Audrey Selemela Speech-Language Therapy

09/06/2026

What other traits would you add that you or your child exhibit?

09/06/2026

30/05/2026

So true … unfortunately they also get missed by the professional community and only get diagnosed later in life

Autistic kids are often missed (or misdiagnosed), and if I had to pick a number one reason, it would be that autism was dismissed because a person is socially motivated and friendly.

But Autistic people CAN be socially motivated and friendly. It’s not social = not autistic and asocial= autistic. When considering Autism, it’s HOW people are social. Which gets tricky, especially when people don’t know what they are looking for.

Other reasons many kids go undiagnosed:
• They internalize struggles and are quiet or “well behaved at school,” or like me, was viewed as the star student and teachers pet
• Smart kids and gifted kids can be (and are often) Autistic
• Kids who have inconsistent support needs- this can vary from day to day or setting to setting. Often Autistic kids do best in comfortable, familiar, and predictable environments
• Kids who already have a diagnosis which results in adults not looking deeper (ie ADHD, ID, Down syndrome, genetic disorders, anxiety, OCD, SPD, delayed communication, learning disorders, dyslexia, etc)
• Kids with high connection needs- seeking constant adult attention in an excessive or intense manner is actually a common autism trait, but people “rule out” autism because it’s socially based
• Kids who are hyper-verbal, spoke early, or talk a lot
• Kids who are highly in tune with emotions and have deep empathy - can still be autistic, and if it’s especially intense, is actually common in Autism

What would you add? ⤵️

25/05/2026

Our team Audrey Selemela Speech-Language Therapy - ❤️💜💙🩷💚

24/05/2026

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/54612166773?aff=ebdsshios

24/05/2026

Words beautifully written as always ❤️

Does it get easier?

A few weeks ago, I met a mom to a gorgeous thirteen year old daughter. They laughed together and shared their own jokes.

The mom and I got to talking. After a while she became quiet as if she was thinking about something. Then she looked at me, paused and asked me: "Does it get easier? Parenting a child with cerebral palsy?"

I took a breathe. I thought of my friends with cerebral palsy who are living their best lives. Life was challenging for them but they are happy and have opportunities.

I also thought of all the families who I started this journey with. The parents who have passed away from dread diseases or su***de. I thought of the children in care homes because their parents couldn't care for them anymore. I thought of the children still living at home, and the impossible challenges of aging for parents and child.

I put my head down...and I thought of my daughter Savannah. Cerebral Palsy isn’t the reason life isn't easier for her and us. Life itself is the reason.

As parents we often prepare for the known challenges. We think that the first diagnosis will be the only challenge. For Savannah we are learning again to prepare for an unthinkable, additional challenge.

When I looked at the other mom who was waiting for me to answer, I said: "Life with any child will always be challenging. It only gets easier when we let go of our expectations and live each moment for what it is.

It's important
👍🏽to know no parent can give their best all the time for as long as life-long caregiving requires,
👍🏽 to learn to expect disappointments and accomplishments as if they are siblings,
👍🏽to live well for our children and also to live for ourselves because our children need to see our happiness is not dependent on them. It's too much for a child to bear.

Then life is easier because we find beauty in what is generally going to be hard for anyone else. We become stronger each time we see beauty in these pieces of our story, and we become masters at knowing what to shoulder and what to lay down.

Life hasn't become easier for me as a working, family caregiver. I learnt the value of adjusting my expectations and I resolved to make life beautiful because that is what I have control over.

Does this help you today?

24/05/2026