When the Bullies of a Child With a Disability Are the Adults

The other day I was at a birthday party with my 8-year-old, which may sound like a normal weekend evening to some, but for us it was thrilling. My son had hardly been invited to any parties prior to last year, so getting an invitation from a classmate was a big deal. At the height of struggling with autism and anxiety, my son found it hard to make and keep friends because his behavior became unpredictable. Understandably, kids became standoffish because they didn’t know what to expect….As part of his developmental disability, my son struggles with social language/pragmatics, an under-responsive proprioceptive system, an over-responsive vestibular system and social skills. He also has extreme anxiety. These are real challenges he faces that can cause behavior issues that many times are beyond his control. He has to learn things that come naturally to most kids, and it’s a huge challenge for him. Read more from The Mighty.