AP PHOTOS: A mother’s journey with autism: Eileen Lamb’s life with her 3 children
Jun 2, 2025, 5:07 AM
Eileen Lamb, left, who along with her son Charlie Lamb, has autism, works with her son and daughter Billie, bottom, at their home, Monday, May 12, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — As the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s stark comments about children with autism have splintered a community of millions of people who are living with the disorder.
Eileen Lamb knows those struggles well. She was diagnosed with autism after she started noticing signs a decade ago that her first son, Charlie, may have autism.
Days in Austin, Texas, can be daunting with Charlie, younger brother Jude, a 9-year-old who also has autism, and 2-year-old sister Billie.
At 12, Charlie still requires constant supervision, especially with his habit of eating non-food items.
Lamb said it’s unlikely Charlie will ever play baseball or go on a date — as Kennedy said last month when describing autism — but she also doesn’t only view her child’s limitations.
“I see where he was going with his comments,” Lamb said. “But I also think that’s not how you measure the value of our children’s lives. The language we use matters.”
This is a photo gallery curated by Associated Press photo editors.
