At the age of 3, he was diagnosed with autism. Autism is "a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts".
I had noticed the symptoms when he was 2 and pushed for him to be checked as soon as possible. Hearing the official confirmation from the specialist that he has autism was a sad day for my wife and I. We were not sadden for having a special need child but worry over the kind of life he would lead. Will he make friends? Will he have a decent job? Will he meet the girl of his dream? Will he have his own kids? Will he...
The journey of providing him the proper support began from day 1. It also involved my wife quitting her job shortly after getting her degree at SIM so she can give him full attention. I must admit that my wife has made a lot of sacrifices so the least I can do is provide my family by giving nothing less but my best in whatever I do.
Financially, we are doing alright so that's one less thing to worry about.
Fortunately, my son's autism is on the milder side but we don't think he could go to a mainstream school. For the next few months, we will try to get him into Pathlight School which has a long waiting list. We do think that his siblings would play a significant role in bringing out the best in him. While I don't like talking about my personal matters, especially something this sensitive, several recent experiences have prompted me to speak up for families with special need children. Indeed, we tend to take such things for granted until one has to go through it. In case you are one of them, rest assured that you're not alone.
Hence, I will do what I can to raise awareness on autism by sharing our experiences. Ultimate, we don't need anyone's sympathy. We just want children with special needs to get equal opportunity in life... #lovechildren #lovelife