If you haven’t comprehensively researched Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
If you haven’t spent a significant amount of time with our family
If you haven’t been responsible for the well-being of our child
If you haven’t advocated for years in IEP meetings, doctor and therapists appointments, in the community, and online
If you haven’t received a diagnosis that is irreversible, incurable, and lifelong
If you haven’t amassed a multi-foot tall stack of medical records from numerous specialists
If you haven’t been ostracized and misunderstood because of an invisible disability
If you haven’t put extra protections in place due risks of elopements, lack of danger awareness, overly friendly behavior, and the inability to differentiate between reality and fantasy
If you haven’t had the police bring your child home when all the protections and proactive conversations about safety weren’t enough
If you haven’t lost hair, gained wrinkles and grays, had your physical health compromised due to excessive, unrelenting stress, and wondered what the future will hold considering how things have gone so far
If you haven’t spent countless sleepless nights and agonizing days spinning in worry and fear
If you haven’t had to entrust your vulnerable loved one to the care of others and had that trust broken in horrific ways
If you haven’t volunteered hundreds of hours at public school to little or no avail
If you haven’t attempted to facilitate social connections and silently begged for acceptance of your child only to be repeatedly rejected
If you haven’t witnessed and experienced the effects of trauma from your child being denied access to the care they need
If you haven’t been scoffed at by so-called experts and other parents
If you haven’t had to learn and be fully committed to an entirely different set of parenting skills using a neurobehavioral approach
If you haven’t done all of these things
Don’t you dare pass judgement
Don’t you dare give unsolicited advice
Don’t you dare for a moment think you have any right to decide anything on behalf of my child
Don’t you dare.
No Matter What
