Autism Tips by Carrie Cariello
New Autism Mama
My name is Carrie. I have five kids and my second son, Jack, is diagnosed with autism. Jack is sixteen. I have lived alongside autism for twenty minus four years. I believe this makes me an Old Autism Mama. I’ve seen things. I know stuff. I have a bank of memories that would curl your hair, like the day he started the car when he was four, or when I lost him in the mall because I was trying on a sweater. Even though I am an Old Autism Mama,…
Read MoreBeautiful Butterfly
Dear Hunter, I know we’ve never met, but I read about your mama. I felt very sad inside, like something was spinning and turning. First thing I want to say is your mama, she loved you. That is the most important thing to keep in your mind and your heart during the hard days ahead. She fought for you, and learned from you. See, even though you are only six, you are a great teacher. Most people with autism are, you know. Six is a good age. Six is when…
Read MoreAll I’ve Been Told
Oh, he’s not talking yet? Kids do things in their own time, there’s no need to worry. Don’t rush to label him. A label could hold him back in life. You need to do something to get him sleep. You should let him cry. Maybe try co-sleeping. Oh, co-sleeping is very bad. He’ll eat when he’s hungry. Don’t tell everyone he has autism. People will judge him for it. You look tired. Have you tried essential oils? Have you looked into a gluten-free diet? Have you considered horse therapy? He…
Read MoreHunger
Hello. My name is Carrie. I am married to a man named Joe and we have four boys and one daughter and our second son, Jack, has autism. He is sixteen. Today I’d like to talk about something that can make people uncomfortable. Food. Listen, I love food. Our family loves food. You might say food is our love language. I don’t necessarily love to cook aforementioned food, but listen, everything has its limitations. My son Jack loves to eat. He organizes his day around breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and…
Read MoreIt Could Be Him
When the lovely Kate from Finding Cooper’s Voice asked me if I would write about current events every now and again for her page, I thought, sure! Why not? I figured I’d glance across social media every once in a while and find stories about kids with autism. Maybe some of them would be heartwarming, or inspiring, or even a little bit sad. Maybe I’d touch upon discrimination, and heartache. But I’d keep it light, and bright, and motivational. Yet week after week, I read articles that affect me deeply—reports…
Read MoreAutism and Religion
I was raised Catholic. I married a Catholic man. We had our wedding in a Catholic church. We are raising our family by the Catholic faith. So when I watched a video where a Catholic priest in New Jersey who demanded a little boy with non-verbal autism leave the church during his sister’s baptism, I felt many things at once. It was a private ceremony. The boy was off to the side, stimming and running and self-regulating. I felt confused, and angry, and sad, and defeated. I felt tired. Hi.…
Read MoreA Better Place
I read what you said, how special-needs kids should be kept at home instead of going back to school this fall. “Let’s just keep these kids at home and when this passes they can come back to school. Do you really think they’ll be any different after a year of staying home with their parents?” After that you used a very ugly r-word but I am not going to repeat that quote because honestly, what’s the point? It only makes me feel angry, and raw, and defeated. I don’t usually…
Read MoreLet There Be a Sister
One green, green day, the Lord looked upon the world. He admired his sons and his daughters. He smiled at all of the wonderful animals, and he gazed tenderly at each new baby. The round blue earth, with all of its people and puppies and flowers and trees, seemed complete. But the Lord was not so sure. He thought about it for a while, and then he said to himself, I am not done yet. I need someone who is a little different. Let there be a boy, he said,…
Read MoreOld Autism Mama
If you are reading this, there is a good chance someone you know has autism. Hi. My name is Carrie. I have five kids, and my second son, Jack, has autism. He was diagnosed when he was eighteen months old. I was a young mother with a three-year old, and a one-year old, and a tender new baby on the way. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. The world stood still when the doctor said the words Autism Spectrum Disorder. That’s the only way I can describe…
Read MoreA Boy of No
Once upon a time, there was a boy who always said no. When he was very small and didn’t have his words, he learned to sign it with his fingers. When that didn’t work and his mother or his father kept asking him to try a bite of a banana, he simply clamped his mouth shut, and shook his head. No. Later he learned to talk—first one word at a time, then two. After a long wait, he began to string them together like bright lights on a wire. But…
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