Autism in Real Life

Both parents need to be accepting of the diagnosis and willing to provide treatment for their child. At first my husband was in denial, but after he sat and observed our daughter in class he then accepted that she was different. If he hadn't been accepting of the diagnosis, I could have seen our marriage fail, but he has been equally supportive and active in helping our daughter.

I divorced him due to his adultery and abusive violent behaviour and after he left my son dramatically improved articles like this provide yet another excuse for waste of spaces like my ex-husband to try to excuse their behaviour!

Handling an autistic child is a big job for TWO. I don't feel like there are enough resources available for autistic children and their families. Insurance wouldn't pay for it if it was available. Finding a sitter is difficult, getting a sitter to come back is even crazier. Parents need a date night every week!

My experience as an adult with Aspergers syndrome and the mother of a 32 year old daughter with autism is of course divorce happens. It is very easy for someone to leave a marriage where someone does not operate on the same level as they do. My experience is that my nuerotypical soon to be ex-husband
felt that I was unable to perform as a "normal" woman in public. He became ashamed of whatever he felt my repetitive behavior was. And my daughter who is very autistic had frequent meltdowns which involved the police, was embarrassing & became a source of upset for him. He feels that it is better all of us are gone from his life physically, he does his best to distance himself from us. He distanced himself while we were married, and is much more upfront about his desire to be "free" of us both.

I've been told time again to divorce my wonderful husband, because we could get more services for our son. I think this is disgraceful. I refuse to work the system and cave in to pressure to end a great marriage simply to get more government funds. I think the system needs to change instead. I know of at least 6 couples that divorced in our state to take advantage of government help offered to single moms with their autistic children. They still live together, but they say they are doing what they need to, to get services. My other child would be devastated if her parents divorced even though it was on paper only. She's always been very sensitive to her friends' parents' divorces and finds great comfort that mom and dad are happily married. If I were a father of autistic child, I'd cry discrimination the way the system treats them. I can't imagine being told time again to end a marriage for any other disorder or illness in a family.

The divorce rate for parents of autistic children is truly high, compared with parents of children who did not have any disabilities. Parents of children with autism may be more likely to divorce when their children reach adolescence or young adulthood than parents of children without this or other developmental disabilities.