For many people, autism is a relatively new term that has made its way into their vocabulary. For others it is just part of life. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in 1 out of 150 children and autism is almost always the most frequently occurring disability in the family. As autism has become more prevalent, there are many questions that come up for individuals who may be dating a parent with a special needs child. The autism spectrum is very broad and ranges from less severe to quite severely affected individuals. It should be noted that autism or autism-like symptoms can also occur in adults as well as children.
As autism is now an ever-increasing diagnosis in children, it is becoming more common for parents to be confronted with the dating questions that involve autism. When autism enters into a parent’s love life, many people are faced with specific dilemmas and concerns about dating someone who has a special needs child. Parental stress can become overwhelming which can cause autism symptoms to become more severe for the child. It is important as a potential partner of a parent with special needs that you understand autism and its effect on both them and their children from an empathetic standpoint.
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