‘We laugh, we help each other … we have social outings together where our children can come along and we don’t feel judged’
TRACEY Rzezniczak always sensed her son Alex was different from other children.
He reached all the usual milestones of walking and crawling before he was two, but he struggled with speech and shied away from affection from anyone other than his parents.
“He struggled with a lot more of the social aspects like waving ‘bye bye’, talking and interacting with other children,” the Caroline Springs resident says.
“I had a friend whose son had Aspergers [syndrome] so my instinct told me he could be autistic.”
Alex, now six, was diagnosed with mild autism four years ago.
According to Victoria’s peak autism body Amaze, autism spectrum disorders are lifelong developmental disabilities characterised by difficulties in social interaction, impaired communication, restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours, and sensory sensitivities. The word ‘spectrum’ is used because the range and severity can vary widely. About one in 160 Australian children is thought to be on the spectrum.
Ms Rzezniczak says the journey from Alex’s diagnosis to enrolling him into a mainstream school next year has been challenging.
“It can be isolating. A lot of the time people just think you have a misbehaving child and judge or criticise,” she says. “In a way it’s harder because he has only mild autism so people will say, ‘But he doesn’t look autistic’.”
Ms Rzezniczak says she found vital support from local support group Autism Angels. Formed in 2008, the non-profit organisation is made up of volunteers and aims to help families living with autism in the north-west.
Ms Rzezniczak says nothing compares to speaking to another parent raising a child with autism.
“We support each other, we laugh, we help each other overcome obstacles with our children and we have social outings together where our children can come along and we don’t feel judged.
“[Alex has] made me a more selfless and giving person and mother, and opened up my eyes to a world that’s possibly better in many ways to the one I was living in before.”
Autism Angels’ annual dinner dance fund-raiser is on Saturday, September 1, at the Lakeside Banquet and Convention Centre, 65 Melton Highway, Taylors Lakes. Tickets: $80 adults, $40 for children under 12. Includes three-course meal and entertainment. Details: autism-angels@yahoo.com or 93621000.
