05/11/2025
The Silent Heartbreak of Autism
Sometimes, I just stare at my 10-year-old son— Jamir and realize how fast he’s growing.
His legs are getting longer. His voice, a little deeper.
He might even be taller than me soon.
From the outside, he looks like any other boy stepping into his teenage years. But inside… it’s different.
He still hugs his stuffed toys to sleep.
He still cries over things most kids his age would laugh about. He finds comfort in toddler shows and movies. He doesn’t understand time, money, or danger. He lives in a world where innocence never fades.
And that’s the heartbreaking truth of autism.
No one prepares you for this part of autism —
when your child’s body grows up, but their mind stays in a place you wish the world understood better.
You see him growing and changing, yet deep down, he’s still the same little boy you held in your arms five years ago.
Puberty brings visible changes, but the invisible ones — the struggles, the confusion, the innocence — remain.
He may never “catch up.”
He may always need love, guidance, and protection for the rest of his lfe.
And as a parent, the hardest part is knowing
that one day, I won’t be here to give it.
This is our truth.
This is autism.
It deserves understanding — not pity, not judgment — just love.
🧩
