I can not describe my son as having a disability, although that is what the professionals say. I can not say that he suffers ,because I am very sure that he does not .In fact he seems to find fun and pleasure in the most abstract of things unlike the rest of us. In an effort though to somehow understand him and to have a better insight into how he is different from other children without autism . I sometimes compare him with what I call a 'natural boy'. For example a natural boy would not run down the street  laughing and screaming and making noises (not one of eleven , anyhow) A natural boy would tell his parents when he was hungry, he would also eat voraciously unlike my son.

I do not for one minute think that my son should be like the natural boy but I do gain some insight into what is going on inside my sons head . I think it is worth making a comparison. One important reason being it helps me to worry less when my son displays behaviour that is somewhat odd to the outsider, one who has little or no experience of autism might panic when faced with a child who insists on finishing books on certain days or takes two hours to eat a bowl of pasta (especially when it does not taste just right).

It is not the behaviour that troubles me, it is though, the fact that it persists, all be it in a milder form as he gets older. And that is where the 'natural boy ' comes in handy. I see that my son has the same aspirations as the natural boy he wants more or less the same things he just goes about them in a different way .

My heart was in my mouth as I watched my son cross a road, not a busy one I must add, he started a running commentary on what he was doing  and waved cars to go past him as he calculated the timing of when to cross, he also jumped in the air several times when he realised his timing was off. He succeeded in getting across the road , eventually . Much to my relief, I congratulated myself on not intervening and felt that he could be trusted in the future.  

Some might say it would be better just to except my son the way he is and get on with it , which for the most part is what I do . But , the fact is he will one day have to join the rest of the world , the world where there are more natural boys than autistic boys . A understanding of both to me at least is helpful.