James is beautiful. James is bright. James was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in 2015 with moderate to severe presentation across diagnostic criteria. He is so much more than his diagnosis. James was born in Central London during an unexpected heatwave in 2013. We were so anxious about his comfort he was swathed in gloves, a hat, and wooly blankets both his grandmothers had made him. Amidst the searing temperatures and buzzing fans, he was already scratching his face. With hindsight these were strong indicators of our anxiety and naivety as new parents, desperate to leave the noise and discomfort of the busy ward.
James is now twelve and approaching his teenage years and I find myself updating this page, thoughts and research yet again. We moved to Thailand shortly after his diagnosis. So, his favourite cuisine is Thai. James is good at roller skating, he can skate backward and do tricks older kids would be envious of. He is capable of so many things yet also clearly on a limited trajectory of life as most people know it. I am so proud of him.
I am James' mum 