Yesterday, Quentin was diagnosed with autism. This is probably a surprise to, well, all of you. For us as parents, it only confirmed what we've been thinking for a little while now. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is, *surprise* a spectrum. This quote from Dr. Stephen Shore sums it up well "While the commonalities of people on the autism spectrum include differences in communication, social interaction, sensory receptivity, and highly focused interests, it’s important to understand that the constellation of these characteristics blends together differently for each individual." For Quentin specifically, being autistic means several different things; Transitions are really hard for him. His focus is truly incredible. Good luck trying to pry that kid away from his bead maze! Eye contact is tough. He does not give it often and rarely is it sustained. He has a fairly significant speech delay, so he communicates differently. He doesn't point at anything which,...
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