The Autistic Voice Blog

By Kerry Magro, from kerrymagro.com   If you knew me…   You would know I was nonverbal at 2 and a half   You would know I was diagnosed with autism at 4   You would know I got kicked out of two preschools   You would know I had extreme sensory-integration difficulties   You would know I would lash out to get attention when I couldn’t communicate on my own   You would know I twirled my hair   You would know that when I was in school, my peers labeled special education “wrong” instead of “special”   You would know I spent hundreds of hours a year in therapy to get to where I am   You would know I spent hundreds of hours being bullied because of my diagnosis   You would know that being institutionalized was a possibility.   But if you also knew me…   You would know I graduated grade school   You would know I graduated high school   You would know I gradua...

I was so worried about having the perfect father-son relationship that I almost missed the incredible gift in front of me. By Ron Fournier from the book Love That Boy Photo: Glenn Glasser/Reader’s Digest My wife, my children, and I stood in front of a white, seamless wall, our noses practically touching its surface. Suddenly, the wall opened—it was a hidden door to the Oval Office. “Come on in, Fournier!” shouted George W. Bush. “Who ya’ dragging in?” It was my last day covering the White House for the Associated Press, and this 2003 visit was a courtesy traditionally afforded to departing correspondents. I introduced my wife, Lori, and daughters, Holly and Abby, before turning to my son, Tyler, five. “Where’s Barney?” Tyler asked. The Scottish terrier ran in, and Bush said, “Let’s do a photo!” As the most powerful man on earth posed, my son launched into a one-sided conversation. “Scottish terriers are called Scotties; they originated from Scotland; they can be trace...