The Autism journey of an 8 year old…
The Autism Journey Of Our 8 Year Old…
As part of the Unconventionall Apparel project, we wanted to document our autism journey, what we go through and how we are evolving as parents. Autism is a word that many people fear. They fear it because it’s filled with unknowns that people are uncomfortable with.
How will an autistic person behave? What will their reaction be to certain situations? Will an autistic person be able to handle everyday challenges?
We are very often so consumed by our own beliefs and views, that we struggle to put aside our opinions and take the time to embrace something new. A new way of thinking. A new way of working. A new way of living.
Autistic people are very much like you and I. They feel, they respond, and they react. Often, people with autism may process a piece of information differently to some, but should that make us fear them? Surely lots of people in our lives disagree with our views, or simply take our responses in the wrong way?
Jacob’s Story
Our son Jacob, was diagnosed at almost 5 years old. He has been in the system thanks to a private occupational therapist from the age of just 2. We knew he was engaging differently to the other children around us but instead of burying our heads and hoping things would change, we took action.
Today, Jacob is thriving in a mainstream school with an EHCP (Educational Healthcare Plan) in place. Early years were extremely tough in school however after almost 4 years, he has grown and become very used to school life and the routine than comes with it. Are there still challenges? Absolutely, but there are challenges in life whether you have an autism diagnosis or not.
Our autism journey is already almost 7 years in and it’s been an extreme learning curve since day 1. What we are trying to do with the Unconvetionall Apparel project is inspire people to break free from the conventional and outdated views that hold them back. We are all unique, and it’s about time we started educating people around the brilliance of people with and without autism.
£5 from every hoodie sale goes to the National Autistic Society so they can continue their amazing work raising awareness and supporting our incredible autistic community.
Bag yourself a hoodie, feel inspired and contribute to an amazing cause!