A mother shares her son's autism journey, from early developmental delays to school, meltdowns and everyday life
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) website defines autism as a wide spectrum of disorders characterized "by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills, social interactions, and restricted, repetitive, stereotyped patterns of behavior." It affects about one in 500 Americans, according to NIMH.
Angie Putnam of Mitchell, South Dakota, knew early on that something wasn't right with her son, Matt.
"At first, he had trouble hearing," Putnam said in a telephone interview. "Doctors learned he had fluid buildup in his ears. So when he was 2, he had his tonsils and adenoids taken out and tubes put in his ears. That made a difference in his hearing and talking, but even after that, we could tell he was behind in development."
For instance, Matt wasn't talking nearly as much as other children. It wasn't until he was 5 that a "special needs" teacher mentioned autism.
Asperger's syndrome
"That summer, we learned he had it after taking him in for an evaluation," she said. "When we first received the diagnosis, we asked the doctors if he had Asperger's syndrome. They said that since he had had a speech delay, they wouldn't classify it as that. At the time, we questioned that diagnosis because the reason he hadn't been talking early on was because of the fluid buildup in his ears."
At the time, Asperger's syndrome was commonly described as a milder form of autism. Despite her suspicions, Putnam never had Matt reevaluated, essentially saying that a new label on her son wouldn't change the way she or his teachers interacted with him.
Today, Matt is 12.
"Occasionally, when something doesn't go his way, he has meltdowns," said Putnam. "Or when he doesn't understand something, he gets upset. Sometimes he'll throw something, hit or kick. Sometimes he gets upset and cries. Then it's a matter of calming him down."
Matt also has an exceptional memory. He excels in spelling and math and enjoys repeating lines from movies and cartoons. At school, he is mainstreamed for social studies and science and is in special education for language arts.
"Kids seem to understand his autism better than adults do," she said. "They seem more accepting and forgiving."
Matt can also be affectionate and verbal and has a great sense of humor. His mother said they give him regular household chores and treat him the same as his older sister.
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