I spent a few summers directing a camp for children with disabilities. I watched parents cry about their children and the future their families faced. Parenting a child with a disability turns parenting from an 18-21 year commitment to a lifetime 2nd job. It’s a job, not a career, because there is rarely room for advancement. I appreciate it more these days, as I look forward to spending the rest of my life as guardian for my Aunt, who suffers with Down Syndrome and lives in a group home.
Robert Scoble, well-known tech blogger and podcaster (and soon-to-be-parent) now facing parenthood, recently spoke to Sridhar Vembu, CEO of Zoho. As it turns out, Vembu is the father of a boy with autism, and reminds us of the exponential rise in cases of autism.
Note that he is “a boy with autism” and not “an autistic boy,” as he is a boy and not a disability.
Photo credit: Fathering Magazine
Digital Father 
One of m y dearest and bestest friends has a child with Sensory Integration Disorder. There has been some discussion of mild Autism but it’s been ruled out. He gets all kids of care and therapies, but he does attend the same school as his siblings, same grade, an his parents work extra hard to keep him in an environment that is supportive to his needs but not prohibitive to his being as close to a “normal” childhood as possible.
It’s a tough road for the parents and I watch them struggle through the doctor visits, the counseling appts, the therapist visits, the specialist appts – all of it. Plus all the research into it as it is a very little known disorder.
With 3 other children, two of which are under 4 years old and are already in speech therapy andd doing well – this tough couple is really something to marvel at.
But I do feel badly for them at times – it’s very stressful.
There is a special place in heaven for those individuals with these kinds of challenges and their families who help support them and make their lives as esay and full as possible. I admire these folks tremendously!
These are special folks. They will, I am certain, be recognized in another life, or incarnation, or on another plane, or whatever your belief tells you comes next.
The grace with which so many folks handle these extraordinary commitments is legendary. These people are heroes, far more than baseball and movie stars.