Neal Tricarico

We could easily experience post-traumatic stress disorder and be paralyzed by our grief and suffering, or we can make a decision that something is greater.

There may be a greater calling out of this.

And if we're able to open our hearts and our eyes to the possibility, we could grow in the most beautiful and profound ways.

Yeah, that was actually, that was the diagnosis.

That was Anthony's diagnosis.

For some reason, it's gotten confusing now to put it in on the spectrum where it's a part of everything else.

it is um yeah it is it is so alarming and the the prevalence of the diagnosis is so much greater because certainly back when i was growing up there was an evig diagnosis and then there was

diagnosis you know 20 some years ago with Asperger's yeah now people are finding the courage and strength to to say hey I may be a bit different let me find out what's going on yeah I was on the phone with my mother yesterday and she grew up in China I was asking her hey did people grow up with autism around you she said she couldn't remember a single kid like I asked her did people have acne she said no there's just all these health issues now it's really weird it is you know

It is.

And it's fascinating that you say like over 50%, because interestingly enough, you know, I remember back, I hadn't thought about this, but, you know, when Anthony was born, we met other parents, whether it be through birthing classes or, you know, play groups, if you will.

And I was fascinated at the time about the percentage of kids in his immediate group that also were on the spectrum.

It's so very hard.

And I'm also grateful to hear that they're recognizing it early because that's one thing that was helpful for us was that Anthony was diagnosed.

around six years old.

And so the services and everything that we had were extremely helpful.

And in some ways they were anticipatory and that they shared, you know, Anthony may have a difficulty making friends.

He may be susceptible to bullying.

And in our case, fortunately, I think because of his ability to learn how to live

in a society that thought differently than him, he was able to camouflage and mask that.

So he had a tremendous group of friends.