CNN iReport

My son Dan, just recently turned 16.  He was diagnosed with ASD when he was about 11.  When he was 3, he had speech therapy.  When he was in preschool, he had melt down after melt down.  But, his elementary school years were awful, even though he was very smart.  In third grade, they put him on an IEP and talked with the school counselor about once a week.  He had a room he could go to if he felt an outburst coming, but he hated to leave his class room in fear of missing out on learning something.  He just never fit in and was always teased.  He did very unusual things to draw attention to himself.  When he was in fifth grade, everything seemed to spiral downward.  I was getting calls about his behavior constantly, he was even suspended from school a couple of times.  The school couldn't take it anymore, so they brought in a psychiatrist and he evaulated him.  I went to the meeting to hear his findings and was in complete shock.  They diagnosed him with narcisstic rage and a couple other things.  All I remember is them telling me that they recommended that he be put in a special school where they could medicate him so he wouldn't act out the way he was.  They didn't think being in the general population in a middle school would go very well.  That spring/summer, I fould a counselor that took the time to evaluate and talk to him.  We took countless tests and surveys and little by little we eliminated different things.  The diagnosis was High Functioning Autism....aspbergers.  I've never heard of it before, but it fit.  He has a milder form, but it affects his social life constantly.

My son is amazing.  We have learned that team sports isn't his thing (through the hard way before he was diagnosed).  But, he loves band and participates in Marching Band and Pep Band.  These are team activities, but he really only has to worry about himself.  He also loves math and has been on the math team for the last 2 years.  Academically...well, I can only tell you that he is a sophomore at his high school and carries a 4.0.  He is ranked 36/600.  He takes Honors and Advance Placement courses.  As a sophomore, he took Trigonometry....I didn't take that until I was a senior!  He also is working his way towards an Eagle Scout ranking.  With all the wonderful achievements he has made, he still has some set backs.  He is still the social outcast he always was, but does not do all those bizarre behaviors.

His Highschool has been great so far.  He has an IEP and a wonderful counselor that works with him.  The teachers have been great as well.  The students on the other hand are not so great.  Him and a girl were voted as Sno Daze King and Queen, mostly as a joke.  There were a group of kids that planned on throwing food at them as they were called down.  I was appalled and told my son that he could not go through with this if he didn't want to.  He decided that he was going to walk down with this girl regardless of what the student body was planning.  I went to the ceremony and talked with some teachers before hand.  I was told that they were aware of the situation and had it covered.  They also told me that there were many kids that were upset by the actions of a few kids and they came to tell the principal.  I was amazed at the reaction of the student body and was very proud of my son for standing tall that day.  I could tell he felt pretty awkward in his tux, but he has more guts than most people I know.

Everyday is still a challenge and I hope the future is bright for him.  We don't know where he will be in 5 years, but watching him grow into the young man he is has been amazing.