When Grace was a baby my instincts knew there was something wrong, but the health visitor kept telling me "just give her more tummy time". It wasn't until we moved that our new health visitor showed some concern, Grace was 14 months old and unable to stand and sit unsupported and Grace was diagnosed with "hypotonia" and she started physio. She also had to have many tests . With a year of intense physio she could finally walk with aids. At 3 years old she starting "hand and head rubbing" and would have tantrums, which i thought was frustration because she wasn't able to talk.She started nursery and we noticed her behaviour was "different", she didn't mix very well with the other children, would get very anxious about the smallest things. Was she just shy? We were referred to an OT, Grace had sensory issues. We were then referred to a clinical psychologist who suspected autism but would not diagnose until she was 6 years old. Our neurologist referred us to genetics to have micro array tests, the results were a small duplication on chromosome 4q. So Grace is now 6 and after years of "not knowing" we had the ADOS test and the results....moderate autism.We had feelings of relief yet sadness. But..... Grace gives us such joy, her funny quirky ways and sense of thinking makes us smile every day.Her need to act out "lady gaga" singing at the top of her little voice (with actions and sometimes a pair of tights on her head) makes us laugh.The cheese sandwich she has to eat every day, her "mr fox" who has to go to school with her everyday,the hours it takes for her to get to sleep and then still climb into mummy and daddys bed every night, her fussiness and refusal to try need foods but her love of strawberries and cucumber (with every meal!),her love of swings and stories of fairies, her need to fully undress every time she needs the toilet (even socks!) Grace is grace and we simply wouldn't have it any other way :)

Anonymous
townsville, Australia