A Child's Journey out of Autism

When I heard that this book was up for review several months ago, I jumped at the chance to get a copy. Not only do I love to read, but I also have an emotional connection to this subject.
I have a son with Autism.

This story is written by Leeann Whiffen and is about her son, Clay, and the journey they took from the time he was a healthy infant, through his Autism diagnosis and treatments, and into his recovery.

I am always amazed at what lengths mothers will go to to help their children, no matter what difficult situation they face. Leeann's story is certainly no exception.

She spent thousands of hours (and thousands of dollars) doing research, making phone calls, learning new treatments, and even started an ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) program right in her home. She took her son to doctors and specialists and compared notes with other mothers in similar situations.

Her health was often compromised because of the state of exhaustion she lived in those few years, but I'm pretty sure she would blow it off as if it were nothing. This was her son, and the idea of Autism stealing him from her was not an option.

As I read this book, I was reminded of similar things that I went through when my son was first diagnosed. The denial. The frustation. The wondering if things would ever be any different, and then the hope that it would.

Hope. It's a very, very good thing.

One of the major issues parents face when their child has Autism is his/her lack of communication with others, especially their parents. When your child who has been silent for so long finally speaks, it is a reason for celebration. That is why I loved this part of the book on pages 173-174.

"Drew and Clay sit on the barstools at the kitchen counter, drawing with their colored pencils. Their feet swing back and forth, thumping the board beneath the counter in perfect sync. I set out bread on the paper plates sitting next to them for the ham sandwiches we're having for lunch. I hum along to the violin in "Bach" by Vanessa Mae, one of Clay's favorite dance songs. I open the refrigerator and reach for the ham. "Mom," I hear a tiny, high-pitched voice say. My body is bent over with my head still in the fridge. I stop humming. I might have stopped breathing. I slowly rise, until my eyes are peering over the refrigerator door. I don't trust my ears.

"Mom," Clay says again, looking directly at me. He's holding out his cup.

The simple word I have strained to hear over years of unforgiving silence cleanses me of any pain I am feeling, replacing it with a triumphant joy so overcoming that I'm paralyzed, afraid if I move it won't be real. My eyes gape open with emotion, staring as if trying to take in every feeling my sensory system is experiencing. Time ceases to exit. I capture the song playing behind me, the light coming through the window, the look on his face, his sweet voice.

He just called me Mom and meant it."

To hear those words for the first time, knowing your child understands what he's saying and that it's you he's speaking to is priceless. I loved this part because I understand how she felt.
If you are a parent of a child with Autism, this book is full of great information on different types of treatments and includes a long list of resources in the back. It offers encouragement in hope for your journey, as you read about the progress of this child from before his diagnosis until now.

If you don't know anything about Autism or have never seen the devastating effects it has on a family, I would still encourage you to read this book. Leann is very open an honest with her feelings and the stresses her family goes through because of it, and though you may never understand what it's like, it's something that is now affecting families every single day.

I would recommend it to anyone.