There has been an increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism and others who fall under the Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) umbrella and to date no certain cause has been uncovered.  While many search for a cause the experience of parenting a child with PDD is often overlooked.  Being a parent seeking treatment from experienced health care providers who will listen when none is to be had, is often a difficult task.

            This study will provide an understanding of the parent's perspectives as they relate to parenting a child with PDD.  Health care providers need to remain open to parent's experiences, concerns and suggestions.  It is important that we “listen to the voices” so that we can understand best how to care for.

            This phenomenological this study will seek to understand the lived experience of parents of children who have PDD.  The subjects will be recruited by the snowball method whereby several families known to the researcher and that have children with PDD will participate in the study and asked if they will ask their contacts to also participate.  A questionnaire will be used to guide the interviews. The interview will concentrate on the experiences parents have had obtaining medical care for their child and will last no less than 30 minutes and no more than 1 ˝ hours.  The number of subjects is unknown at this time and sampling will continue until saturation is achieved but the number should be no less than 10 and no more than 30 subjects. They will include both men and women ages 23-60 who are parents or guardians for children who have been diagnosed with autism or any form of autism included in the PDD umbrella.