It was noon and since the last few hours I was trying to figure out how I would live through my anxiety. I spent the next few hours talking to Merriam who was working with a leading special needs school in NYC as a full time educator. The moment she said, “Alex is just like any other kid. Not everything shows up in a diagnosis report. A neurodevelopmental disorder can’t define who she is!” I was confident enough to make it through.
If a child is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or any other neurodevelopmental delays, parents react in varied manners. Some parents take it gradually while for others, it comes as a shock. For me, it was abrupt, unexpected and sudden. My daughter Alex was diagnosed with ASD when she was only 1 year old and I was worried about her future. Will she be able to keep up with other children? But there was one thing I was sure about, I never wanted to be Alice in Wonderland crying my eyes out with people drowning around me.
It’s been said that everything in life can’t always be about ponies and unicorns but learning that your child is has autism spectrum disorder is hard for any parent. You feel like the world is crashing down on you. BUT, we do need to understand this –if your child has a neurodevelopmental disorder, it doesn’t change your child’s personality. The next big thing for me at that point, was to search for a special needs school in NYC. A nurturing environment where Alex could relate and communicate with us and other children of her age. I am happy that my search for a special needs school in NYC ended at Rebecca School for children with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Beautiful classrooms, hallways decorated with amazing art works, educators working as an ensemble and happy children – it was enough to exemplify the magic of their classroom teachings to me.
I was happy with Alex’s involvement in the classroom activities. She was pushed to her limits, and she started trying hard to achieve everything she wanted. Educators created individualized lessons for every student, based on their interests, curiosity and emotional experiences. A play based learning approach helped me understand Alex’s developmental challenges. Fostering an emotional interaction using play, art and music is very important to encourage a child’s cognitive abilities and academic skills.
I know it is hard to see your child coping with ASD but it doesn’t change who they are and what your child can achieve in life.
Special Needs School NYC 