Why is Collin Like That?

Tara Bruce resides with her supportive husband and beautiful children in Mantua, NJ. My story begins with a very unhappy baby boy, screaming day and night. My son, Collin, was diagnosed with PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder), under the Autistic spectrum, by the age of two. As Collin grew, the unmasking of his disorders did also. PDD, ADHD and OCD were among them. So began my new career as "doctor" stay at home mom. I remember a seminar I attended a couple years ago with my mother. Questions from concerned parents swarmed the room like bees around a disturbed hive. The presenter addressed everyone patiently. He calmly said, "Listen, most importantly, you are looking for very peculiar behaviors." My mother turned to me and said with a sigh of relief, "Well, thank God Collin doesn't have any of those." I looked at her so strange and replied, "Yeah, mom, you're right. His sucking on batteries, throwing away silverware, keeping the spoons under his mattress and licking his hands while "grooming" his face is certainly not peculiar. I think we are safe..." We burst out laughing. My daughter, Karlie, is a beautiful and loving little girl. Unfortunately, it took me a few years to discover how much she had taken on emotionally being the "big sister". As parents, we do not always recognize just how much children are affected when it comes to having a sibling with a disability. Just the simple task of watching television together can be so hard for them. As parents, we need to raise awareness on the affects our "non-disabled" children deal with every day. Many prayerful nights have been spent attempting to communicate these issues to others. Prayerfully, this book will help you and His children. God hears you...and I HEAR YOU! -dr. Bruce