Choices: One mother’s determined search for the supports to meet the needs of her aging autistic son.

by J.M. Crawford

At age 2 ½ my son still wasn’t speaking, but the doctor assured me “boys are slow”. By age 3 he was diagnosed with autism. I was told he probably would never speak, never feed himself, never dress himself, a doom and gloom list a mile long. Autism was a strange word to me. I was in shock and disbelief at the same time. I quickly became a one-woman campaign in search of supports for my aging son. The challenges kept coming with each passing year. Entering adult services would prove to be my greatest challenge of all. Autism changed everything.

142 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 7, 2019

About the author

Johanne is a writer, autism advocate and mother of a son with severe autism. Through sharing her personal story, CHOICES, she hopes to raise awareness of this growing diagnosis and the need to bridge the gap between public education and adult services. Most of all, she hopes it inspires others to find fortitude and faith within themselves and know that their voice matters. She continues to work with special needs students in the public-school system and live in her Habitat for Humanity Home on Cape Cod.

Reviews

[Nicole Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book for so many reasons, particularly, for those who have been touched by autism. An inspirational story of a mother's love and unwavering devotion to do whatever is necessary for the betterment of her son. As we follow her journey, we find ourselves looking into the future. How will a generation of autistic men and woman continue to thrive in society as they are "aging out" of therapeutic care? Crawford's account of advocating for her adult autistic child is a must-read, for not only those who are touched by autism personally, but for us all.