I came home from hospital with a beautiful little girl, but I  soon realised all was not well. Christina screamed like an irritated animal and she didn’t sleep, whatever I tried.

All of the professionals told me it was colic and I went along with this diagnosis. As she got older, I buried my head in the sand, making excuse after excuse for her challenging behaviour, almost blaming myself.  I became more and more anxious about her behaviour and what people would think, so I isolated myself and my daughter.

When Christina was six, I went to Parents’ Evening and evidently things were not ‘normal’ with Christina.  That was my wake up call - I made an appointment with my GP straight away.

Eventually Christina got the diagnosis I was dreading but expecting. Autism. 

She engages little with the outside world, has a poor sense of danger and, on top of this, has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Life isn’t easy for us; sometimes I think that if she had a visible sign of disability, things would be easier.

Autism Speaks is very important to me. I feel that it is my lifeline for finding treatments which will one day help Christina enjoy her life and those around her. 

Please support Autism Speaks, so that future generations of autistic children can have a better life.

Kirstey Rhodes

 

That easier life is not something that Autism Speaks - the only UK charity raising money for bio-medical research into the causes of autism - can promise Kirstey and Christina.

But, with understanding the reasons behind the disorder, comes a very real possibility of intervention or treatment for future generations.