Part of a Newly Emerging Group

During our last transition meeting in December of 2006, all of our therapists and case managers were at our house on a very cold and snowy day. As we discussed Miles' IEP and progress, I noticed a cop out front beginning to give all 5 cars on the side of the road tickets. I quickly ran out to the cop car and explained that Miles' therapists were discussing his future. At this, he stoped and said that his daughter had sensory integration issues and he would wave the tickets. From there, we had a spirited talk about therapy. About 3 weeks ago, a couple came by to get a toy we were throwing away. They were on our curb asking us about this toy and mentioned that they were getting it for a neice that was in the autism spectrum. From there, a spirited discussion ensued about the conditions surrounding autism. In between these two random encounters, there have been others that indicate a growing bubble of new children in this country that have autism or exist in that bubble. There is something about this that comforts me in that fact that there will likely be more research, clinics, funding and support groups to help all of us trying to cope with something as big as the autism spectrum. More than that, I'm starting to feel like I'm a part of an ever expanding global villiage that is fighting to tame an unknown disease. I like the strength in numbers and it keeps growing and giving me more confidence that we will find cures and better therapeutic means to deal with the autism epidemic in this country.