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I wanted to tell you a little of my story. I have a 7-year-old son, Tryastan, who was only diagnosed with Aspergers autism when he was 6 and a half years old. Until then we went from specialist to specialist (all at our own cost) trying to find a diagnosis for him.
Aspergers autism differs from normal autism in that Aspergers children are high functioning, in other words, they are normally exceptionally intelligent children but lack totally in social skills.
Tryastan has an exceptionally high IQ but battles with the normal day-to-day socials skills we naturally have. He is also extremely sensitive to certain food stuffs, noises, and changes in routine.
Often these children as seen as naughty and very often misunderstood. It is a shame because once understood, they are loving and manageable children.
Tryastan goes to a special school called St Raphael's in Montclair which has an excellent Autistic Unit. This school has made the world of difference in Tryastan's life and we are eternally grateful to the staff there for the amazing work they have done with him.
He is starting horse-riding this month as I have heard that children with disabilities often benefit greatly from this. We will attempt anything that will benefit Tryastan and feel he deserves the best we can afford so that he is able to manage life as he gets older.
People sometimes see autism as a disability – I think it is more a treatable condition.
