Autism

Biography

Biography: Derek Volk

Abstract

Families with a child on the Autism spectrum face unique challenges. In all too many cases, the parents of Autistic children fall prey to these challenges. The result is an extremely high divorce rate and families torn apart as they fail to cope with the obstacles they face on a daily basis. Derek Volk’s oldest child – his only son – was two-years-old when his wife suggested, “Something is not quite right with Dylan.” They struggled for the next several years as they were bounced from one “expert” to another, each offering a unique perspective on Dylan’s challenging behaviors. Finally, at eight-years-old, Dylan was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and the family was able to start making sense of Dylan's differences. Derek has watched Dylan grow into a young man who has always tried to live a normal life, but struggles to make that happen. When explaining how Dylan has functioned as someone living with Asperger’s in a fast paced and often confusing world, Derek often uses the analogy of greyhound racing. In greyhound racing, dogs are lured to race around a track by chasing an artificial rabbit until they cross the finish line, but the greyhound never actually catch-es the rabbit. Dylan, like the greyhound, can see the rabbit and believes that if he runs fast enough, he can catch it. Unfortunately, he doesn’t, no matter how hard he runs. This colorful presentation is peppered with anecdotes as Derek Volk shares his experiences raising a son on the Autism spectrum. Derek will offer this thoughts on the challenges, triumphs and coping strategies from the early days to the adolescent years to life in the “real world” as a young adult. This session will showcase the unique rela-tionship between a father and his son who has spent his entire life chasing the rabbit. Specifically, attendees will learn: • How couples can fight the tendency to let the challenges of raising an Autistic child derail their marriage. • How important it is for parents to trust their instincts. No one knows a child better than his parents, so if advice or counsel doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. • How parents can maintain a relationship with their Autistic child and avoid becoming angry or resentful about it. • What parents should know if raising a child who is “chasing the rabbit” from a young adult who is living that experience.