Autism Awareness Month - April 14

Throughout April we will be sharing a different story each day to help raise Autism Awareness and highlight how peoples' lives have been touched by Autism and Autism Queensland in different ways.

Theresa's Story

Matthew is 3.5, I have known since he was about 18mths that something wasn't right.  He couldn't "calm himself to sleep”. I was told that it was a "learned behaviour problem” This absolutely gutted me.

After putting up with his really bad and stressful sleeping (or not sleeping I should say) for another 12 months I found a GP in Rockhampton who deals with children with behavioural problems.  This time also coincided with me trying to return to work, what a disaster that was!

Dr Loscher actually listened to what we (daddy and I) had to say and observed Matthew who actually played on the floor for a couple of minutes.  Thought he was a High Functioning Autistic.  I cried right there in her office. I was relieved someone believed us.  This lead us back to the same Paediatrician as before who diagnosed Matthew with Aspergers, in January this year.

We are now with Autism Queensland and cannot speak highly enough of Kylie (Austim Advisor) and the staff at AQ. They have been kind, thoughtful and understanding, never judging!

Daddy and I attended out first workshop - Introduction to ASD, just this month.  This was eye opening and full of pertinent information.

And today we have our intake interview with Gemma.  So thank AQ for offering a place where we feel and actually are understood, and where we can find help to navigate the minefield.

-Theresa Homziak