Ryan Hinds, 26, says he has ‘recovered’ from autism, but not been ‘cured’ of it. His mother wrote a book about Ryan’s journey from diagnosis at age four to being an aerospace engineer with a love of surfing.

In this article, originally published in the Autism Eye magazine and reprinted here by their kind permission, Ryan shares his own story of personal growth.

“Some people think we should just accept autism. And that if a child is treated, it changes who that kid is. I am still the same person I was, only now I’m happy and can enjoy life.“

“Some will say I never really had autism or that I was only mildly affected. I wish that were true”

“When doctors believe the medical issues associated with autism are just part of a ‘developmental disorder’, children are not treated for the same medical conditions as other kids. Is that really okay?”

Our charity is run by parents and we value parent experience. As such, we encourage parents to share their stories.  Parent experience cannot be viewed in any way as medical or therapeutic advice. Each parent story is just that: one account as shared by one family. Your family’s experience may be completely unrelated.