Dana Kolkata Blog

“A mother’s fight “

When a child as young as three years old is diagnosed with autism, it seems like the entire world comes crashing down for the family. It is not just the child who is diagnosed—it is the parents, the grandparents, and everyone who loves the child who experiences the impact. This was exactly what happened to me when I found out that my daughter was diagnosed with autism. My world shattered in an instant.

The question Why me? haunted me day and night. I was stuck in that question for a long time, unable to move forward, drowning in sadness and uncertainty. It is a common experience for every parents whose child receives an autism diagnosis. The depression phase is real, and it can last for months or even years. It is filled with denial, fear, and a deep sense of helplessness. No parent ever dreams of this journey, yet here I was, forced to navigate an unknown world.

For a long time, I allowed myself to grieve. The dreams I had for my daughter seemed to fade away. I looked at other children her age and felt an ache in my heart, wondering why my daughter could not do what they did. People around me had different reactions—some were supportive, while others dismissed my concerns, telling me she would ‘grow out of it.’ Somebody said she will be fine one day.But deep down, I knew I could not wait for time to fix things; I had to act.

One day, amidst my despair, something inside me changed. I realized that if I stayed in this dark phase forever, I would be of no help to my child. Autism was not going to wait for me to be emotionally ready. My daughter needed me to be strong, to fight for her to understand her world. That day, I made a promise to myself—I would learn everything I could, do everything in my power, and dedicate myself to helping her.

I started reading journals, searching Google every day and night, and diving deep into the world of autism. I read about therapies, interventions, and techniques that had helped other children. I discovered that early intervention was key and that the sooner I started working with my child, the better her chances of improvement would be.

I found articles on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), speech therapy, occupational therapy, and sensory integration. Through out my journey my father helped me a lot whenever he can.He is the pillar of my strength..I joined online forums and groups where other parents shared their experiences. I reached out to experts, therapists, and educators. .

Slowly, I started implementing what I learned. I have started therapies what we can afford.I followed structured routines to make her days predictable and comfortable for her.Every little progress, no matter how small, became a victory worth celebrating.

But the journey was not easy. There were days when I felt exhausted, days when nothing seemed to work, days when I cried whole night.My journey is still going on .When I am writing this tears rolling down from my eyes.But giving up is never an option. I reminded myself that my daughter needed me to be her guide, her advocate, and her biggest supporter.

Over time, I realized that my perspective had shifted. Instead of asking Why me?, I started asking How can I help my daughter thrive? The more I learned, the more confident I became in handling better.I stopped comparing her to other children and instead focused on her individual progress.

I was no longer alone in this journey my family, my husband’s support became invaluable..

Autism is not the end of the world; it is a different path, one that requires patience, learning, and unconditional love.

Today is a world autism day .On this day I would like to tell all the parents who has neurotypical children please you can model inclusive behaviour by encouraging your children to invite ASD peers to play, school activities, or birthday parties.Educate your children on being patient and understanding if an ASD child does not respond in a typical way.
Every individual on the spectrum deserves love, inclusion and opportunities to shine..
Doyel Chakraborty

#autismacceptance
Comments

If you are lucky to be close to a Child with Special need, a whole new world of joy and excitement will uncover before you. Thats the time you realise what ‘Happiness’ is.
Amit Chakraborty