Hello.. my name is Didi Clarke and I am a mother of a now 14 year old daughter who some physicians recommended when she reached two years of age, would be better off if we were to put her in an institution. Odd behaviors had taken over her everyday life and tantrums became uncountable due to their frequency and length. However, none of the physicians that treated her could tell us exactly what was making her so miserable.. some guessed childhood schizophrenia, and still others thought it was the cause of bad parenting. But, through it all, my gut told me otherwise and I persisted in getting her treatments and therapy through Early Intervention. To make a rather long story short, my daughter was properly diagnosed with autism when she was 3 which was later redefined as Asperger's syndrome. Through sensory integration, occupational therapy, and the fact we never gave up hope.. today she is a thriving 14 year old 'normal' teen who one would never guess has the diagnosis of Autism/Asperger's syndrome. She not only attends regular school and has countless friends, she also has her first job as a tutor of elementary school children through the Boys and Girls Club! I cannot even imagine the consequences of what things may be like today if I would have given up hope and not trusted my gut enough to persist. My goal now is to try to spread hope to those traveling a similar path in the realms of autism and Asperger's syndrome, as well as the many other pervasive developmental disorders now being diagnosed. Because of our wonderful outcome, I feel as if the story has the ability to give people hope and inspiration in order to truly trust in themselves and their children to succeed. I don't mean to shout but... DO NOT GIVE UP!

More information can be found at my website: www.aubreysjourney.com and a video/slideshow of our story can be seen on MySpace at: www.Myspace.com/aubreysjourney  

Thank you all for taking a minute out of your day to read my posting.. I truly hope that it helps someone and reaches those that need to see it. Please feel free to contact me through email: garndd@msn.com or by voicemail: 541-258-8224. Didi Clarke  

Congratulations Didi.  You seem to give a lot of credit to the therapies and sensory integration (which I have heard are all very helpful) but from your post it looks to me that you should take the most credit.  It sounds like, by trusting your "mom instinct" and putting in the work, that you were the force behind the changes in your daughter.  Thanks for the inspiration.

Thank you so much for your kind words and response to my posting! I truly appreciate it!  Didi :)