Autism Is Not A Gift

Autism is not a gift.

I wish my child didn’t have ASD…

I’m tired of seeing people write about how they wouldn’t change their child because autism is part of them and a gift.

Well I call bs on that.
A gift?

Autism is not a gift.

But my child is gifted.

Agree or not autism IS a disability.

It is not always debilitating but it is not something people would put on a wish list.

But it’s also something I never spend time wishing away.

We are on this autism journey for life whether we like it or not.

But it will not define my son.

Just as depression or cancer or asthma or diabetes doesn’t define who you are.

Autism is nothing to be ashamed of.

Not ever.

But it also isn’t something I’d wish for.

It’s a complicated life living with ASD.

And one we’ve fully embraced for years even pre-diagnosis.

But boy would I eradicate it if I could.

Labels are razors. Change is gut wrenching. Habits are heart breaking. Anxiety is vile. Water is scary. Clothes are never right. Socks are chaos. Public toilets are septic tanks. Sensory overload is torture.

Are people glad their children suffer any of these things when they say that ASD is a gift?

I don’t think so. I think they’re scared and winging it like the rest of us.

My boy has ASD and he is autistic.

We love him beyond love.

I don’t see his ASD as him.

I see his struggles and we tackle them head on daily, sometimes hourly.

I don’t want him to say his ASD is a gift, instead I want him to see it as a challenge.

I want him to take pride in his bravery, his resilience, his achievements.

I want him to know he isn’t just his disability.

But I can’t let him think ASD is a gift.

It’s a pretty naff “gift”.

We’ll keep calling it a challenge because autism is not a gift.

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