FROM shortly after her son was born, Stacy Ann Reid knew something was different about him.

While his older sister was a fast learner, Reid watched as her little boy struggled to keep pace with the milestones she had expected him to reach.

What followed was a long, emotionally draining and expensive journey of medical tests, assessments and uncertainty, which eventually confirmed that her son, Stevondre Calvin, was autistic.

Now, seven-year-old Stevondre is making his way through primary school and Reid, 41, is using her experience to encourage other parents of children on the autism spectrum not to lose hope or give up on their children.

In fact, a decision to share a glimpse of her son’s life on social media has unexpectedly turned her into a source of information and encouragement for parents across Jamaica who are struggling to find answers and support for their own children.

It started with a TikTok video two months ago, as the new school year got under way. Reid posted a video of Stevondre with the message: ‘Autism is not a death sentence.’

She did not anticipate the response. The video took off, attracting more than 50,000 views, while another video subsequently garnered more than 40,000 views. As the numbers climbed, so too did the messages from parents seeking advice.

“They started to reach out to me, asking me how I got him into school, if I had any recommendations, how I got him assessed, where I got him assessed, what he eats, and how I got him to start talking, because he was non-verbal at first, but he’s talking now,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

For Reid, the overwhelming response was an indication of just how many parents were quietly navigating similar challenges, often without knowing where to turn.

Her concerns about Stevondre began when she noticed that he was developing differently from his older sister, now 14, who attends St Hugh’s High School. Reid began taking him to paediatricians, who recommended several tests to determine what might be affecting his development. They included hearing and eye tests, as well as an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and a brain examination.

“The tests are very expensive,” the single mom shared, but she refused to give up on her son.

“I first had him assessed at The University of the West Indies, but I was not entirely satisfied with the process, so I took him to McCam [Child Development and Resource Centre],” Reid told the Observer.

Opened in 1986 in St Andrew, McCam Child Development Centre provides educational opportunities for children from as young as three months old. It also offers a specialised programme for young children with autism, designed to strengthen their communication, social and academic skills thus preparing them for successful integration into the mainstream primary education system.

Reid shared that when she took her son to the centre she found that there was a long waiting list. Luckily, she secured an appointment in December last year, after another person dropped out of the queue.

According to Reid, the lengthy waiting period created by the demand for assessments leaves parents uncertain about their children’s needs and the next steps to take.

But getting Stevondre diagnosed was only one part of the battle. Finding a school willing and equipped to accommodate him proved equally difficult.

Reid said he was initially enrolled in a school when he was three years old, but she eventually withdrew him when he was four years old “because the school did not adequately understand his condition or how to support him. And as I said, he wasn’t speaking at the time”.

Since then, she has had to shoulder much of his learning and development at home, with help from his sister.

Because she had to balance that with her job, Reid said she relied on television programmes and electronic devices, including a tablet and phone, to help him learn.

However, Stevondre’s separation from the traditional school experience was particularly painful for Reid during September.

“It hurt when I watched other children going out to school September morning and he had to go to the daycare. I didn’t like that feeling,” Reid told the Observer.

That has now changed. Stevondre has secured a place at St Martin de Porres Primary and Infant School in Gordon Town, St Andrew, where he is in grade one and has the assistance of a shadow — a trained support person who helps him navigate the school environment and participate in classroom activities.

Reid said she is pleased with his progress so far, noting that he is colouring, tracing, singing, and making strides in communication.

Asked what was her greatest moment of joy with her son, Reid, without hesitation, replied: “When he started talking.”

What was the first thing he said?

“Stacy,” she shared, adding that he was five years old at the time.

But the journey has also included frightening moments, particularly when Stevondre was unable to communicate his discomfort or pain.

One of the most difficult experiences, she said, was when she took him for the MRI examination.

“They told me I had to put him to sleep, like I had to give him the sleeping medicine. So I had to give him… I watched my baby just drop asleep and then I had to walk with him to put him in the machine. That was one of my scariest moments,” Reid said.

Another frightening incident occurred when he fell at school and sustained a serious cut to his forehead, requiring stitches.

“I had to hold him for them to stitch the cut. That scared him too, because he couldn’t talk but I could see him looking in my eyes to say, ‘Mommy’, you know, like him in pain, but he couldn’t express himself,” she shared.

It is that difficulty communicating, she said, that makes it especially important for parents and caregivers to understand the needs of autistic children and exercise patience with them.

She is urging parents who notice developmental differences to seek professional assessments rather than allowing fear, embarrassment or uncertainty to prevent them from getting help.

“The first thing I’ll tell them is to treat the child as a normal child. We know that they are autistic, but I think once you start treating them like they are disabled, that’s when they will not thrive,” Reid argued.

She said that through the videos that have brought her son’s story to thousands of people, she hopes other parents will find the encouragement to ensure that their children’s diagnosis does not become a barrier to their development.

Her message is simple: Do not give up on your child.