February 9, 2018

Autism, Isolation and Inclusion

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I want to talk about a topic near and dear to my heart and very real in our autism world…isolation. I remember it started when my son was very young.

Back in those days though, we thought he was just a challenging toddler. Autism wasn’t even in our vocabulary yet. We’d joke that he couldn’t sit still or about how busy he was and dream about the days when we could actually leave the house again.

We thought by age 4 and 5 he would for sure be able to walk safely, visit friends, eat at a restaurant, enjoy a parade, go to a movie, etc. Except, it didn’t get easier. It only got harder.  Trips to a friends house or a picnic ended in tears and meltdowns and Jamie and I turning on each other.

I remember looking around at specific events at the happy families and wondering why I had what felt like the only kid that didn’t enjoy leaving our house. I would feel the most isolated in the happiest of places. I felt foreign. I felt excluded. And it wasn’t anyone’s fault…it was just my life.

Eventually, we stopped going. Or we started doing events separate. That’s when the isolation really set in.

Take a listen as I discuss autism, isolation and inclusion.

https://youtu.be/0K2eiwFeVEg

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Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson lives in Minnesota with her husband Jamie, and four children, Cooper, Sawyer, Harbor and Wynnie. Kate launched Finding Cooper's Voice from her couch while her now 11-year-old son Cooper was being diagnosed with autism. Back then it was a place to write. Today it is a living, thriving community of people who want to not only advocate for autism, but also make the world a better place for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her first book, Forever Boy, will be released, April 5, 2022.

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1 Comments

  1. Nicole G on February 9, 2018 at 2:12 pm

    This is so very sadly true. It is no one’s fault, but the very nature of it all necessitates isolation.
    Thank God for social media and being able to connect with others going through the same! May we find the most inclusion possible for our families.