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Shannon shares her experience stepping back from caregiving duties to focus on her mental health after 18 years of continuous care for her son with severe autism.

• Taking a temporary break in a camper near home to restore mental health after reaching burnout
• Applying for fiscal sponsorship to pursue the dream of creating supportive communities for families affected by severe autism
• Jacob demonstrating remembered turn-taking skills despite lack of formal therapy
• Discovering disturbing nighttime behaviors through a video monitor that explained Jacob's severe insomnia
• Using the monitor's intercom as an intervention until Jacob ultimately destroyed the equipment
• Planning to share personal breakthroughs that have helped with mental health struggles

Please feel free to contact me through email at contactparentingsevereautism@gmail.com, text fan mail at psabuzzsprout.com, or through the Parenting Severe Autism podcast Facebook page.

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Email: contact.parentingsevereautism@gmail.com

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I'm developing a social equity project called S.A.F.E.R. Lifestyles, designed to create communities for families dealing with severe autism. My vision addresses how most of us lack support, with villages abandoning us when we need them most.



Contact us at contact.parentingsevereautism@gmail.com if you'd like to learn more or support the S.A.F.E.R. Lifestyles movement.

Support the show

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1989825/supporters/newhttps://psa.buzzsprout.com

Get Podcast Merch at the following link: https://psapodcast.creator-spring.com/

https://www.facebook.com/people/Parenting-Severe-Autism-podcast/100083292374893/

Email: contact.parentingsevereautism@gmail.com

Send us a text

Imagine waking up one morning to discover your child has lost every skill they've ever learned. This devastating experience is the reality for many parents of teens with severe autism, yet it's rarely discussed in autism resources or by medical professionals.

In this deeply personal episode, I share the heartbreaking story of my son losing all his functional abilities and speech within days of turning 15. What began with concerning behaviors—strange vocalizations, withdrawing to his room, repetitive actions—culminated in a complete regression that left him unable to perform even the simplest tasks he once mastered. His 100-word vocabulary vanished almost overnight, replaced only with the phrase "I love you," which he began saying indiscriminately to strangers.

The most shocking part? After frantic research, I discovered this regression at age 15 is apparently a documented phenomenon in some children with severe autism—yet in all our years working with specialists and researching autism, not one professional had ever warned us this might happen. How could something so significant not be part of standard information given to parents of children with severe autism?

Throughout the episode, I detail our attempts to help our son: cross-body exercises recommended by specialists, creating sensory-rich environments, increased therapy sessions, and constant engagement. I share both the frustrations and the rare moments of breakthrough, including a recent heartwarming moment when he perfectly mimicked a Tony the Tiger commercial from the depths of his memory.

For parents with children under 15 with severe autism, this episode serves as both a warning and a call to maximize interventions while your child's brain remains receptive. For those who've already experienced this regression, you'll find validation and the comfort of knowing you're not alone on this journey. Sometimes being a parent to a child with severe autism means celebrating the smallest victories while navigating the most challenging losses.

Support the show

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1989825/supporters/newhttps://psa.buzzsprout.com

Get Podcast Merch at the following link: https://psapodcast.creator-spring.com/

https://www.facebook.com/people/Parenting-Severe-Autism-podcast/100083292374893/

Email: contact.parentingsevereautism@gmail.com