My Autistic son who we were told would never talk and needed to be in a specialised environment

[IncompleteSenten]

Is attending his graduation ceremony today, having got a 2.1 in games development.

He is my elder son and is now 24. He was diagnosed at two and a half with what was then called classic autism. We were told we needed to teach him makaton, that he wouldn't ever talk. When he was 7 he began to talk in small sentences. He was unable to potty train and we were told that this would not change, when he was 6 he came out of full time nappies, by the time he was 10 he was no longer having soiling incidents. He was explosively violent. We were told he needed to be in a special school. That we were unrealistic.

He drove to collect his gown in his own car and has no lectures this week for the master's he's currently doing.

I don't give a fuck that this is a boasty thread. He is amazing. He has worked so hard and defied expectations all his life and I want to shout it from the rooftops. I'd like to take his degree and his driving licence and wave it in the faces of the experts who constantly told us how delusional we were to even expect that one day he would look at us!

How amazing, well done to your son and enjoy your proud mum moment 🤗

Congratulations to you all, that is absolutely wonderful and worth boasting about!

How fabulous! Congratulations to you all!

I'd be so proud too x
My own son is severely autistic and can't do anything independently (he's 19 now) but he's always progressing at his own pace and he amazes us daily x

I love this post. Shout it from the rooftops.
Wishing him a great future.

Do you feel able to let those know that wrote him off what he has achieved if they are still around?

Congratulations!

Amazing'

F

Amazing .

Congratulations to you all. Your DS didn't manage this without a lot of hard work from you too.
My DS is 26 and was diagnosed with ASD at 6. He didn't have the same difficulties as your DS but he struggled at school and had 1:1 throughout - something I feel sure he'd be deprived of if he was starting out now. He passed his driving test at 17, did an udergrad and masters degree living away from home and is now working full time doing something I (and he) never thought he'd do. He's currently travelling through Europe on his own.

Now I’m crying!!!

As a mum of autistic children I am so elated to read your thread.
Massive congratulations to your talented son and to you for helping him achieve his dreams with love and support.

Wow! that isn't a boast it's a really inspirational story! Experts don't know everything and can't predict the future. Your son is amazing.

I don;t underestimate the huge part you will have played in supporting and enabling your son to achieve his full potential. So a huge well done to you too for being an inspirational parent!

This thread makes me so happy.

My friend's 18 yo DS has autism. Success will look different for him - but he's also smashing social and academic expectations and generally just living his best life having fun at college, working a part time job and hanging out with his mates. My friend was told his needs were too severe for the local special needs school and that they should be looking at residential options. She fought a long and bloody battle with the LA and school to get him that local place and he thrived there!

FANTASTIC! What a lovely post. Made me well up a bit and I’m usually heartless 😁

How wonderful to read! Congratulations to your amazing son and to you, you must be so proud of him!

We are currently going through the assessment process for my DD who is 5 and potentially needing to move to specialist education so this is absolutely wonderful to read as I am so concerned about her future right now.

Have an amazing day today! 🎉

What a fabulous post, boast away because you both deserve it!

Diagnoses can be so valuable, but they should never be used to write someone off.

Fantastic! You and he are an inspiration 💐

OP I absolutely love this thread, boast away!! Huge congratulations to your son and your whole family 🏆 🥳

How lovely to read. Well done all of you ❤️

You SHOULD be the proudest mum there, well done to him and well done to you!

So lovely and inspiring to read your message, we’ll done to both him for exceeding all expectations and you for supporting and believing in him all the way!

That's fantastic, OP! Congratulations to you and your son. I would want to shout that news from the rooftops too.

Lovely to hear, OP. My DS with ASD is also 24 and was dxed at 3. He is wonderful in many ways, has managed to get an HND and his special interest is quizzing. He's been on Mastermind! But he doesn't have a job and hasn't had an interview for a while. TBH, I don't really care because he's happy and fulfilled in life and that wasn't certain for a many years. I hope your DS is more successful at finding paid work, it sounds like he has the potential!

So happy for you both - for you all - that made me feel teary. ❤️ Please send our congratulations.

I cannot begin to tell you how much this post has made me smile this morning! Is someone cutting onions around here… 😁

Congratulations to both your amazing son and his brilliant mother!

I have an autistic dd who has the same prognosis as your son had. I truly hope one day I can write a similar post myself.