SPOTLIGHT on SIBLINGS
What’s Autism, Daddy?
By Darrin Ingram
This issue we focus on how
our children who are not on
the spectrum view their siblings who are. We will give
you a hint: it usually is just as
a brother or sister. Kids don’t
see the diagnosis. In fact,
for many siblings, autism is
merely a word they hear their
parents talk about but a concept they know nothing about.
That is why we love this
essay, which was beautifully
written by Darrin Ingram
from Fathers for Autism. Darrin’s son asked him a threeword question, “What’s autism, Daddy?” The response
that Darrin gives is simple
and sweet and honestly highlights the differences between
his two children in a way that
respects his autistic daughter.
H
The Super Hero Team
ad a conversation with my son last night.
But the best part of this piece,
Handsome Boy: “What’s autism, Daddy?”
the part that we want to really
Wow...where to begin?
shine our spotlight on, is his
son’s response. So innocent,
His eyes were so honest, so innocent. He truly cares
so real, so accepting!
about his sister and tries to help all the time. He is fully
trained in therapies and interventions and has a PhD in
*Note: Darrin refers to himself as Papa Bear (PB) and his r ]