⭐A Parent Carer Journey from Danni⭐

 My parent carer journey began long before any diagnosis, through the everyday experience of trying to understand my son, Adi, and the world through his eyes. Adi was diagnosed with autism at six years old, but from a young age we knew he experienced the world differently. He had speech and language delays, cried frequently as a small child, and often found it difficult to communicate his needs. There were many moments (through exhaustion!) where I knew something more was going on.

Adi is bright, funny, caring and wonderfully unique. He has a special interest in Spider-Man and can happily immerse himself in all things Spider-Man 24/7. He is also very creative and loves drawing characters, imaginative designs and now makes his own comics. Alongside his strengths, Adi has faced challenges such as sensory needs that can be hard for others to understand. These include seeking tight clothing for comfort, dressing as spiderman on a daily basis, enjoying freezing cold baths or showers, and sensory-seeking behaviours such as chewing or eating non-food items like paper. Adi has anxiety around speaking in some settings, sleep difficulties, bedwetting, and finds social settings very challenging to navigate.

Raising Adi alongside his 12 year old brother Seb (who is only 14 months older than Adi), has given me first-hand insight into balancing the needs of the whole family while ensuring each child feels seen and valued. As his mum, navigating education, health services and daily life has taught me how important it is for families to feel heard, supported and understood. It has also shown me how much expertise parent carers hold through lived experience.

Written May 2026