Autistic meltdowns are one of the most difficult parts of autism for me. My meltdowns were not dealt with well in my childhood. My parents thought I was just throwing tantrums. They thought I could control what was happening, which was not the case at all. I was usually locked in my room during these meltdowns.

While times are undoubtedly hard, there is hope on the horizon. Use April’s National Month of Hope as a reminder to be a light in somebody’s life this month, including your own!

If your child is not potty trained, how many diapers do you have on hand right now? That’s a question I certainly wouldn’t have been able to answer with any specificity when my children were babies. But it’s a question that parents who struggle to afford the expense — about $70-$80 per month, per baby — can answer easily, because managing diaper need is among their most significant anxieties.