Autism & ADHD - A Father's Perspective

By James Wand

"They're fine once they're here, no need to worry."
Advice from many educational professionals.
"She doesn't look autistic."
A friend's observation.
"I don't think I could even score that low."
A comment made by a professional in relation to a child's autism diagnosis.
Just some of the many things that have been said to the parents of three amazing children - Mia, George and Finley.
Follow James on his journey as a father, along with his wonderful wife Emily, as they fight for the future of their neurodiverse children. From the early years of parenthood to the present day, we see their perspectives change as they take on new roles as parent/carers.
It's a journey that impacts their children, themselves, and the people immediately around them, as they advocate in ways they didn't know were possible. From a challenging diagnosis, battles with the education system and school avoidance, through to struggling with a father's own mental health, we learn how as parents, and as a family, they start to process the past events, accept their different paths in life and begin to find their tribe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Grosvenor House Publishing
• Release date: Apr 4, 2024
• ISBN: 9781803818566

Book preview

��� fbook_preview_excerpt.html�Z͒�Fr~�ŧ�H��k�D��6ō�m����FqU螾�|�o���7ѓ��2�t�(�'r��ʿ/��ī��ׯR��p|������\��T�� ���<��+����T���]��u[�Cun]�.q�&�*UnC��1>T�����}�x?v��r��� Mu�v1�~JUȲ~����n�\�� �e��M��j}7b�p�r��x����R��s�*�-��y�{W��R��5���=��������?�~ ~��p�R�C禲Q��s�=�����3�5 v� ��fx-��� �=U�����.���� 7���n��Ǚ����x�uqC�C���A/:���p^����Jw�)�^t��&��`��u�+X���دJm����{�|>��:L�/���(�r�|f�����]�J9B�$W�\�R����<&�3�� '��qXA��=��[?�˴Sn'^�W_��s����0�����ы �9��u'/���Μn�l{pt�j���4�FL7<������&8
��:���6�^���K������]��oyȮ�ܮ�����u�wa��˶�r=�s��~���;��u]Y������������ӯ����5�_�~| #�q��M�h����������3o���a��x�&��O�������r�Եj��Gx׉��~��������l��͜C��;1��㾵��*�w.�Λ $ ��O�8�)߼����'?�8]�?L�����o*]�����|���ڊw>�p 9��{��.ir�
9�������G�:���U^~mWq���X�!e��X���釿��W�o��s3�}��s�����R}v}�-�6P@@�Y�� ���O�.a��$�����������xѷ��ob��}.&>�SU��k&��/?�����]u� ��5��soXO��2=�x4�@H���30tM����zy�$0'���7�ylYc �����v�H�W#��a��[B�{��$�&"!`W<�
a���#�'p-�� ���IQ����;�v`�j� Q��nj//JžH$�5���/�A������v�nh�����E�A�[��PG�,�z?�H�}����e$��")�1z��r@I�;Ȏ����z��F��Q�����f߿���S5�K��.!�rƒ(33d5b9�@�R3�ُ�{!8�Ŏ¼�ӿ��:�.'�=�y�� dn�$H�n�����k���������(�c�x�e3� ����D����;U����a����bF,SZ��/�� ��(���"M"�~����=8��
