"Curious Incident" from a Parent's Perspective

While thinking about the parent's perspective and take this novel, a large part of my thoughts were about how difficult it would be to have a child with autism or asperger's syndrome. I would expect that a parent would do or read anything they could to be able to understand or relate to their child. I wouldn't ever expect them to take anything word for word in a novel like this, because autism is a spectrum. No case is going to be exactly the same, but their are going to be similarities between cases. So books like this are going to be a comfort for the parents. They can find similarities they can relate to their child and see how Christopher reacts to experiences in his life. That is why this book is so cool, they are able to see it in a different perspective that they have probably been trying to understand for a very long time. I personally have no idea what it would even like to have a child, let alone a child that isn’t 100% healthy, so I really feel that I don’t have much authority on the subject, but as far as I can imagine having a child with this mental health problem would be heartbreaking. 


(From a parent of a child with ASD)

Loud, Busy, and Unpredictable

One of the most challenging things about being a parent of someone with an autism spectrum disorder is having to constantly educate everyone else about the situation. If I take my child out into public, there's definitely going to be some awkward situations. Places are loud, busy, and unpredictable--three things my kid (and others with ASD) can't really stand. I'm constantly having to explain to others, "He's not misbehaving, he just reacts differnetly to things." People stare. They whisper. But I hear and see it all. I hear them say, "What's wrong with that kid?" or "If he were mine, I'd discipline him." Sometimes people suggest that I leave him at home. But why is the the one that has to change? Why is he the one that has to be different? 

I don't think anyone realizes how lonely his life can be. He doesn't go outside to play with other kids. He doesn't get invited to their birthday parties. Everywhere we go, everyone just looks at him like he's strange. Sometimes I don't know what to do. Sometimes I'm just as frustrated as everyone else with him. 

(From a parent with a child with Autism)