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Ben (right) in his new group home, with twin brother Jake ~~~ Most of our world has become very aware of autism, except, ironically, for Ben himself, our son with severe autism. Actually, we really don’t know Ben’s level of

Welcome to Juggling Autism: The Chronicles of Ben Royko – Severe Autism in Real Time, my ongoing blog about Ben’s (and our family’s) life with severe autism. Beginning with the New Year (2016), the blog is in its new home

The day I realized Ben was autistic, we sat on the floor as he stared up with a wide smile at the spinning ceiling fan. I thought to myself with a mix of panic and crushing despair, “Anything I supposed

Our severely autistic son Ben has never met a cookie he didn’t like. Recently he spotted one on the ground in a park next to a trash can. It was obvious the cookie had been there for a while, half

A few years ago, Ben, our son with severe autism, got a chance to meet one of his favorite musicians — or more accurately, meet the man responsible for creating some of his favorite music. We now know there’s a

In the old, dark Bettelheim days of autism, it was assumed by many that those with the disorder didn’t desire communication. We’ve since come to understand that a lack of ability doesn’t necessarily reflect a lack of desire. But it

Sitting on a crowded commuter train, looking at a recent photo of Ben as he reaches for the camera, all of a sudden I am seriously struggling to hold back tears. That sweet and handsome face that expresses his even

Guns, god and abortion are three issues I rarely argue about any more because it’s a waste of time. If people are in agreement about any of those, they’re preaching to their own choirs. As for those with opposite views,