Humza's Story
My son, Humza, was diagnosed with severe regressive autism at age 2. Doctors could not say for certain whether he'd ever be able to utter a word. Over the course of 7 years - filled with immense learning, trial and error, countless specialist visits, trainings, conferences, therapies, interventions, hiccups and wins - Humza recovered and, according to the clinical team at University of California, San Francisco, overturned his diagnosis. In 2004, the Autism Research Institute presented Humza as among "the first seven recovered children in America" at their annual conference. In 2005, The San Francisco Chronicle ran a cover story on Humza's recovery, which you can read below.
Advocating for your child
Today, Humza is a university graduate who works full-time as an engineer and enjoys spending time with friends and traveling. This is a reality we could not have imagined when, at the time of his diagnosis at age 2, he couldn't make eye contact, let alone form words.
His recovery required me, as his mother, to become his chief advocate. I received training in comprehensive behavioral and nutritional therapies, and studied the most up-to-date scientific research in autism to champion his needs, collaborate with clinicians, and understand the path forward.
Through autismQED, my goal is to empower parents to become their child's chief advocates - to understand the resources and therapies available, to effectively communicate their child's needs, and to learn how and where to seek the answers they need.