THERE are memories in life that stick with you no matter how long ago it was, and for me being told I was going to have a brother was one of them.

From the moment he was born I thought he was my present. I didn't understand why this toy couldn't immediately play with me, but eventually we became best friends.

Alex, now 24, was eventually diagnosed with autism but it didn't matter to me or our younger sister but was just more of a challenge, but as siblings of someone with autism you just learn to adapt.

The fact he was non-verbal and dealt with and understood things differently was just part of who he was.

Going to Disney and having to write out a full hour-by-hour itinerary, including what rides we would be on, in what order, at what time, when we would eat - and knowing there would be changes and a scared/angry reaction - was part of the norm.

Going out for dinner to somewhere new was a challenge and trying to get him to wear socks was a never-ending battle my mum and dad had to face daily.

Over time he’s been looked at as a problem. The fantastic range of services available now was not available so widely then and awareness of the Autistic Spectrum wasn’t as good as it is now.

They hardest part of having a sibling with a disability is having others treat them differently and because Alex doesn't have a visible disability people used to think that it was ok to belittle him.

When he was just a child throwing a tantrum, we would have people saying things in public, but what it came down to, was a young boy who was just scared of change.

But over time, through his own hard work as well as the unwavering love of my family and a team of dedicated therapists, he is now a very caring, kind-hearted young man obsessed with DVDs and with his own understanding of the world.

My brother overcome his disadvantages to gain GCSEs at Cowley – a challenge many said he would never be able to achieve.

He is now a confident young man, with a great sense of humour – so at the end of Autism Awareness Month I’d like to say how grateful I am that autism has touched my life.

It’s not a choice any of us would have taken but loving someone on the spectrum changed my life for the better – in fact I wish more people could see the world just like Alex.

By Kelsey Maxwell, Star reporter