The Howard County Library and Howard County Autism Society will be hosting author Janet Lord Leszl, of Abingdon in Harford, to talk about her book, “A Pebble to Polish,” a fictional tale of a mother caring for her autistic son. The event will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the George Howard Building, 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City.
What is your book about?
It starts out with a young woman, college-age, naïve and self-absorbed. She becomes a single parent with a child who has autism. As she learns about autism, so does the reader.
What inspired you?
My 24-year-old son is diagnosed with PDD-NOS ? pervasive developmental delay, not otherwise specified. It?s one of the many disorders on the autism spectrum. A lot of people have misconceptions of autism … and so many books out there use confusing technical jargon or first-person accounts. As I was writing, I realized there are a lot of things parents need to learn.
What is the most stark realization that comes to parents of autistic children?
It?s a dramatic shock to the system. You anticipate having one child, and then you get the diagnosis, and you have to change your perception of what the future might be. You learn to love and accept a different vision for the future.
How do parents cope?
Initially, for many parents, there is denial, anger and all of these emotions they have to go through. The major thing for parents to realize is that they are not alone [and] to draw on the strength of other parents.
