Autistic Son, Desperate Dad Quotes

“A paradox: Bartek is apparently the only child in his preschool group who consoles other children when they cry. And autists are supposed to have impaired emotions[12].”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“But he wasn’t outgrowing it. If anything, Bartek’s behavior was getting worse. The difference between him and his peers was becoming more and more pronounced, and our fears were worsening as a result. Was there something wrong with him? We asked around and did some reading, with no success.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“I’ve been asked the question: “How do you have so much patience?” The first answer that comes to mind—“I don’t know.” The second, after a moment of consideration—“Because there is no other way.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“Your son’s condition suggests Asperger’s Syndrome.” It can’t be too often that someone is happy to hear this sentence, but my own reaction is nothing short of euphoric.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“The diagnosis: “Give him a break, he’ll outgrow it.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“But did this improvement really happen? Was there a real change, or did we just see what we wanted to see? Ola and I are of different opinions on this matter, but we don’t really know for sure, and probably never will.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“(Come later that year, he would be eating French fries and potato pancakes almost exclusively, and wouldn’t touch anything else. We would try to smuggle ground pieces of meat or vegetables in the pancakes, but it would rarely work: Bartek’s overly sensitive palate would detect the pancake’s uneven surface. He would react by spitting and screaming.)”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“Many sufferers at the mild end of autism live undiagnosed, their behavior defined as eccentric, strange, atypical. Socially they find themselves in a difficult situation because they exist on the border of social understanding, isolated despite often exceptional levels of skill and creativity. Indeed, in spite of these skills, those from the mild end of autism tend to have problems fitting in within mass educational institutions. They are perceived as DIFFERENT.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“Despite those affected by Asperger’s being considered at the mild end of the autistic spectrum, suggesting only a minor display of symptoms, we need to remember that they are often still easily discouraged by the stress of social factors and still display a deep disability in creating interpersonal relations. Lorna Wing (Fitzgerald 2004) claims that they can appear to be “delicate, easily hurt and pathetically child-like.” When assessing their behavior, Atwood (2007) notes that they lack the emotional resources to deal with tasks at hand. They are also prone to experience stress caused by their difficulties with adaptability. Their self-esteem can be very low, making them highly self-critical and unable to tolerate errors on their own part. They are also easily discouraged when reality differs from their vision of it, as derived from their own (usually quite rigid) views.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“In general, state-funded education ends the day a person with autism turns 21. Beyond that, there are no legal mandates, and there is very little funding. “It’s like giving someone a wheelchair on a one-month rental,” Gerhardt says, “and at the end of the month, they have to give it back, and walk.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“I admire you for talking about your grandson’s autism so openly,” Bartek’s grandmother was told recently. Why the admiration? Should we be hiding it? And if so, then why? I think it’s because many, so-called ‘normal’ people are not mature or educated enough to deal with disability. Hiding disability makes sense only if the disabled person expects that his or her disability will cause an adverse reaction in society.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“Emails, more and more emails. And with them, more requests for advice. My blog is slowly becoming an outpatient clinic. The scale of the problem: in the past few months, I’ve been contacted by six Polish mothers living in Great Britain, who heard that this blog exists. It looks like there are many more autistic children in need of help than I would have imagined.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“The black hole Autism often feels like a black hole. If you’re in its gravitational pull, there’s no escape. It absorbs all matter it comes across. It sucks the energy out of everything. Which”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“As recommended by the therapist, I need to tell him where we’re going and what for, and thus here begins one of our typical conversations.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“Maya, come back right now!” is a quote from Maya the Bee, a popular cartoon in Poland. Bartek means something, but I can’t read his intentions.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“After breakfast he’s in a good mood and chatty. This is what he says in the next couple of minutes: “Yellow train tracks? We’re going to have fun? Hey, oh dear!” “Maya, come back right now! Maya, come back right now! Maya, come back right now! Maya, come back right now! Maya, come back right now! Maya, come back right now! Maya, come back right now! Maya, come back right now!”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“When we talked to the pediatrician about our concerns, the diagnosis was, “no inhibitions.” That might be a good thing, we thought, he could do well in life. But there is no such medical condition as ‘no inhibitions’.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“the book contains numerous references to Monty Python. This is firstly because it’s something of a Polish obsession, and one of our key points of reference for English-language humor. But also because in some ways it reflects the nature of autism, an experience which brings moments of both tragedy and comedy—often at the same time.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning

“When you hide something away you imply it’s something to be feared, maybe even something taboo or shameful. But when you’re open about something you normalize it, and demonstrate that it’s nothing to be scared of—just something to be understood.”
― Rafał Motriuk, Autistic Son, Desperate Dad: How one family went from low- to high-functioning