Helping fellow "ausome" parents

Over the weekend, we met a parent whose child was recently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She openly shared that their family is still “new” in this journey and expressed how she wished they had begun accepting their son’s condition earlier, as there were already tell‑tale signs. During our conversation, I mostly listened and offered reassurance. I also tried to shed light on the nuances of the “special needs” spectrum, sensing that she was still unfamiliar with the different types and distinctions such as those between ASD and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

I remembered our own experience in 2016 when we first received Lance’s diagnosis. In what felt like a mysterious but blessed turn of events, we met a guardian on a public utility jeepney who introduced us to Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapy through the SMLC Learning Center. Lance went through ABA sessions for about two years, which helped prepare him for formal schooling. He is two years behind the typical school age and should technically be in Grade 8 this school year. Despite that, we remain deeply grateful for the significant progress he continues to make, as shared by his advisers.

Every third week of January, we observe Autism Consciousness Week, as mandated by Proclamation No. 711 issued by President Fidel V. Ramos on January 4, 1996. The proclamation emphasizes the Philippine government’s objective to build awareness on the challenges faced by autistic persons and to promote communities that allow them to live with dignity, function independently, and contribute meaningfully to society.

This is why, whenever possible, I reach out to families and parents who are traveling the same road we once did. Coming to terms with a lifelong condition is not easy; it takes time to accept that ASD is not an illness to be cured but a condition to be understood. In a recent interview, Autism Society Philippines (ASP) National Spokesperson Mona Magno‑Veluz explained that ASD results from atypical brain development, which science still cannot attribute to a single cause. She shared an analogy: if most people run on “iOS,” individuals with ASD run on “Android.” They are not less than us; they simply have a different operating system.

For this year’s Autism Consciousness Week, I want to share our family’s heartwarming journey with fellow parents of ausome kids and remind them that there is always hope. Like the sunflower, now widely recognized as a symbol of autism advocacy, it represents happiness, positivity, and strength. And in this journey, these are the very things our children continue to bring into our lives every single day.