Learn About Autism From an Autistic: About the Author
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor of any kind. I am an experienced parent and caregiver to people with autism and I also have high functioning autism. Nothing I write should be taken as medical advice. If after reading something I write you believe you or someone you know is on the spectrum you should consult a doctor.
About the Author
My name is Wilson Burrell. I am a father of 2 children who are on the autism spectrum and I am on the spectrum myself. Most people with autism have something specific that they nearly obsess over. For me, it is my own disorder. Since I was 14, I have read research from others about autism and made it a point to meet as many people on the spectrum as I can. As a teen I didn’t know I also had it. I observed a schoolmate I’d met who had it and suspected I might have it, but it wasn’t confirmed until I was 19.
During my high school years, I studied autism to try and find a cure for it. As an adult I realized people with autism needed to be understood, not cured. I’ll discuss this more in a later article. My life now is learning about autism more through my children and helping other parents who don’t understand the world of autism the way I do.
I want to use this series as a way to help both parents and people who are on the spectrum. Over the years I’ve had many parents say things like “I wish I’d met you when my kid was younger.” I don’t know how to respond to these words and have trouble responding to compliments in general. I do know though that I want my knowledge to be spread and known without parents having to meet me and this is a way that can be made possible.
More by me: https://medium.com/@wjb2580
