Autism Dadcast: Episode 14 — “From Denial to Diagnosis: Sean, Lily & Isla’s Story”

This week we’re joined by Sean, dad to six-year-old twin girls Lily and Isla, who were both diagnosed as autistic last September. Sean opens up about the early signs — from their tunnel vision focus and delayed speech to sensory sensitivities and hearing loss — and how he first dismissed the idea that anything was “wrong.”

He talks about the nursery teacher who first raised concerns, the emotional struggle of taking it personally, and the turning point when a speech therapist helped him accept the diagnosis and map out a plan for their development. We get into EHCP battles, the fight for one-to-one support to keep Isa safe, and the small changes that made a huge difference — like using routines, reducing meltdowns through communication, and putting toys in Tupperware so the girls had to ask for them.

It’s an honest look at the mix of guilt, learning, and pride that comes with raising autistic children — plus the moments that make it all worth it, like Lily’s incredible number skills and Isla’s growing sentences.