Parents
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come out wounded, but alive.It<br />
was in 2004 when Myrna received<br />
the news that her two<br />
year old son was autistic (Alejo).<br />
Autism is a developmental disorder<br />
that is characterized by social<br />
interaction and communication<br />
deficiencies, and restricted<br />
and repetitive behavior patterns<br />
(Ekas and Whitman 1). It is considered<br />
by many to be the most<br />
severe childhood behavioral disorder<br />
with the most complex developmental<br />
pattern (Altiere and<br />
Von Kluge 1). Doctors, along<br />
with internet findings, bombarded<br />
her with devastating predicaments<br />
of what her future as a<br />
mother raising an autistic child<br />
would hold. She was told that<br />
her and her husband’s relationships<br />
with friends and family<br />
would suffer due to the nature of<br />
their child’s disorder. Their social<br />
life would be restricted in order<br />
to cater their child’s needs. They<br />
even told her that in some cases<br />
parents could eventually be<br />
stuck in a vicious cycle, as the<br />
more severe the symptoms of a<br />
child’s autism, the more stress is<br />
placed on a parent (Glazzard<br />
and Overall 3). Myrna was completely<br />
taken aback with all of<br />
this newly discovered information.<br />
She tried lying to herself<br />
saying that everything would be<br />
okay, but she knew it wouldn’t.<br />
Her son’s life would not be okay<br />
and neither would hers. She felt<br />
like her world was crumbling at<br />
her feet. And all she could think<br />
about out was the hell that her<br />
baby boy would have to go<br />
through (Alejo).