PinAt the time of writing this post, we enter the time of Advent, which means ‘Coming’, in Latin. It is a period leading up to Christmas. But it is also an important period in the church’s year.

It serves as an important reminder for Christians to prepare for and commemorate Christ’s birth. It can be seen as the light coming to dispel the darkness which, for me, is hope for the future replacing any doubts, despair and fears. This may refer to the hope that things will work out for you satisfactorily in the future if you’re going through a difficult period at present. 

In case you haven’t read my earlier posts, autism can present us with many challenges, not just for the one with the condition, but for, and not limited to, caregivers, close family, friends, relatives, teachers and even employers. It largely affects the way one may communicate and interact with others, and the wider world in general. 

What autism is from my perspectives and experiences

An example of a difficult period for me was trying to find ways to help me make progress at school. I experienced language development delays and took literal views of language, especially more complicated forms of language, like idioms. It also took longer for me to understand new concepts and what one was asking me to do. You can read about what measures were put in place for me in the links below concerning the two important subjects of maths and English.

Reading and writing

Understanding mathematical concepts

When I attended primary school, it was during a time when little was known about autism. There was concern that too much time would be devoted to my needs, thus preventing other children from getting the education they’d deserve. There can be the challenges of choosing a suitable school, and in my case there was talk of special education.  Read about my experiences of how one with an autism spectrum disorder can be integrated into mainstream school.

Integration into mainstream school

Diagnosis times

One issue that has been mentioned is the time it is taking to diagnose some people. I have included some links below to examples of this. 

Rotherham children waiting “too long” for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis | The Star

Paddy McGuinness says ‘toughest’ part of being a parent to autistic children is the long wait for diagnosis (msn.com)

One in four autistic children wait over three years for school support, poll finds | Autism | The Guardian

When I was diagnosed, it meant appropriate support measures could be put in place for me, especially with regards to my education. These measures helped me to progress steadily, even though it would take me longer than my peers to achieve grades I’d be happy with.

Prayer

I know there may be some of you out there who may not believe in God, but I find I can turn to him in times of difficulty. Prayer can be very powerful, especially in times of difficulty and uncertainty. 

Here is a story on the National Autistic Society's website. It concerns a boy with autism who had been excluded from school in the past, and has now found a place at a school where he is happy. We must pray that more like him find schools where they’ll be welcomed, well supported, successful and content, and that schools will receive adequate funding and support to aid their support of autistic pupils. This, for me, would represent a significant step towards brighter futures for them. 

And of course we mustn’t forget about those waiting for diagnoses and their loved ones as well, along with the medical personnel in their work.

My faith in God is very important to me. You can find out more about this in the link below.

My faith

Conclusion

There will inevitably be difficult periods for all of us to go through in our everyday lives for many different reasons. And autism causes those with the condition to experience many tough moments and those connected to them. However, one should always have hope that they’ll experience good times again, even if they need support in doing so.