Lauren Ratcliff was diagnosed with High Functioning  Autism at a time when it was not well understood. She was born on August 2, 1981 to Dian and Larry Ratcliff. She appeared on the surface to be healthy and meeting all of her developmental milestones, but her parents noticed that she was a bit different than other children. Lauren’s main symptoms included some sensory issues, poor emotional control issues, stemming when upset, and mild social issues. Lauren’s younger sister Lacey was born on August 19, 1984 and when Lacey grew into her toddler years Lacey was developing into a very social and happy child.