Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Mom

Chandni didn’t really think there was anything wrong with Ria. She walked on time, but spoke close to nothing. Her twin brother talked in a year, but walked later. Her paediatrician finally put her foot down. It’s a developmental delay, she said. "I’ve given six months, I gave two months more because she’s a premie, but she’s 2 years 4 months old now. Consult a developmental pediatrician – here’s one I recommend."

Chandni did read up on Google about children with speech delays, who seemed in their own world. Ria might be autistic, she suggested to herhusband. "What? No," he said.

The entire hour the specialist spoke with us, Ria ran around the small consulting room. The doctor pointed out her hyperactivity and felt she was autistic. She wanted to do a battery of tests and start therapy.

She seemed more interested in Shivam’s profession. Wary that she was money minded, they decided to seek a second opinion. They asked the doctor who had helped them conceive their twins, to recommend a specialist.

He suggested one and they visited him. Ria interacted with the nurse there, snapping a rubber band on her finger and laughing when she pretended to be hurt. The doctor felt it was not serious enough to be maladaptive yet.

He suggested they stimulate her – spend quality time, one on one with her and do activities and he would review her progress in three months.

Chandni had a relative who works with autistic children – she suggested Chandni work with building blocks and other concentration building activities with Ria and Chandni did so. Shivam took their son for half an hour in the morning and Chandni spent time with Ria. Chandni put honey with a stirrer in her mouth and praised her whenever she stacked blocks etc.

Gradually, Ria’s confidence increased and she began speaking. At the next visit to the doctor, he told Chandni and Shivam to continue stimulating her and he would review her progress again in three months, as she was still hyperactive.

Ria would take a lot of time to sleep at night as well.

Chandni took the twins to her mother’s place in Delhi. That was the first time she painted, did beading. Her mother had trained as a Montessori teacher and with the COVID lockdown they had ample time to spend with the children at home. Always energetic, she had an activity cupboard which the twins would rattle, hungry to explore.

By the end of the two month trip, Ria spoke even more. Chandni's mother, who had initially felt she spoke less, admitted as well by the end of their trip that Ria was speaking more.

Ria showed rigidity when they returned, crying for a week in the middle of the night. She cried in the day, standing in Chandni's room. Finally Chandni guessed she wanted the carpet spread in the hall, like it was in her mother’s home. She calmed down when they did that.

The specialist was happy Ria shook hands with him when Chandni asked her to, and that she named the objects in the book that Chandni was carrying.

To be continued...

This post is a part of Blogchatter A2Z Challenge 2026