Thanks for the kind words. We have a daughter on the spectrum who is both highly intelligent and beset by severe depression, anxiety, insomnia, etc. To people who don't understand the situation, she can seem like a rotten kid (defiant, angry, mouthy, sometimes violent) who was clearly raised by terrible parents. We have been judged accordingly and have been socially isolated at times. And our other kids, who are not on the spectrum, tend to keep their friends at a distance from our home because her behavior can be unpredictable and embarrassing.

We have gone stretches of years with very little meaningful help from family, friends, the church, etc., because people simply couldn't handle her--or simply didn't want to any more after trying for a few hours. At a time when she was particularly hard to handle, law enforcement encouraged us to commit her to the local youth detention center for a few days. A few hours later, the detention center called and told us they were not equipped to deal with her and she was promptly back in our home. We have sought out treatment for her from countless doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, etc., etc., with very little to show for the fortune we have spent hoping and praying for any marginal improvement to her quality of life. She recently graduated from high school thanks mostly to her mother's herculean efforts to help her get up each day and function, go to school, turn in assignments--all things she simply would not do without a great deal of encouragement. She will probably live with or very near us for the rest of our lives.

Anyway, our experience has thoroughly beat out of us any tendency to judge other parents/families. You just never know what challenges they are going through. You just never know what disabilities they may be battling that are hidden or completely misunderstood. It is certainly true that people tend to give a lot of attention and love and support to people with disabilities who seem sweet and innocent and lovable while shunning and fearing and judging harshly others.