Mother Shares Emotional Journey of Daughters' Autism Diagnoses and Early Signs

A mother from Australia, Tash Delrosario, recently shared her deeply personal and emotional journey of discovering and navigating her two daughters' autism diagnoses. In a candid video, she recounted how she initially missed the signs of autism in her first daughter, Ava, who was diagnosed at two and a half years old after a daycare educator noticed certain behaviors. Delrosario expressed feelings of shock and shame for not recognizing the signs earlier, emphasizing her lack of prior knowledge about autism. She then detailed how she proactively sought diagnosis for her second daughter, Aleia, who displayed different but notable traits from a very young age, including hand flapping and vocal stimming. Despite a pediatrician initially dismissing her concerns for Aleia, Delrosario trusted her maternal instinct and sought a second opinion, leading to an immediate diagnosis of Level 3 ASD, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and intellectual disability. Ava was also re-diagnosed with Level 3 ASD, sensory processing disorder, and anxiety disorder. Delrosario highlighted the emotional toll of these diagnoses, particularly the grief for the 'typical' life she envisioned for her children, but ultimately expressed pride in their capabilities and her commitment to providing them a full life.