World Autism Day - how one Wellingborough family is sticking together to support their child with autism

Today, Tuesday, April 2 is World Autism Day and people around the world are talking about the many different ways in which the condition touches their own lives. One family from Wellingborough have shared their own story with the Northants Telegraph.

For Leila and Steve Souch raising awareness of the challenges faced by those living with autism has become a way of life since the birth of their beautiful middle son, Reuben in 2019.

In the five years since, the family has faced an uphill struggle to get answers for their little boy, who they believe started to show signs of autism after being hospitalised with an infection when he was just six months old.

Thankfully, Reuben responded well to treatment, but Leila and Steve, who are also proud parents to Riley and Rory, became concerned when they noticed Reuben wasn’t hitting the usual development milestones.

Now the couple are keen to share their family’s story to help others facing similar experiences.

“Every mother knows their own child and I just knew instinctively he wasn’t the same,” said Leila.

“I had already had one son, so I thought I knew what to expect, but Reuben was different. He didn’t crawl, didn’t speak and I couldn’t get him to eat, which was particularly hard.

It was a year before he was officially diagnosed with autism and the stress of it all really took its toll.

“It felt like such a lonely place. I was desperate for answers, and for someone to help us, but I had nothing left to give and I suffered a complete breakdown.”

Even with a diagnosis, Leila and Steve have been forced to fight a complicated system, as well as having to face ignorance and prejudice along the way.

“The only way we have been able to carry on is by sticking together,” Leila said.

“The emotional and financial strain has been enormous, but it has made us all so much stronger.

“The worst moment I can remember was being on a flight back from the Canaries. Reuben was tired and over stimulated and just wouldn’t stop screaming. I was standing at the back, trying desperately to calm him, when one man shouted, ‘Will that kid ever shut the f*** up?!”

“I have never felt so angry in my entire life. Reuben is non-verbal so he can’t communicate which is why he will flap, hum or scream. He isn’t naughty, he just expresses himself differently. It was a moment which will stay with me forever.”

The couple’s strong bond with all their sons has now been woven into the fabric of their Northamptonshire-based IT support consultancy, 3RS IT Solutions, inspiring its name – 3RS refers to Riley, Reuben and Rory – and its brand colours, which were both chosen by the boys.

On World Autism Day this year, the team at Irchester-based 3RS IT Solutions has vowed to show its support for Northamptonshire-based charity Teamwork Trust, which supports adults with learning disabilities, autism and mild mental health issues, inspired by Reuben’s story.

“Teamwork Trust is amazing, and I am so grateful that we have a charity like this in Northamptonshire, for Reuben and everyone living with autism. When we met them, we just clicked and decided there and then that we wanted to do all we could to support them.

“Throughout this year we will be taking part in fundraising challenges as a team to raise money and I will be volunteering, working with the service users to help them develop their skills.

“At 3RS, we are passionate about providing opportunities for people who are living with autism and one of Teamwork Trust’s service users, Cullen, has been with us for three months on work experience. He is a fantastic addition to our team and has fitted in brilliantly.

“We also want to challenge employers to really think about the opportunities which are available to people with autism. Sometimes, just making small changes to the you work can make huge a difference and open up doors for so many people.

“Reuben is our beautiful boy, and we will always do everything we can to celebrate him and his differences.”