Mary Gachoki had learned about autism spectrum disorder from a caregiving course she'd taken in college. When her son was 2 years old, she recognized that he was displaying traits associated with this neurological condition. He wasn't making eye contact, he stopped talking and he began flapping his fingers – a common behavior for people with autism as they seek to calm themselves.
Deep down, the 34-year-old single mom knew he likely had autism. But, she says, she was in denial.
