If you’ve never had experience with children, how do you know if they are developing as they should be or whether there is something to be concerned about?

Like so many other parents, Tamara Stanley and her husband didn’t know what Autism was when the school recommended a test for their eldest son. They certainly had no idea what that meant for him and their family.

I had the pleasure of talking to Tamara who is a Mum of 3 autistic boys. She shares how the diagnosis’ happened for each of her children and how she navigated the autism diagnosis pathway.

Tamara’s first son was diagnosed at the age of eight, which is quite late for a diagnosis. But as Tamara explains in the interview there’s a silver lining to that. “Early diagnosis gives you access to early intervention, which means you can start therapy much earlier,” she says. “The late diagnosis taught us that being diagnosed doesn’t need to change your life, you just need to make a few adjustments.”

What is Autism and how does it affect people?

There is a lot of information available, but what’s credible and what’s not? It’s no wonder parents can be confused about whether their children’s behaviour is something to be concerned about or not. Autism is measured and diagnosed according to the Autism Spectrum. It takes into consideration different types of behaviours and intensities to assess the assistance required.

“The spectrum is so wide and each child is different, so it’s not possible to look at one child’s behaviours and apply the same rationale to the next child. All three experiences were different and all three of my children have their own unique behaviours,” said Tamara.

“We all receive so much information in a day that we need to filter it. So do Autistic people but they have a very strong filter around what’s important to them, so if something isn’t important to them – it goes in the bin and gets deleted. So it’s like you’re starting again every day.”

“Having the diagnosis doesn’t make a big difference in their life. It helps you to help them. It helps you understand where their difficulties and challenges are, and where they need a bit more support to get up to speed with their development.”

You can listen to the full episode of ‘Tude Talk TV (28:41mins or play on fast speed).

Tips:

1. Get advice early so you can access support and you can start to learn how to support their unique needs.
2. Don’t let the diagnosis change the way you do life.

Where to go to get your questions answered:

Please note, the above is not deemed as advice. If you have questions about Autism or your Little Peeps behaviour, please seek professional advice from your school or GP to learn about the process today, or check out https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/ for assistance.

Credits

Many Thanks to Tamara Stanley for sharing her experiences. Tamara helps people start and build a career they love through online coaching programs. Check out her FB group for more info or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Photo by Dee @ Copper and Wild on Unsplash

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