Mom honored for fighting for her autistic son

Inspired by her 11-year-old son, Jake, Stacie McManus of Lake Barrington has been tireless in her efforts to improve the lives of autistic children and their families.

As co-president of the Autism Speaks' Chicago chapter, McManus has organized walks that have raised more than $4 million for research.

She's also worked to raise awareness of the neurological disorder that, according to the latest numbers, has been found to affect 1 in 150 8-year-olds in many parts of the country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

McManus was honored last week for her achievements by being one of only 38 winners nationwide of the Women of Spirit award.

A dinner in her honor was hosted last week at the Schaumburg location of Morton's Steakhouse, which sponsors the award along with the American Red Cross.

"It was truly a lovely surprise for me," said McManus, whose parents flew in from New Jersey to surprise her.

She was nominated for the award by her husband, Michael, who was well aware of how her work touches every aspect of their lives.

"Stacie's passionate leadership has made it possible to raise awareness of autism to the people in the Chicagoland area and raise millions of dollars for research," he wrote in his nomination.

"Stacie is a passionate, driven and motivating individual in the fight to help make a better life for our son Jake and the millions of people affected by this horrible disorder," he wrote.

By comparing Jake's development with that of her older son, 13-year-old Matthew, McManus was able to tell there was something wrong about Jake's lack of verbal communication when he was 2. At 3, his only word was still "dinosaurs."

He was diagnosed with autism a short time later.

"A speech pathologist told me he'd never learn to say his name," McManus said. "But I'm one of those people you can't tell that I can't do something."

Angered by the professional's hasty assessment of her son's future, she taught him to say his name in three days. It was difficult, but not impossible.

And that's why her biggest advice to moms is to follow their gut instincts. Don't try to rationalize slow development before seeking professional help, she advises, but also factor in your own experiences of your children.

Today, Jake is in many ways like any other 11-year-old boy. But his grasp of language is still short of what's typical for his age. And he's unlikely to stop any normal activity -- watching TV or playing a video game -- without prompting.

For the past few years, Jake has been in a classroom at school, though he's had his own faculty shadow to help him through various activities.

But as he enters middle school this month, that will change somewhat. He'll be in a special education class with 15 other students.

The pace and potential of Jake's development is so unclear that McManus and her family can look ahead only six months at a time.

She advises moms who may be worried about their little ones to visit autismspeaks.org, print out the list of symptoms and go over them with their pediatrician.