Our Journey Through Autism

Allison Brown shares her experience as a parent of children who have Autism, listing helpful resources that can help other families.

Autism is a familiar word in our house, linked to emotional words like uncertainty, fear, guilt, and anxiety, but also words like blessed, love, bravery, and courage.  

I remember when our journey with Autism began. Our second oldest child was very sick with a golden staph infection, spending months in the hospital. During this time, he stopped talking and smiling. When he came home, he often stared into space and wandered the house. It took over five years to get the help we needed, and he was eventually diagnosed with Autism.  

When I first heard the word "Autism," I had no idea what it was, let alone what it meant. 

One Diagnosis, Then Several

Never in a million years would I have thought how one diagnosis would lead to multiple diagnoses. It was all I could do each time to not fall off the cliff. My heart was breaking into a million pieces.  

Slowly, one by one, more of our children were diagnosed with Autism along with ADHD, speech delays or impairments, global developmental delays and horrible anxiety that interfered with their daily functioning.  

I remember when another child of ours received the diagnosis of Autism; I sat there in shock, trying to process all the information the diagnostic team was giving us. Excusing myself, I found the ladies' toilets and hid there as I burst into tears.

When We Leave the House, Autism Follows 

As parents, we've faced emotionally challenging moments with our children with Autism. It is heartbreaking to see them struggle to express their worries and anxieties, finding solace in hiding or burying their heads in our shoulders when the world feels overwhelmed with social expectations and demands they do not understand. When we leave the house, Autism follows; it is unpredictable, yet we have to be prepared and flexible for the unexpected.  

It can be incredibly challenging when we encounter judgmental comments and criticism from people who do not understand our daily barriers and difficulties.  

Our children can be pretty rigid and struggle with sensory disorders, which can affect everything from the clothes they can or cannot tolerate wearing to the foods they will or will not eat.  

For example, one of our children used to wear their school uniform on weekends to church because it was a part of their routine. Another child went through a phase where they only ate a particular brand of waffles for most of their meals. 

Looking Back to See the Growth

Years later, I look back and see the growth that has taken place. 

Being a family of multiple children with higher needs was never something we even considered would happen to us. When a child is diagnosed with Autism, the whole family is diagnosed, meaning it impacts us all. But as a family and individuals, we have all grown during this journey, showing remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. 

In particular, our faith and the community of people around us have helped us come as far as we have.  

I learnt to be my children's armour of steel while at the same time their softest landing. There is nothing I wouldn't do for them. God has entrusted me with such a gift. Not once, but multiple times. 

I often say having one child on the spectrum is a blessing, but having multiple, I feel God has hand-picked us for a special reason.  

Yes, it is hard, but the joy outweighs it all every single time. The love that pours out of these children's hearts is a lesson that we adults should all take note of. 

Autism pulls at my heart. My children's insightfulness is an eye-opener to the magical, challenging world they easily fit into. 

They have taught me what this world could never teach me and opened my eyes to see what this world could never show me.  

I proudly carry them onto my shoulders. 

I hold their hands to weather the storms. 

I am my children's advocate. I am their voice. I hold them up. I do it all.  

I want my children to know they are individually unique because they are here to do something extraordinary and teach the world a lesson we have not yet learnt.  

I am raising warriors — God's warriors — to do what no one else has been able to do and precisely what God has planned for them.  

God has me raising them so they can stand on mountains. 

He has asked me to hold their hands so they can walk on the stormy seas, lift them onto my shoulders to become stronger, and raise these warriors to be seen and heard.  

God didn't just bring these children into my life; He created me with the extraordinary purpose of being their mother, to see the world through their eyes, to be their advocate, and to show the world the beauty and power of God's unconditional love. 

Catholic Resources for Families with Autism  

• Quirky Catholic Kids: Raising Neurodivergent Children
• Fr. Matthew P. Schneider, LC - Priest, Religious, Moral Theologian, Bioethicist, Autistic, Writer, Podcaster, Social Media Guru, etc.
• Adaptive Sacrament Preparation Kits for Individuals with Autism and Diverse Learners from Loyola Press
• Visual Schedule for the Roman Catholic Mass
• Accepting the Gift
• Saintly Heart  

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Copyright 2025 Allison Brown
Images: Canva