Getting Out of Holland: One Boy's Recovery From Autism

By Marilyn Gifford

At age 2 1/2 Maverick was diagnosed as an autistic crisis case by the State of Florida. We were warned if we didn't get his extreme negative behaviors under control, he would likely be institutionalized by the age of eight or nine. Flash forward 19 years: Maverick is now a junior in college living independently in an off campus apartment with three neuro-typical friends. He graduated from a private college prep high school with a real degree not a certificate. He drives a car he purchased with money he earned from summer and part time jobs. Maverick has earned a black belt in karate, independently manages his own bank account/bills and finances. He independently sets his own full time class schedule, completes assignments and maintains a very active neuro-typical college social life. To our delight, Maverick even occasionally makes the Dean's List. Best of all, Maverick is in a word, "happy." If you met my son now, you would never believe he was once diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. He is living the future we didn't dare dream was possible of all those years ago.We knew nothing about autism and even less about autism recovery when Maverick was diagnosed, but we learned a lot and included all the things no one tells you about in this book. We did not have a lot of money for expensive early intervention therapies, so we got creative and learned how to acquire them cheap and supplement them with at home therapies. Those strategies and tips are also given within the pages of this book. We did things different than most families dealing with autism and we were blessed enough to get miraculous results. This is the book we wish had been available when Maverick was first diagnosed. If we knew then what was possible, what his life would be like now, we wouldn't have been so scared of the autism label. We published Maverick's journey out of autism "Holland" in hopes it will help other families reap similar rewards. What one man can do, another can do.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1795151811
• ISBN13: 9781795151818
• Release Date: January 2019
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 326 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 0.7" x 7.0"