Raising a neurodiverse child often feels like an uphill battle against misunderstanding and judgement. As the mother of an incredible, twice-exceptional son, I know this journey all too well. James, now 20, is still in school and continues to surprise me with his growth and resilience. With high-functioning autism and profound creativity, he challenges societal…
When James was diagnosed with autism back in 2011, I was floored. It wasn’t like the movies or the stories you read about where everything suddenly made sense, and we all held hands and found a new way forward. No, I felt lost. I didn’t even know what I was supposed to feel for a…
Neurodiversity has become something of a buzzword lately, but it’s often misunderstood. Too many people hear the term and immediately think of learning disorders or developmental delays, assuming it means something is “wrong” with those who are neurodiverse. While these aspects can be part of the picture, neurodiversity is so much more than that—and often,…
When you think of names like Elon Musk, Nikola Tesla, Daryl Hannah, Anthony Hopkins, and Bill Gates, autism might not be the first thing that comes to mind. These individuals are synonymous with success, innovation, and creativity. Yet, they all have or identify as having high-functioning autism (HFA). The increase in autism diagnoses over recent…
