Autism Belize Calls Out  

Almeida explained that autistic children need a lot of attention. She mentioned a study by the University of Wisconsin, which found that parents raising autistic kids often experience stress like the PTSD that war veterans face.

 

Christy Almeida, Co-founder, Autism Belize

“The university of Wisconsin did a research and they measured the stress levels of mom’s with children with autism. The levels were on par to soldiers who have seen active combat, PTSD level. As they blink the child is doing something else. I remember moving into an apartment building when I was living in Puerto Rico and people was coming and Mateo was standing next to me and then he was standing on the balcony railing and he was standing up with his two feet looking down at the beach below. I stopped all the movers and said I am not living here. I cant do it. And this is a blink of an eye. They will find every corner to slip and you have to understand they don’t get danger. And not only with autism, last year our vice chair of autism Belize, he eloped and they called me in a panic. It took over an hour for them to find him. This is common with our children who are easily distracted, wants to see what is out there and don’t get danger. These are not kids that we can simply teach to look both sides of the road before they cross the street or walk on the other side of the road. These are not kids who just bank hooky. That was not happening here. there is a lot of things that can go around. I am not playing a blame game. I need us to understand that these kids don’t get danger and parents and guardians has to be on a hundred percent, and we still need help.”