Some of the worst nightmares a parent can have for her kid is for them to never experience what it's like to be a normal child and be teased and bullied because of his or her health condition. That is why for Delilah Mendrala, mother of 11-year-old Austin who suffers from Autism and Tourette syndrome, had his son's birthday this year as the best thing that ever happened not just to his son but also to her.
In hopes of giving her child the best birthday present he will ever have, Delilah sent out an invitation to random people on Facebook who live in and near Merrimack Thursday to come join them celebrate. Her goal was for Austin to enjoy his birthday as a child and meet new friends even just for a day.
While waiting in the school playground where the birthday fun will take place, Delilah and Austin felt excited but could not shake off feeling negative at the same time because of the possibility that no one might show up. Suddenly, one by one people started to brighten Austin's day. "He was jumping up and down he was so excited," she said. "He just didn't know what to make of it all, and he was like this is for me, and I'm like, 'Yup,"" Delilah added.
Most children having Tourette's syndrome actually experience psychosocial consequences. As noted by the Tourette Syndrome "Plus", two surveys were conducted that showed how people, even children with such disorder, were often rejected by their peers. With that, their social life at present or even their romantic relationships in the future is greatly affected.
As his mother, Delilah understood clearly understands how her child is suffering in his situation not just physically but also emotionally. "He's lonely, he spends all summer long with no one to play with," Delilah said in an interview with NH1 NEWS. But with what happened, this mother is now thankful to say that Austin is now living his life to the fullest with a full-packed schedule of play-dates this summer.
