Our son has always been a special guy. He was a happy baby who learned to run before he walked. He didn’t talk much but we figured that would come later. At the age of 2, we noticed he was a little behind developmentally. He was extremely hyper and we just figured, “typical boy.” At 3, he had stitches in his head TWICE in 6 months because I could not keep him in one place. He was FAST! The doctor diagnosed him with ADHD and shortly after, medicated him for his own safety. When school started, we realized how far behind he was; it was a major developmental delay. We knew he was special and did things differently. He spent hours lining up toys by colors/shapes. He was quiet and didn’t want to be touched. He spent years in speech therapy. Doctor said he would out grow it. Flash forward to age 12, he was 53 inches tall and 67 pounds. After years of doctors, we finally got a REAL diagnosis. Our son has autism with huge delays. The ADHD overshadowed the autism. He was misdiagnosed; for 9 years we’ve been treating him for ADHD. I was shocked at first but then I realized all the signs were there. I’ve known most of his life that there was more than ADHD. Seems like forever ago, but it’s only been a year. He has an IEP at school, less medicated and has only gained 2 pounds and grown 2 inches. He is so tiny, about the size of a 9 year old. He will be 14 this year. Because he was misdiagnosed, his medications delayed his growth. We aren’t sure if he will ever catch up. He is such a great boy with a huge heart. Autism awareness is so important. People need to be educated of the signs; so misdiagnosis doesn’t happen. We have come a long way and now we can finally get him the help me needs and deserves. He is our blessing and has changed my life. He is my inspiration for my college degree in psychology!

Rebecca Bodiford
Chowchilla, CA