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In this frank, factual account, a woman recalls the birth of her son, Dan, and the difficulties he and she have faced together. He was born when she was young and, at first, seemed perfectly healthy. But after the first year of his learning to crawl and walk, Dan's development began to halt. He did not speak, and though he could communicate with signs, his general behavior was atypical. He liked to run, scream, and hide, and he could be physically aggressive. Living in Portugal in the late 1990s meant that though the diagnosis of autism was made, there were few resources for children like Dan. Palmer's husband had gradually become highly abusive, with beatings a regular aspect of their relationship, so she was finally forced to divorce him and pursue life as a single mother of an autistic, non-verbal boy. Palmer continued to struggle courageously with Dan's needs, greatly bolstered by her Christian faith.
Palmer, who has a post-graduate degree in autism, writes with great conviction, having reached a place of peace and hope regarding Dan, whose progress in recent years indicates that he may make further strides. She offers a plethora of information regarding the physiological basis for autism while averring that it is still a syndrome about which not enough is known and for which no effective medication has yet been devised. From her studies and searh of many avenues for help, she includes in her book more than ten pages of useful resources, such as autism-centered organizations, detailed medical studies, and the King James Bible, which continues to bring her inspiration. She concludes that, at first, the seeds of faith and help she planted for Dan were tiny, but they have grown mightily over the ensuing years. Her wide-ranging advice, based on hard experience, can doubtless provide guidance and encouragement for other parents of autistic children.