Since April is Autism Awareness Month, I’ve been sharing a little bit about autism and what it looks like in our family’s life.
Today I want to talk about something that doesn’t get discussed enough when people talk about autism.
Progress.
When most people think about progress in childhood, they picture big milestones.
First words.
First sentences.
First day of school.
Learning to ride a bike.
But when your child has autism, progress often looks a little different.
Sometimes the biggest victories are the ones that other people might not even notice.
For our family, some of the most meaningful progress we’ve seen in August has been in the small things.
Things like improved eye contact.
Things like responding when his name is called.
Things like following simple directions or engaging with the people around him.
August is also learning to communicate using an AAC device, which has opened new doors for him to express his needs and interact with others.
We’ve seen more vocalizations and sounds, which is incredibly exciting as his communication continues to grow.
His play skills have also expanded, including the beginning stages of pretend play — something that once felt far away for him.
And we’ve seen growth in his ability to regulate his emotions and his body, which has made such a difference in his daily life.
These might sound like small things.
But when you’ve walked the road of autism parenting, you quickly realize something important:
Small progress is still real progress.
And those small wins often represent hours of therapy, patience, learning, and perseverance.
Autism has taught our family to celebrate the victories that might otherwise be overlooked.
A moment of connection.
A new sound.
A shared laugh.
A successful interaction.
Things that once felt impossible slowly start to happen.
And when they do, they mean everything.
Progress in autism doesn’t always happen in big leaps.
More often, it happens in tiny steps forward.
But those steps add up.
And watching August grow in his own way, at his own pace, is one of the greatest joys of our journey.
August, Always 