The National · 2022 · 3 min read
What it really takes to raise a severely autistic child
Dr Ioannis Delipalas was interviewed by The National on the lived reality of severe autism — the daily exhaustion, the diagnostic journey, and what families actually need from clinicians.
When The National spoke to families raising severely autistic children, the picture that emerged was one most people don't see: the relentless exhaustion, the diagnostic delays, and how rarely the family — not just the child — is treated as part of the care.
Severe autism is qualitatively different from the milder presentations that get most of the airtime. It often involves limited verbal communication, profound sensory sensitivities, and behaviours that the family has to live alongside every day, around the clock.
What clinical care should actually do
A good clinician does three things at once. They confirm the diagnosis properly. They make sure no co-occurring condition has been missed (anxiety, sleep disorder, gastrointestinal issues, epilepsy — all common). And they treat the family unit, not just the child — because the people doing the daily work need clinical support of their own.
Families raising a severely autistic child are not asking for false reassurance. They are asking for honest clinical partnership.
At IASO we assess and treat adults — including parents and family members supporting children with severe autism. Burnout, depression, anxiety, and trauma in caregivers are real, treatable, and frequently invisible. We see them, and we treat them.
Originally published in The National, 2022.