About Us

Our son Eli Brooks was born in 2018.  He had a hypospadia surgery at six months of age along with the recurrent upper respiratory illnesses and diagnosis of asthma at age one.  Despite his surgery and asthma, Eli developed with neurotypical or “normal” infant and toddler communication milestones.  At approximately twenty months of age, he stopped making eye contact with us and stopped using words to communicate.  Eli was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder along with “Unspecified Developmental Delays” at approximately two years old.  The majority of people around us couldn’t or wouldn’t try to understand the challenges Eli was facing.  We were also operating with little, to no sleep because Eli only slept several hours at a time.

 

We did not anticipate the isolation and loneliness associated with parenting Eli.  He did not behave or play like other children his own age.  Our pediatrician and child psychiatrist gave us his diagnoses without providing us with emotional support and empathy.  Shila and I work to ensure Eli received speech and occupational therapy services.  Our efforts aimed to maximize the likelihood of Eli living a somewhat independent adult life.  Parents and caregivers of neurodivergent and disabled children celebrate wins and suffer in silence.  Other parents aren’t quick to praise a three-year-old saying something that sounds like “milk” for the first time.  Many neurodivergent children have sleep disturbances, increased activity and a higher propensity for personal injury. Our social network wanted to help, but did not have the training or understanding of the care required for raising a neurodivergent child.  Eli says less than ten words consistently and cannot tell people his name.  He does not express or verbalize pain like others.  We could safely leave him alone with anyone other than his therapist and teachers.

 

The support of parents with children like Eli, teachers, and therapists were our lifesaver.  These remarkable people praised our son and parenting, told us to cut ourselves some slack, while offering ongoing support.  They helped us to see the beauty in diversity emphasizing that disability does not mean “less than”.  These people helped us work towards acceptance and celebrating even the small day-to-day wins like getting a good night’s sleep.  Shila and I are working to pay this love and kindness forward.  We reach out to parents when they are sleep-deprived and isolated. We want to do more for the neurodivergent and disabled children in our community by supporting their caregivers and family.