life upside down. The moment they tell you that your child has autism. They give you the diagnosis and send you on your way.
Alone.
No one to cry to. No one to tell you what’s next.
Just one simple word is left in your head.
Autism.
What do you do now?
I’m sure this story hits home to more than one mom out there. Maybe you weren’t a young mom. Maybe you were older than expected. There is one thing that’s safe to say—we all felt alone in that heartbreaking moment.
With recent research from the CDC in 2023, the statistics show that one in 36 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, according to an article in Autism Parenting Magazine. With these numbers increasing over time, moms are realizing we aren’t as alone as we thought we were.
Being a teen mom doesn’t necessarily have to be thought of in a negative way. As a young mom, you are bound to have a lot more energy to keep up with your autistic child! That is one thing I know I wished I had more of! You are also going to be thrown into adulthood at an earlier stage, which can help you to grow and develop as a person. Maturing earlier may help you develop patience. Patience is known to be one of the key traits that autism moms are best at! (Even when we have reached a breaking point, we still hold onto that patience.)
I was 37 when my daughter was born. Two years later, she was diagnosed with autism. This was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to overcome in life. I can’t imagine how hard this would have been at a younger stage of my life. When I was still trying to figure out my own life and who I was as a young adult, then to be thrown into the wild with a newly diagnosed autistic child? No matter what age you were at when your child received their diagnosis, it’s never an easy journey.
There is one thing I’ve learned from my autism journey. When you’re walking down this new path of life, don’t give up on your hopes and dreams you once had. There might be certain things you planned for your future or even your child’s future that will look different. There are also many things you can still accomplish. That dream job you always hoped for is never too far out of your reach. Your child may not be able to do things you hoped. Never forget that your child CAN accomplish more than you imagine, because they have your support and determination.
No matter how alone you may feel, remember how important it is to find others who understand your challenges. Search for those connections with other moms, find yourself a therapist to talk you through your toughest battles, and find those therapists or teachers who work with and support your child just like their own. As a mother on this autism journey, you WILL make it through!
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