Until you have sat with your child whilst they have lost all control, and all you can do is hold them through it, feeling completely useless.
Until you have had to hold your child’s hands to stop them from hurting themselves, your heart breaking, wishing you could take that pain away.
Until you have watched your child go from five safe foods to two and prayed every night that it doesn’t go down to zero.
Until you have stayed up all night watching your child fight to be able to switch off their mind, cuddling them through the endless tears from exhaustion.
Until you have sat and listened to professionals pick apart your child, looking at everything they cannot do instead of all the amazing things they can do.
Until you have sat and cried in the doctor’s office because you cannot get your unwell child to take their medicine or drink any fluids, and you’re terrified of how ill they have become.
Until you have had to fight endlessly for your child to receive the care they need—the support and funding to make sure they have the ability to thrive.
Until you have watched grown adults stare and comment on your child whilst they are having a meltdown, and felt petrified that this is the world they are growing up in.
Until you have seen anxiety take hold of your child and watched them completely regress back into themselves.
Until you have sat for hours trying to figure out what your nonverbal child wants and felt like a failure when you just can’t understand.
Until you have, you have no right to judge or comment on anyone’s special needs parenting. It can be hard at times, but it’s a beautiful journey, and we are just trying to do our best for our children.
In a world where you can choose to be anything, choose kindness.
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The post Until You Have: The Reality of Special Needs Parenting appeared first on Finding Cooper's Voice | Welcome to the Secret World of Autism.
