Caring for an Autistic Child – Sharon and Ryan

Ryan is seven years old and Sharon is Ryan’s mother. When Ryan was two, he was diagnosed with autism. Sharon says, “When we first got the diagnosis, we were devastated. But, we have found some excellent therapies that have really made a difference.” Ryan can be easily overwhelmed, but understanding what drives his behavior has helped everyone who provides care for him.

Sharon’s family is her primary support system and other parents with autistic children are her best resource. She thinks a lot about what Ryan’s future will be like and says, “There is a lot of help available now and there are a great therapies out there. Autism is not a death sentence for these kids. There is hope. There are things that work, so the most important advice I can give is, ‘Don’t give up.’ I really do see a cure in our future.”{enclose JNJSharonRyan.m4v}