A MOTHER SHARES HOW PEOPLE GAMES WITH HER DAUGHTER CHANGED THEIR LIVES.

By Chantal LAVERGNEL

When we received our daughter’s autism diagnosis in 2019, we had no idea we would learn so much in the years that would follow. We also realized that we didn’t know much about the natural development of children. We felt like it was all a natural learning progress that needed very little help. That wasn’t the case for our daughter; she needed our help.

Luckily, our daughter was diagnosed at the very young age of 23 months. I say luckily because the one thing I knew for sure was that early intervention was a huge advantage in a child’s development.

I decided early on that I would devote the next few years of my life to my daughter and do whatever I had to do to help her bloom in her own unique way. I am happy to tell you that our investment paid off.

She went from a little girl who wouldn’t speak, who would play by herself, who would scream at the sound of a garbage bag being whipped, and who barely interacted with her own grandparents, to this blooming young girl with lots of things to say, giving hugs and jumping up and down when she sees her grandparents rolling down the driveway.