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I have 2 sons who are autistic. The elder didn't talk until he was 4 or 5. He wasn't diagnosed until he was 6, and after that he improved dramatically. He's 23 now and has a job. His verbal communication is still weird sometimes, but he's doing OK. The younger just graduated HS with a GPA of 3.33 plus. Both kids know how to use a computer and receive services to help them socially. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the special school district in St. Louis. Both kids threw tantrums at school every so often, but didn't hit themselves in the head like some of their classmates. The biggest thing is that both of them were able to respond to love like any other kid. The professional people we saw never discouraged us from interacting with the kids in our own way. Some parents of disabled kids feel so sorry for them that they don't discipline them. IMO not a good idea. Our kids responded to not only love but correction. I think most challenged kids can handle that, but some autism is more severe than others. Tzaia, I wish you and your family the best in dealing with this.