Children are the heart of any society, and it is our collective duty to ensure they grow up in a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment. This responsibility is even greater for children with disabilities, who often face unique challenges and vulnerabilities. Many cannot communicate their needs, recognize danger, or advocate for themselves, making them especially…
I’m going to begin here with full disclosure: even though we have known Mateo and loved him from before he was born, we, as a family, have only been truly getting to know him for the past two years or so. They didn’t live in Belize, so our contact and interaction was limited to videos…
Well to answer that question, please first follow me for a little trip into my past…
From the first time Mateo’s pediatrician mentioned Autism, I started reading and researching. If you know me, you know I’m a reader - and that I can become more than a little obsessive. So when the doc mentioned the…
A Real Worry
Over the years, there have been many things Mateo has done that brought me to the brink of a heart attack. Actions that I swear will give me grey hair. But one recurring worry/action is wandering. According to a 2012 study in Pediatrics, approximately 49 percent of children on the autism spectrum…
“Oh my God!” Liam laughed. “Liam! Don’t use the Lord’s name in vain,” I reminded him. It was an appropriate exclamation, which made me proud. We’d come such a long way with his speech. But his teacher had admonished him on several occasions for saying God irreverently. Now, he didn’t learn it from me. I…
