Raising My Autistic Daughter, Part 1 with Russell Allen

Discover what’s possible when you see the glass half full. What is it like to raise a daughter who is on the autism spectrum? If you’re curious about the experience from a father’s perspective, you’ll want to listen to this episode with Russell Allen. Russell is an American singer best known as the vocalist of Symphony X, a band which is universally considered one of the top-tier progressive metal acts in the world. He’s also one of the main vocalists in the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and has collaborated with numerous metal supergroups of international acclaim. Russell recently released an acoustic song titled “Love Her Like I Do”, about his autistic daughter Ava. This episode is part one of our conversation, and we discuss: What it was like for Russell to receive his daughter’s autism diagnosis Ava’s interests and talents The importance of early intervention when it comes to autism services Controversies around labels like “high-functioning” and “low-functioning” Future plans for Ava’s independence as an autistic adult Listen to the song “Love Her Like I Do” here on Spotify and Apple Music.  You can follow Russell on Instagram @sirrussellallen. ----more---- We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too. Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey