Sleuthing Autism: What’s The Problem?

“My son is having a much easier time talking today that he has had all week. I’m still trying to figure out how an autistic mind works. Some days, he can barely get a sentence out. Other days, he can talk with just a little effort. That was my post yesterday on Facebook. Last Saturday I posted, “My son had a good day. Yea.”

For the last four weeks Nick has been having a very difficult time with life. A few times he’s been very close to tears. Other times, he has been downright angry. One Wednesday, he stammered, “I can barely talk.” That was all he could say.
I am quite baffled. I have no answers for my son. This is the child who talked for an hour once to my oldest son’s friend back in the Fall.
Nick is also a very resilient child. He has a quiet but happy spirit. He is not one to hold a grudge or be in a slump for long. Lately, he seems to be obsessing more frequently. Again, something he usually does not do too often.
The most confusing part is that his behavior and mood swing are not consistent. As parents, we are encouraging Nick to keep talking and keep hope.
I feel stupid, asking a teen with autism to talk. I’m asking him to do the one thing that is hardest for anyone with autism to do: socialize and talk. Yea, no problem… NOT.
So I’m tracking the ups and downs of Nick, trying to find if there is a reason. Could he be staying on the gluten free diet? Is he not taking his supplements? Are other kids contributing to the problem? Is this just a typical stage in a teen’s life?
I wish I could hire Sherlock Holmes!