TODAY is World Autism Awareness Day, a chance to recognise the 1 in 100 individuals on the spectrum, their abilities, their strengths and their contribution to our community.

To help raise awareness, we asked a Sydney mum what she wished people knew about raising a child with autism and this is what she said:

WHAT I WISH YOU KNEW ABOUT AUTISM

I wish … I didn’t have to explain why my son seems like he’s ignoring people who speak to him. I really like when people attempt to engage with him in public. I hate that I need to explain, without feeling like I’m unloading on them.

I wish … I could shout from the rooftops about my child finally achieving the things that other kids achieved years ago … but I can’t because there’s always someone who has it worse, and I feel like I’m bragging.

I wish … I didn’t feel embarrassed that my 4-year-old isn’t toilet trained yet. Yes he knows how to use the toilet and does it all the time, but he just won’t tell us when it’s time.

I wish …. More friends invited us over for playdates. I wish I didn’t have to turn down invitations to public places where my child would have just run away. Instead we stayed home where it was safe … and lonely.

I wish …. I had listened to my inner voice and had my child diagnosed earlier. I knew something was wrong but when I voiced my concerns friends and relatives tried to console me with “He’ll grow out of it” and “that behaviour is normal”. Now I feel I’ve missed vital Early Intervention time.

I wish … people didn’t use “fear of autism” as an excuse not to vaccinate their children. It doesn’t cause autism. Stop sharing those things on social media, they make us angry!

I wish …. I knew more about what the future held for us.

But I don’t wish that my son is anyone but who he is.