W�*�����P7���D0�j�Խ����?� @U���\qY��syR�LV}t� 0�aW���@�#��q���n��B�����[Kl)�3ǩm�����WT����� Bd`b̽���/�Q�����c�2��?<�+�@�}vi��r1S���ZmA%�̮�gS�-��Aa��4�0�A�b����]��
J�?ଜ���'^X��.T�j[5#8� ��|��Ain�Z�èrb `�1�.�$q�2^V)H.�P�*�~`�����C�_��؈ޛ�8f�:/� �,%
�;ZxǮI���^h'�:+n�n����AH�XN0����Y�w÷�Ki�����]5�X"�V�$V��e]�CH^ A�y-��Yɞ�~Ki�5��w�щ /�O�^���D1%"YY"��̝B C�V�g��������
q�Y!�;�����>�^HJW���Zw��4��]�7/j�KΨgsJ!F5 �B]硈Tj,7��GjV<�,�� /�o b�A9X-Is��\RJJ���lP�z(٦M*���� 1i��o�bb��@a>O�Ajb\�6 �s����e;#���Z�\����Si���b�r����'������xw)��G�@�hM%�N�P�f2�fA+u]%)+�k��9��4Q����-՛���z��
�~��a�$D�9��*�V��N��zL���<���_3��x&�,z��X�o�>�E=;����pk)�S�o��a�?wC�N��Z=����.HmZw�c�Y5��q��1>�\�iϡ����,�U�0����s�M���@�jA���#FFVo�A4͟ ~�3��*s$C枍��8����>+a��q �v�׶�Ѳ���
�ޑ{v�¶K���,�NpMwv�׻b�A������@2�qR�C����d����옇����b$%=L���K/ČKu%����f�&�!�-�mP��意�� Jg%�M�h�0��ɭ���a�@�qv��ɨ���T�nn�ԝ���2[>�����������������oM�oB� Pg���}�3����g�+p�!�%����Z %�b�Z�
%."6>���'r�Z��o-�+,׭�+gW�Uʌ�����);�$�xfG>H8�^��$��7�EŚ��G�����{y�%���[s&sDZ۔�O�RZH��I���t���7R�&��)����nz �B1y � '�w��)Ԗ�*��J�"�s��)k���,�8�2��X�)�~x���� h��0 �H�C)-ץn��6�^��4���d^$C����mm����m�W�T�S��xP��V�t�5˅
�m�wk㽴���6P����R��J�_���F��j6�X S��ٞGY����]��aǮt��2�Y�a�lۊ ��)Î P�EAy��]9;���1��t�V{��+<�wȕ �Hh�9T򗧀������Z�ݞ��iL`�:����2„V�r�� �ӵ�t���P�aq�/�˟K5�h���!P��\�C�WE7<���z�cb���ͤa�Rw)?݂�;��tWQ��� {?{�@��*�5���:,�X�aki�B�[�d&�0�$�6�R�G�b�L�_׏+�J�롆X�(�c[N�Gns�dߝ�Ԋ!�v�v Q98` tq��vN>�Ԭ΢%�B�x�m�S6�.c)Ԇ-�^R������uj���ۢ�}E��=HE$L;%�W�`�2s�d�7�rW�+��XjccָLD���a��� ��H�!d�����P�����V���;��[)�͈�O0_��R�P�q5��֭
��ډ�q����͓ �T�ȧ�/�i�K �cbU���#��J2�2&2qv��Kr�\�0SWdݤXˆ�ma� ��`���X� u��@k���B),>��ز��� �V��޲}���bx���k^A�q�6p�ul�Gr�Qݫ�1j!�i}?�.�B-�U+��VY�`G@j��l�*��~X��Rt��#s�BI��y��I;򲴼� �S,�M&���x��0-y�-&.VJ(ԇͶn|�6n��@S��սl�,#��"k�Is���"�[{���)E> K�_K��.M��|E�QÅH/���.�.D��A!�!��]eV��D�l��[��u0��7Ǜf�v�9����Ń}�P���� P#eC�I{ͩ�=����q!�A_����#ɼJ�P����K���LF��N�ͷ�.]˳�quM��9�SE��&i~�u�~�S�S�z� &�AD�J��K<�`�9�q�=��!�lFl|lniN^�U�)3 =���x��T�6��
r2���Ra*��/�`�L�r ��GJP�f�Ȇ/f��u<�ޓ��-��.��+�Ua4�n�k�� ��s�zNe����,I���M!ғ@�T�B,�&괊���N4�uD9{�8�]6���A���`/�)��`�i���Υ�fm��D��BAFG��4�~�w�-���B͖�>�b�W�*;�X�� 'm+��J���x=��ƭ�)�̅^>;�Yt�)�s���:�(����_~���� i�E8��>�:�9�:erI�(�2�;�d�A��
�NBuZfS���- ��J�Ns�|�D���&�2' ���z7�m�ne��"�w��.��Sh*Oڭ#!P�.�������� ���[�/SA&�:A'� Oy����Y9���6���J�/��S��̹��>NC��-�s��~�B���_F.EX��K&�smk+1�>2k{j���-6֞��F
I�,D���Z�
�lu�l�~�p/�z8���vQ��u�!%�Ƌ��ւsm�H?P3��$�3�����Z �0<�����G��_�JK╹�b� �Z�]u߄s^��hs�2E-(Fܞj� �7�'��)����
|��Y��K�W$1�nc~�S���G���,