Planet Autism

By Jasmine Shepherd

In the last decade, I've learned that there are so many unique worlds of autism in that we live in. So much individuality in each child on the autism spectrum and how we navigate as a family. Like many other parents, as I started this journey with my son I was eager to discover any positive encouragement and direction.

With years of experience and professional research coupled with someone that has read her fair share of self-help commentaries, I believe Planet Autism is a breath of fresh air for anyone starting their own autism journey. Whether it's for your own child, a family member, close friend or colleague, I believe it will motivate and inspire you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Feb 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9798350941869

Book preview

1

WELCOME TO PLANET AUTISM

I would like to believe that every parent of Autism has a Moment of realization. It’s not a doctor’s diagnosis, it’s not your mother pointing out to you something she noticed while with your child…it’s a moment of realization for yourself. You realize Something is different, something is happening. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something is going on.

For myself, it was the day I realized my son was not interested in coloring books. I went out to the store one day and like any mom or parent, saw something for my child that he did not necessarily need but felt it would be a great first experience, a coloring book.

I have never gotten my son a coloring book before, and I remember the design was ‘Spider-Man’, so I knew he was going to absolutely love this. I grab the coloring book along with a new set of crayons. When I returned home, I set the coloring book and crayons on the area rug as I was preparing for us both to sit down and color together.

I briefly left the room to use the restroom and upon return I am dumbfounded to see a pile of consistent, finely torn pieces of paper all in a thick mountain of its own with only the laminated cover untouched. It looked as if he ran it through a paper shredder.

Imagine my disbelief. Imagine my initial confusion. He was very calm, sitting next to his creation. A thousand questions ran through my mind.

How can a tiny one and a half-year-old tear this book with such precision? I realized after some time, that it was not just the pieces that he was creating with his hands, but also, it was the soothing sound of ‘the tear’ that made him go so hard (stemming). I remember shedding a tear because my heart felt something.

Dots were connecting, ideas were aligning. I told myself, ‘I have to