Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), one of the most misunderstood diagnoses in the world today, is a mental condition referring to the wide range of social difficulties that many people of all ages face. Common symptoms include habitual physical behaviors or “tics,” hardships in communicating with others, repetitive speech, and a lack of emotional expressiveness.
You may, like me, have a sibling with autism. If your sibling has just been diagnosed with ASD, chances are you’ll learn all of these through experience over the years, but it’s good to keep them in mind now as well. (Note that all people’s cases with autism are very different. This just happens to be my story, but most of these will be true regardless of the specific manifestations of autism that your sibling exhibits.)
4You will develop your own language.
You will learn how to understand your sibling better than almost anyone in the world. Your sibling will, in time, feel safe and welcome around you. This type of bond results in you two developing your own language. Whether it’s little meaningful looks that convey more than words could or specific phrases that might sound unusual to others, communication with your sibling will be far from typical – but that makes it all the more special.