Introducing Myself

Hello and thank you for reading this article. First and foremost, I would like to introduce myself so that you, the reader, understand my motivation for writing this.

My name is Danielle Harris. I am a wife, a mother, and a speech-language pathologist (SLP). I have 2 daughters, one of which, let’s call her E, is autistic. We live in the state of Florida, so much of what I will talk about here is specific to that state. However, many of the services and therapies I mention here will have similar counterparts in your location.

My professional background, as a speech-language pathologist, is mainly in pediatrics. I’ve worked in private practice settings, public schools, and private schools. I even mentored student SLPs at the university level, which was one of my most rewarding positions. I’ve worked with children from birth through adulthood, pre-k through graduation. I’ve worked with children with a variety of diagnoses, including but not limited to: Autism, ADHD, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Down’s Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Delay.

In my early career, my specialty was working with Deaf and hard of hearing clients. My undergraduate degree was in interpreting for the Deaf, so I was/am fluent in American Sign Language. It was my work as an interpreter in the schools that led me to my graduate degree in communication sciences and disorders. I had the opportunity there to be witness to therapy sessions, and I was hooked. I wonder if Fate somehow knew that I would need the knowledge and skills of a SLP for the benefit of my future child? It’s an interesting thought.

Why have I decided to write this book? Well, I feel that my knowledge and experience as both a professional and a parent could be valuable to other parents out there. I know that when a child is diagnosed as neurodiverse or autistic, it can be quite overwhelming to the family members of that child. Often, once a diagnosis is reached, the parents are sent home with a referral to ABA therapy, and not much else. Even with my background working with children with various special needs, I felt lost and overwhelmed when it was my own child receiving the diagnosis.

My hope is that the information that I share here in this series of articles will be a guide for parents of children who have recently received a diagnosis of Autism, or any other neuro-diversity. I want to share our story, as well as helpful information, in an easy to digest format, so that maybe parents and caregivers who are brand new to this world of autism, special needs, etc. won’t feel quite so overwhelmed and lost. I’m hoping these articles will be a roadmap of sorts. So, buckle up! Let’s get started on this road of neurodiversity!