“Most new parents cry when they tell their stories. They are still emotional. They’re past the shock phase. I think they are in the acceptance phase,” Lindsey said. “ It’s normal to be scared when a child is diagnosed, but it’s not something to be scared of. You can die from polio, but you can’t die from Autism.”

For Lindsey, she said Daniel’s diagnosis put her son’s life in perspective for her.

“You think of the dreams you had for what your child could have been and realize that they may not come true,” she said.

Lindsey’s younger son, Bradley, 8, has not been diagnosed, but she said she does see signs that indicate he, too, is Autistic. She’s unsure, though, what could be symptoms of the disease and what are things he simply learned from his older brother.

“He could be diagnosed this year,” she said. “We tell people that once you meet a child with Autism, you’ve met one child with Autism. All children are different and the severity of the disease is different in them all.”

Tammy Marshall is the past president of the Autism Society of Southeast Texas. Her son, Grant, 9, was diagnosed as Autistic at 22 months old - two months after she began to see the signs.

“I noticed early that Grant wasn’t doing things Garrett (her older son) was doing,” Marshall said. “Grant had speech then lost it. That was a red flag.”

Marshall said she read an article in a newspaper that explained behaviors related to Autism.

“It was verbatim word for word what my son was exhibiting,” she said. “The doctor said to give it a couple of months but I’d rather look stupid with a ‘No, he’s fine’ than missing that critical time. I’m with him 24/7. I’m the mom, it was an instinct. The doctor couldn’t tell me no.”

Seven years later, Marshall said Grant is able to verbalize his wants and needs but is still “not a very good talker.”

She admits, though, that Grant would not be where he is today without his older brother, Garrett and little sister, Gracie.

“He wants to be like his older brother. When my daughter was born three years ago, she brought Grant out of his own little world,” she said. “He knew she would be everywhere and he had to start watching what he did. She’s attracted to him, she thinks he hung the moon for her.”

Through the Autism group, Marshall said she’s able to help other struggling mothers through their issues.

“I remember being that distraught mother. I had family members to lay my burdens on, but they didn’t really get it. It was good when I saw other people in my shoes. I don’t feel isolated anymore,” she said.

Marshall said all of her best friends, including Lindsey, are part of the Autism group - a place where members are more of a family.