SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Paige Carson is a mother of two. She has an 11-year-old son living with autism. She says she’ll never stop advocating for her son and other children living with the disorder and that stereotypes of children with the disorder are just that. Says Carson, “These kids can do anything.”

Carson’s son Hayes is taking the world by storm. Paige says their journey with autism has been a rollercoaster, but once they finally got the diagnosis, it made it easier for them to advocate and help him live a normal childhood.

“We’re talking about a four-year-old with a growing verbal language gap, and I’m getting no help. So, I finally got a new psychologist in town to give us that diagnosis, which was our magic day, because we could start ABA therapy, which changed our lives. This is a child whom I never thought would talk to me socially. And now he’s using seven-eight eight-word sentences. We know what’s happening in his little brain,” Carson explained.

Comments from U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have many in the community confused and some angry. Carson says that while the things RFK Jr. listed could be a factor, it’s not that simple and the real answer is likely complicated. After multiple rounds of genetic testing, she and her family are still searching for her son’s ‘why.’

“So, our ‘why’ as to why Hayes has Autism was described by our specialist in Atlanta as a perfect storm. Could it have been a horrific delivery that had done something in his brain? We don’t know. Could it be these environmental factors that they’re talking about? I mean, we’re in a new age of plastics and food additives and things. Who’s to know?” Carson asked.

Instead of focusing on why it happened, Carson and her family are more focused on how to help Haynes be the best version of himself that he can be.

“As far as the comments made by RFK about not being able to write poetry or play baseball, you need to lean into your child’s interest, which is what I tell my parents all the time. Mine was music. We’ve leaned way in. We do music therapy, we do dance and he is more than capable of doing great things,” Carson said.

Carson left one last statement to parents living with the same disorder. She says, “You’re going to have to wait longer for them to reach certain milestones but when they do, the victory is so much sweeter because you know just how hard they had to work to get there”.

If you have a child living with ASD and are looking for a community or other resources, we have those listed below.

• ESP Savannah – ESP exists to create transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families.
• Katie Beckett Medicaid – The Katie Beckett Medicaid Program permits the state to ignore family income for certain children who are disabled.
• Georgia special needs scholarship – Provides scholarships for qualifying Georgia public school students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan in specified areas.
• Easter seals – Provides essential services to children and adults with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and their families.
• Babies Can’t Wait – Georgia’s early intervention program that offers a variety of coordinated services for infants and toddlers with special needs, from birth to three years of age.