Leland Vittert on His Autism Journey and His Father's Unwavering Support

Childhood Diagnosis and Early Struggles

• 💡 Leland Vittert was diagnosed with Autism in the mid-1980s, a time when awareness and understanding were significantly lower.
• 🎯 He describes himself as a "magnet" that repelled peers, struggling to connect with children his own age.
• 🧠 Vittert experienced a significant learning disability with a large IQ spread, described at the time as ranging from "mentally retarded" to "genius."
• 😔 The initial medical assessment offered little hope, leaving his parents feeling helpless.

A Father's Dedication and Support

• 🚀 Vittert's father, recognizing his son's social challenges, quit his job to become his full-time companion and support.
• 🛡️ His father's dedication involved spending hours each night helping Vittert cope with bullying and humiliation from school.
• 💔 Vittert discovered through writing the book that his father would cry alone in the living room after Vittert went to bed, internalizing his son's pain.
• 🤝 The most crucial support was not having adversity removed, but having his hand held through it.

Overcoming Bullying and Social Challenges

• 🎨 A particularly humiliating incident involved an art teacher publicly shaming Vittert's painting in front of the class.
• 🗣️ Despite his struggles, Vittert's parents kept his diagnosis private for years, not wanting him to use it as an excuse.
• ⛳ Vittert still actively works on his social skills, recounting a recent incident where he was rude due to intense focus, and later apologized.

Autism Awareness and Research

• 📈 Autism diagnoses have increased dramatically, from 1 in 1000 kids when Vittert was diagnosed to 1 in 31 today.
• 🔬 Vittert highlights the lack of progress in understanding the causes of autism compared to advancements in treating HIV, cancer, and prosthetics.
• 🗣️ He expresses hope that the current increased conversation around autism will lead to scientific breakthroughs.

The Book "Born Lucky"

• 📖 Vittert wrote "Born Lucky" to offer hope and support to families dealing with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and bullying.
• 🌟 The book is framed as a testament to a father's dedication, written from the perspective of a child who received that support.
• 📣 The core message is that families are not alone in their struggles and that parents can make a significant difference.
• 📺 A special on "Born Lucky" airs Sunday at 5:00 PM Pacific Time on NewsNation, and the book is available for pre-order.