Autistic Tendencies...

When our first child was diagnosed, the doctor was relunctant to give the Autism diagnosis. It wasn't so easy to get 12 years ago. Not like now. It seems that anyone can have the diagnosis now.
Anyhow, We got the "Your daughter has Autistic Tendencies...."
I remember walking to the car, with husband and daughter in tow. What did he just tell us? Was she autistic or not?
We came back 2 weeks later, with all test results in hand. Blood, EEG, EKG, MRI, etc. It was decided, Caitlin had Autism. Well, thank God we had a label. We always knew she had something, but now we had a LABEL.
Now what? What do we do?
Every Saturday was spent at the big library downtown. We checked out every book ever written on autism, not many I might add. I always say that "we read too much".. We started believing everything we read.
We read to change the diet, to give nutrients, to try to stop her buzzing, flapping, and jumping.
Basically, we were told to stop everything that made her AUTISTIC.

After many months of these crazy alternatives, we decided to let Caitlin be Caitlin. I know, crazy idea, but that is what we decided.

Guess what?
No really, guess what?

We got a much calmer child. We got a child that was so tired of being poked and prodded. We got a child who responded to hugs and kisses. We got a child who loved going to school. Who thrived while being taught by amazing teachers.
We got a much more stable home life. We got a happier and healthier child.
Caitlin's focus was much better at school when we just let her be.

Caitlin's flapping and buzzing are what is her. And at the ripe old age of 15, she still does it. It is what is her.

I do not understand why that is something that should be taken away from her. It is what calms her down and lets her function in our society.

All of our autistic children have some form of stimming. Some are more pronounced than others. Some are so subtle, you probably wouldn't notice. Sometimes, it is so loud, you cannot help but join in.

I just wonder that if every person had the ability to buzz and flap to control their behavior, would we have less road rage? Would we have less abuse to each other as humans? If we all took the time to flap and buzz, would we not then have the ability to drown out what bothers us in this world? Next time you get angry at the driver in front of you, you know the one yacking on his/her cell phone, just roll down your window and buzz.....Next time you get upset at the teller at the bank, (you know the one doing her job) just stand in line and flap and buzz......
Next time you read of another child that is not allowed to be autistic, stand up and flap and buzz........I know I will......