i am not saying that this happens to all autistic children, b/c i know that it does not; but, i would like to spread some hope if there is room for it…which i believe that there always is:
my youngest sister is autistic and has ash burgers; she did not speak until she was about 6yrs old. she would just spit and kind of jerk around. wouldn’t let anyone touch her. screamed and punched. very very different than her two other big sisters. we were terrified what puberty would bring. it was frightening to say the least. and heartbreaking.
but instead of putting her into a specialized school environment, my parents decided to mainstream her. she was very slow and behind her grade level, but she wasn’t stupid at all. that much was clear. she just had absolutely no social skills.
many patient years later, with the help of many different types of educators, my sister now has a Masters degree in Childrens Education. she works specifically with learning disabled and physically disabled children. teaching is her gift. and, she has a very generous heart. she is still socially awkward. doesn’t talk much. but she is a wizard with children, and not many paople can say that. i am very proud of her.