Named by Florida Governor Bob Graham as the Mother of Autism
Research indicates a significant intersection between autism and suicide, affecting both autistic individuals themselves and the mothers of children with autism. Mothers of children with autism/intellectual disabilities are twice as likely to die prematurely.
The risk of suicide in parents of autistic children is expected to rise with the growing global prevalence of autism.
The common denominator this writer has seen in speaking with parents in many countries is: "What is going to happen to my child when I die?" A second factor is that, while there is a focus on helping each child, each child has a mom, dad, or both who struggle to get through each day.
Susanna is a mother of two and a dentist. Her youngest son is autistic, and she is unable to work because of the demands he makes on her each day. Like many young women, she is now divorced and living in her former husband's flat. He has moved on and recently told her that he is selling the flat. She has some limited financial support from the state, but it is never enough. Like many, she wonders what the future holds. Another young woman, not related to her, chose to step in front of a train while holding her autistic child.
There are millions of moms facing hard decisions each day. Our goal is to ensure that walking out into the ocean or stepping in front of a train is not one. The author's mom chose life and created Threshold.