Today I worked 1:1 with a four-year-old autistic girl.

When I tried to brush her hair, she threw herself on the floor, screaming. It was not a normal cry; they were the grunts and squeals of the mentally ill.

She spent much of the shift groaning and writhing on the floor like that. Sometimes she did this when I set a limit. Sometimes for no apparent reason.

At nap time, I rocked her in my lap for over an hour until she fell asleep. When I transferred her limp body to the bed, she awoke and let out a high-pitched screech. I pulled her back onto my lap, but she became louder, so I took her outside before she disrupted the entire house. Kicking and screaming, I carried her out wondering Lord, what will become of this child?