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A Mother's Day Look at Autism Featuring Kim Stagliano

The Sun Chronicle is my hometown newspaper. (Photo credit to Martin Gavin.) I was raised in a small town called Plainville - in Massachusetts. Growing up, we had a Drive in Theatre (fun as a child, more fun as a teenager!) some jewelry related industry and when McDonald's came to town it was a very big deal. Last month I had the pleasure of speaking to the TACA MA chapter (thank you Cheryl Gaudino) whose meetings are held a mere 5 miles from my Mom and Dad's house. The Sun's Laura Calverley covered the event - and did a great job, I think. I'm honored that they thought enough of me to hold the article until Mother's Day.

Kim Stagliano 3 Daughters 1 Disorder (click to read the full article and to comment.)

WRENTHAM - Plainville native Kim Stagliano is the mother of three daughters - Mia, 17, Gianna, 15, and Bella, 11 - and all three are on the autism spectrum.

"Autism pretty much took over our life," Stagliano told a crowded room of parents with autistic children who gathered for a recent meeting of The Massachusetts chapter of Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) at the Wrentham Senior Center.

TACA invited Stagliano to the monthly autism parent support group to speak about her book, "All I Can Handle: I'm No Mother Teresa (A Life Raising Three Daughters with Autism)" (Skyhorse Publishing, 2010). Actress Jenny McCarthy, whose son was diagnosed with autism and has been outspoken about the issue, wrote the book's foreword.

Stagliano told the group that despite the challenges of being an autism parent, love, laughter and the support of family and others will help them through their own autism journey - like it has helped her.

"If I can do this with three, we all can find a way to do this," she said.

After autism diagnoses for her three children derailed Stagliano's career in advertising and marketing, she became a voice for autism parents across the country, hoping to make the diagnosis and journey less lonely for herself and others....

Posted by Age of Autism at May 14, 2012 at 5:45 AM |Permalink|Comments (4)

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Thanks, Kim.

Truth, indeed! (And you do make us laugh!)

Posted by: Terri Lewis | May 14, 2012 at 05:10 PM

All this, and she still makes us laugh...

Posted by: John Stone | May 14, 2012 at 05:08 PM

Thank you for all you do Kim. There are very few that could ever keep up with you from day to day...

Posted by: cmo | May 14, 2012 at 04:55 PM

"At the end of the day, we're autism parents. And nobody knows the walk as well as we do. We're just going to have to figure it out," Stagliano said.

Exactly right Kim! We can't expect that society is suddenly going to wake up, demand answers and move mountains to address the needs of the generation of kids moving into adulthood. (Our country has passively sat back watching this nightmare unfold and done nothing.) We're going to have continue to push for recognition of what autism is doing to America.

Thank you for all you do so well, Kim. You're my hero!

Love,
Anne

Posted by: Anne Dachel | May 14, 2012 at 09:56 AM

Previewing your Comment

Yes, I agree. Kim is my hero. My oldest son, Noah is on the spectrum and has come so far since his diagnosis. and even before ( when I knew something was not right but no one would believe me). I also have another son who has been in puberty since he was six and is on Lupron therapy. This is due to all the lovely endocrine disruptors and hormones in his food (before I knew better). We have our hands full with therapies, monthly shots, blood draws, testing, ec. I couldn't imagine adding one more to the mix. And Kim is able to take it all in stride with such humor and grace. My hat is off to you Kim! You are right up there with Andy Wakefield in my book. Thanks for all that you do for the autism community.
p.s. The package insert for Lupron states nothing but Lupron in there.

All this, and she still makes us laugh...

"At the end of the day, we're autism parents. And nobody knows the walk as well as we do. We're just going to have to figure it out," Stagliano said.

Exactly right Kim! We can't expect that society is suddenly going to wake up, demand answers and move mountains to address the needs of the generation of kids moving into adulthood. (Our country has passively sat back watching this nightmare unfold and done nothing.) We're going to have continue to push for recognition of what autism is doing to America.

Thank you for all you do so well, Kim. You're my hero!

Love,
Anne