Forever Boy: A Mother’s Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy

Debut writer Swenson describes her parenting journey beginning with her childhood obsession with being a mother to detailing the life of her son, Cooper, who is diagnosed with severe nonverbal autism. From his birth he does not sleep and is never content. His care is exhausting, and the search for answers is difficult. Swenson talks listeners through the process of negotiating his social, medical, and educational needs, with varying degrees of success. In her first-person account, of one mother, in one situation, with one individual child, she found that her love for her family, a determination never to stop seeking answers, and care in how she defined her goals and success criteria were key in her and Cooper’s journey. Swenson tells her own story in this audio production. Listeners hear her voice as if they are trusted friends in whom she can confide.