Parents with challenges
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (305350)
Rockingham, Australia
March 18, 2023 8:32am CST
The photo has nothing to do with the post.
One of our nieces has four sons. They are all highly intelligent, very musical but also, to a greater or lesser degree, on the autism spectrum. They have been home-schooled from time to time and now range from 12 to about 19. The oldest has a beautiful voice and plays a mean French horn. He will be coming to Ireland at Easter to spend several weeks with us. He is probably least affected.
The second boy is probably the worst affected but is a very talented trumpet-player. He is starting to find his niche in the world of astronomy and enjoys taking groups through the Perth observatory with his father.
The third boy has just returned from a robotic competition held in the Eastern states. He was involved in two teams, both of which did very well. Both teams have been invited to Houston for an international competition.
The 12-year-old is the one we took to the motor museum. He knows just about all there is to know about motors and is a keen photographer.
16 people like this
15 responses
@DWDavis (21902)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
18 Mar
With all the literature and the ever-expanding classification of what constitutes autism, eventually, we will all find a place on the spectrum. Sometimes, I believe the term is too widely applied and has become a scapegoat diagnosis for what are, in truth, quirks in young people's personalities.
I have taught several children who show clear signs of autistic behavior and others who were diagnosed as "on the spectrum" who acted and behaved no differently than their peers.
2 people like this
@DWDavis (21902)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
20 Mar
@JudyEv This excellent article explains ASD very well if you're interested in learning more about it.
Kaiser Permanente. (2016, August 5). Autism risk in younger children increases if they have older sibling with disorder. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 20, 2023 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160805230101.htm
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (305350)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar
I'm sure you're right. It must be a very difficult thing to diagnose. The youngest one seems very 'normal' but apparently can really go off the deep end if something upsets him. We haven't seen that side of him. To us, he seems like most other 12-year-olds.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (111827)
• Gainesville, Florida
18 Mar
Sounds like all four of the children are very gifted and bright. I hope that throughout life they focus on their strengths and not on their autism. I think they will all have happy, successful lives.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (111827)
• Gainesville, Florida
22 Mar
@JudyEv Isn’t it amazing how gifted and smart many special needs individuals are?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (305350)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Mar
@moffittjc It's like all our gifts/personality traits are on scales and some higher being gives you more of this but then you have to have less of that. If you get my drift. 
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (28608)
• Eugene, Oregon
19 Mar
Those kids sound like they can do really well in life. I hope knowing they are on the spectrum does not hold them back.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (28608)
• Eugene, Oregon
20 Mar
@JudyEv Sounds as if they are doing well.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (10534)
• Hong Kong
18 Mar
They are talented boys. Do you notice any symptoms of their autism?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (305350)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar
@Beestring Certainly one is. I'm not sure about the others
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@Beestring (10534)
• Hong Kong
20 Mar
@JudyEv I see. Are they seeing a therapist regularly?
1 person likes this
@allknowing (115617)
• India
18 Mar
All four being that way could be a real worry for the parents but they all seem to be quite talented.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (305350)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar
Yes, that's true. The parents are clever too but the boys seem particularly so.
@rebelann (105418)
• El Paso, Texas
18 Mar
I've only met one autistic child, he was very protective of his mother and when I began to talk to her he was concerned and told his mom that she shouldn't talk to me because she didn't know me. Up until then I had always thought autism was when a person didn't communicate well with others.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (92631)
• Wheat Ridge, Colorado
18 Mar
Well these boys are more than gifted bless.
That photo is glorious.
The parents of these boys are to be commended.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (73675)
• Marion, Ohio
18 Mar
It sounds like all of them are very well adjusted.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (305350)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar
Mostly the mother has done the teaching although they have gone to a regular school from time to time.
@snowy22315 (151390)
• United States
18 Mar
Funny, that they were all effected. However, it sounds as though they will all be fine.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (305350)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar
Maybe it's something to do with the genes of the parents. They don't mesh well perhaps. But I too think they'll all be fine eventually.
