Copyright dailyrecord
A mum has revealed how her life was turned upside down after a nursery worker spotted something unusual about her son . Mounika Vemula was left devastated when staff told her there "might be something different" about her little boy . The Solihull mum was informed that Devaansh might have autism , but admitted she had "not even heard of autism" before that moment in 2020. Mounika, who works as a developer at an investment banking company, opened up about how frightening the initial days following his diagnosis were. The mum said: "I had never even heard the word autism until one day, a nursery worker gently told me they suspected something might be different about him. I was shocked.", reports the Mirror . She continued: "I came home, searched it online and felt completely heartbroken and scared. That was also when the Covid lockdown began, making everything harder. Life changed overnight." Speaking to BirminghamLive, Mounika explained: "Devaansh has Autism, ADHD and a learning disability, so everything together comes under the common term Neurodiversity , and individuals with it are specified as Neurodivergents." She added: "Devaansh is my only child and he is my world." According to the NHS, autism isn't an illness or disease but rather "means your brain works differently from that of other people". The health service states: "Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a 'cure'. But some people need support to help them with certain things." Mounika opened up about the challenges she faces with her young son, explaining: "Having a child with special needs is not easy. Devaansh is also very hyperactive; he never sits still, and he finds comfort in routines. "Taking him to public events or classes was tough. They were not regular, and we rarely saw the same people, which made him uncomfortable. I started to feel isolated and lost, even though I had friends and family. It's hard to explain what you're going through unless someone has walked that path." She revealed how those feelings of isolation and loneliness were transformed when she discovered Birmingham-based autism support group Bridging Brains CIC around 18 months ago. The organisation was founded by husband and wife Dr Anuradha Uppaluri and Dr Hari Krovvidi after they discovered one of their twins had autism. While the group welcomes everyone in Birmingham, Anu said it has particular significance within the local Telugu community, where autism remains a taboo subject. Since launching last year, dozens of families have taken part in sessions featuring activities such as arts, crafts, music, dance, games and sports, alongside day trips. Mounika expressed her gratitude towards the group, stating: "Since then, I've been working with Anu and attending weekly activities, calls and workshops. Honestly, this has changed my life. Every week, I get to meet other families who truly understand what I'm going through. We share our stories, our struggles, and small wins. These conversations help me feel stronger, more hopeful and not alone." She further added that her son Devaansh is also "much happier now" and takes pleasure in "painting, doing arts and crafts, and absolutely loves the music and dance sessions".
