All the Adams in the World

Book excerpt: Every story begins before the story begins, and not surprisingly, so does Sheila’s. She didn’t have any idea of this until Adam was six years old. That was in 1993. But the story begins twenty years earlier in 1973 when she was only seventeen years old. Long before she knew there would be a son named Adam. So begins the thirty-year adventure of the fascinating world of autism, a mysterious cognitive disorder that began when Adam was nineteen months old, years before the word autism became mainstream and acceptable. From the earliest days when she knew “something is wrong”, to helping Adam mature into a young man who lives independently with support, All the Adams in the World tells the thirty year journey of confronting the obstacles, attitudes, and frustrations along with the love and joy that comes with acceptance. To parents and siblings - this book helps you know that you are not alone. To teachers and specialists—this book testifies to the significant and vital role you play in the lives of your students. And to the medical community - Sheila and Adam’s story provides an important reminder of how our doctors do not merely treat a patient, you are tending to an entire family. All the Adams in the World is a memoir of experience, insight, and gratitude to the network of people who helped Adam become the man he is today.