AUTISM ADVOCACY
An Exclusive Look at AUTISM
with
Anna Bullard
By Derrick HAYES
Encouragement speaker Derrick Hayes gives an
AUTISM Interview by asking six questions through
each letter in the word AUTISM to give readers an
insightful perspective from parents, experts, entre-
preneurs, and other leaders in the field.
T
oday’s AUTISM Interview is with Anna Bull-
ard who started her journey of advocacy for
autism in 2007 when her middle daughter,
Ava, was diagnosed with autism. She serves
as the state policy chair of Georgia for Autism
Speaks and won the 2014 national “Speak
Out” award from Autism Speaks founders
Bob and Suzanne Wright.
Anna was instrumental in the passage of Ava’s Law
in Georgia, named for her daughter, requiring insur-
ance coverage for autism. She served on the Autism
Society of Georgia Board and the Board for Lead-
ership and Disability for Georgia State University.
Anna has started parent supports groups in multi-
ple states and continues to advocate for services for
children with autism throughout the country. She is
currently working as the assistant vice president of
Government, Business, and Community Relations for
Chance Light Behavioral Health, Therapy, and Educa-
tion.
A is for Awareness - When and how did you
first become aware that something was differ-
ent?
When my daughter Ava was born, I started to see
differences in her compared to her older sister. Ava
didn’t sleep and cried most all day and night. When
I tried to feed her, she wouldn’t open her mouth,
she wouldn’t respond when I called her name, and
she had no language skills. I felt like I didn’t know
Ava, and Ava didn’t know me. It was during a birth-
day party for my oldest daughter when I determined
something was definitely wrong. As soon as we start-
ed singing “Happy Birthday,” Ava started screaming
and crying uncontrollably. This is when we started
our journey of visiting doctor after doctor until we
found a specialist who diagnosed Ava with autism.
U is for Unique - How has this experience
been unique for you and your child?
Ava was my second child, so when she was born I
thought I knew all the skills of parenting. I quickly
discovered when you have a child with autism, ev-
erything you “think” you know is thrown out the win-
dow. Raising a child with autism was unique because
I was dependent on therapists and others to help
raise my child. It made me feel helpless. Because Ava
responded differently, she and I had to learn to teach
each other.
Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 65 |
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