The Grit and Grind of Autism- Finding Light Along the Journey
Let’s be real — autism parenting is tough. It’s gritty, it’s raw, and it can feel unbelievably lonely.
Welcome to the space where we say the quiet parts out loud. We’re diving into the messy, emotional, unfiltered truth of raising a child with autism — the things most people are afraid to talk about. These are the conversations that need to happen.
If you’ve ever felt isolated, judged, exhausted, or like no one truly gets it — this is for you.
This journey isn’t easy, but there is light to be found — in connection, in truth, in resilience. Together, we’ll explore tools, share stories, and hold space for the hard stuff and the hope.
The Grit and Grind of Autism- Finding Light Along the Journey
It's Been Six Decades...Listen to Us - w/TJ, Nigh Functioning Autism
Hi, I’m TJ, or Tiffany, creator of the social media platforms, Nigh Functioning Autism. I am a single mother of three neurodivergent teens. I live and work in and around Maryland and Virginia, in the Washington DC area.
I am Autistic, diagnosed in my late teens. However, I was diagnosed with other conditions when I was in elementary school, like central auditory processing disorder and ADHD. I also have had epilepsy and OCD since I was a child. I am hard of hearing as well. As such, I use many ways to communicate like ASL, mouth words, high-tech AAC and other ways depending on how accessible my speech and memory is to me at the moment.
I work in special education or more preferred, ‘accessible education’, as a paraeducator for elementary school and a communication teacher/ partner to mostly teen and young adult Autistic nonspeakers.
My passion in the disability space is communication and education rights for people of all disabilities. I specifically love teaching how to implement high-tech speech generating devices in schools and homes. I always say, I would have access to my own speech if I had text-based or high-tech speech generating strategies earlier in my life.
I proudly sit on the board for Lilly’s Voice, a non-profit organization that provides high-tech speech generating devices for nonspeakers under age 18 in the United States. I am also a member of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities council, which is a federally funded, national organization in every state that sets the disability culture, policy, and laws in that state.
Book Recommendations:
Miracle at St. Anna
Leaders Around Me
Follow me at The MD Autism Project for more content.
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