Noah at 5 years of age

I am mom to Noah...my adorable 9-year-old son who also happens to carry the diagnoses of infantile autism, sensory integration disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, hypotonia and speech/language delay. Noah was not "officially" diagnosed with anything until he was 5-1/2 years old. Obviously during the time leading up to his formal evaluation and eventual diagnoses, many of his quirks and tendencies began to surface. While I was at first in constant denial about him possibly having anything at all wrong...it soon became quite apparent there were some things amiss and could no longer be ignored.

To help relieve some of my initial angst and fears I started an online diary called "Dear Noah" http://dearnoah.blogspot.com where I basically began posting letters to him about his struggles and progress. This afforded me the ability to vent as well as share my experiences with others who might also be in the same situation...and hopefully open the door to sharing good/helpful information and mutual support/encouragement; as I quickly found out there seemed to be little clear-cut advice or direction anyone could offer me at that time as far as what I needed to do next.

There has never been any MANUAL of sorts that lists anything in any kind of order that we parents of autistic children could follow. They do not diagnose your child and then hand you a HOW-TO book, pat you on the back and send you on your way. They usually leave OUT the HOW-TO part, pat you on your back, maybe offer a few suggestions and then send you on your way.

I found myself becoming a very good researcher on the entire autistic spectrum. Anything to do with the subject I was right there. I was reading. I was testing.  I joined online support groups. I found it comforting to find others who were in my situation and soon began to slow down...and calm down.....accept.....and realize everything would be "okay" as I tell Noah all the time.

BUT that point in my life did not happen overnight. It was a process. In fact it is an ongoing process...much like anyone's life...it is a journey. I am finally at a point in my life where I no longer see any diagnoses when it comes to Noah. I see Noah. I would not want it any other way. I love all his quirks and weirdness (for lack of better wording). ALL those things have made Noah who he is today and I cannot possibly imagine any of them missing now. He is as "normal" in my mind as anyone else on this Earth is. I do not seek a "cure" for my son. I do not wish to change him. I am determined to provide him with the tools necessary for him to be able to cope in our world and become the best he can possibly be in his life. I would also like to try and help "educate" the general population a little bit more in regards to autism so there will be a greater understanding of it and perhaps help others to realize it is not something some of us wish to "cure" or "eradicate."

I have always wanted to be able to share more of my experiences with Noah.  It is my desire that anything I have to share may offer hope, support, or direction for another out there who might find themselves in the same spot I did a few years ago.