Educating Marston: A Mother and Son's Journey through Autism

by Christine Weiß, Lisa Cerasoli, Eric Weiss

What comes after "hi"? This is a question that goes through the minds of kids with autism. Everyone experiences happiness and sorrow, anger, joy, fear, surprise, loneliness. Kids on the spectrum feel just as deeply, but they often sound different, have more issues with confidence, and they don't know what comes after "hi," making their ability to focus and succeed in social situations hard. With Marston, I'd start every morning believing today was the day he was going to look into my eyes and really want me. He'd reach for me, smile for the first time. Walk. He'd say, "Mama," "Daddy," or even "ball." By 1998, when he turned three, I'd uttered that same old prayer a thousand times, and I was more determined than ever to shatter the glass wall that separated my son from the rest of the world. Autism wasn't widely talked about back then, and Facebook (networking) didn't exist. Eric and I were on our own. This memoir is our journey of educating Marston through programs like The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, Vision Therapy, the Tomatis(R) Method, Marion Blank's approach to reading, hypotherapy, balloon dancing, and the list goes on...until we discovered stem cell replacement therapy. Love, faith, hard work, and teamwork have taught Marston how to strike up a conversation beyond the word "hi," and do so much more. The pain, obstacles, and victories over the last twenty-four years have brought us one step closer to Marston living a life of purpose with as much normalcy as possible. We've cracked the glass wall, but we believe STEM CELL REPLACEMENT THERAPY will ultimately shatter it. Now, it's our job to share our story with the world because one win for autism is a victory for us all. Excerpt from Chapter 6: "This Program Is No Joke" Marston's brain wasn't capable of processing how to create complete sentences. And, integrating the use of articles into his everyday vocabulary seemed like something he might never be able to do. If you've ever studied a foreign language over a long period of time and then gone to that country only to discover you can understand it but not speak it, you know what I mean. Marston was starting to understand language and communication, even though he couldn't fold himself into individual or group discussions. He couldn't read, either. I think he recognized the shape of certain words, but the letters themselves held no meaning. But the progress he'd made with gross motor skill development, sensory processing, focus, and comprehension was undeniable thanks to the IAHP (The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential).One night, about four years into this intensive program-I think it was around the time Marston was seven-I would see the results in action. We were praying in bed, like usual, when Marston asked God for Austin's brain. He said it, of course, in his way, but I understood him perfectly. It was a dagger to my heart. I told him, "Your brain is perfect, sweetheart. God doesn't make mistakes. Austin has these certain sets of talents-he's a great communicator, math comes easy, he's great at sports-but everyone is different, Marston. God made you sweet and gave you a beautiful smile. He knows what he's doing, and we have to trust him." Moving past the heartbreak, I realized this was a huge breakthrough. He recognized Austin's unique abilities, and he was differentiating them from his own. This is comprehension.

242 pages, Paperback

Published July 13, 2019

Reviews

[Keri Kobus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in hopes of gaining insight into what motherhood was like with a child who has ASD so I could be a better support to one of my best friends. It did that and so much more. I don’t know Chris and Dr. Weiss but I feel like I do now. I can sense how amazing these two are, fighting not just for their son, but for every child and adult who has ASD. Packed full of helpful info regarding therapies to diet, all the way to stem cell therapy. This book should be a must read for all who work with or have children.

[Joanelle Mulrain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarkable book and a must read for parents of Autistic children and shared with their family members and friends. This is a resource for parents and unveils the importance and value of umbilical cord stem cell therapy as a viable treatment for Autistic children. It should be on the shelf of every pediatrician and healthcare worker dealing with children and in the mainstream as an awareness of what is available to help children diagnosed with Autism. From social workers to elementary and middle school teachers, this is a very important book to further understand Autism.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy.

Autism awareness is so important. Families being open and sharing true heartache along with a powerful journey can bring so much impact to the world. I’m am appreciative of the authors for being so detailed in explaining methods that look to be extremely beneficial. The story is filled with hope.