Understanding autism: Robyn Arendse's heartfelt journey with her son Creed
Creed Arendse
Image: Supplied
A Goodwood mother has decided to share her son’s journey with autism in the hopes of reminding other mommies out there that everything will be okay.
For Robyn Arendse, the road to understanding her four-year-old son Creed’s diagnosis has been one filled with heartbreak, uncertainty, sleepless nights and unwavering love. But despite the challenges, she says her son continues to teach her lessons about patience, resilience and unconditional love every single day.
Now, by sharing his story publicly, she hopes other parents walking a similar path feel less alone.
“Creed may face many challenges, but he is full of love, full of life, and full of potential,” Arendse said.
Creed’s story has already touched many hearts, inspiring an Autism Awareness Walk held on 4 April 2026 called Stepping Up for Autism, which attracted more than 80 people in support of autism awareness and acceptance.
Arendse said seeing so many people rally behind her son and the autism community reminded her that there is still compassion and understanding in the world.
Creed was born a healthy baby boy at Karl Bremer Hospital, weighing 2.7kg, but at just three weeks old, his mother noticed something was wrong.
“He developed a rash across his body, struggled with severe gassiness, and cried after every feed,” she explained.
As a first-time single mother navigating postpartum challenges, Arendse said she found herself desperately searching for answers while trying to cope with the emotional and physical exhaustion of motherhood.
After countless doctor visits and formula changes, Creed was eventually placed on specialised formulas due to severe allergies. Although some symptoms improved, his health battles continued throughout his early years with constant infections, hospital visits and medical concerns.
Robyn and her sonshine Creed
Image: Supplied
At around 12 months old, Arendse began noticing developmental changes that deeply concerned her.
Creed stopped responding to his name, lost eye contact and slowly stopped using the few words he had learned. He also became sensitive to loud noises, walked on his toes, flapped his hands repeatedly and withdrew into his own world.
“As a mother, I knew something was not right,” she said.
Despite being told to “give him time”, Arendse pushed for further medical intervention. After several assessments, Creed was diagnosed with developmental delays and later with Level 3 autism.
Today, Creed is non-verbal and communicates by guiding his mother by the hand or showing her what he wants. Alongside autism, he also lives with asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis and multiple severe food allergies.
But amid the daily struggles, Arendse says there are moments that make everything worthwhile.
One of those moments is watching Creed swim.
“Swimming lights up a part of him that the world rarely gets to see, free, happy, and completely himself,” she shared.
Arendse, who balances work, therapy appointments and caring for Creed largely on her own, said the journey can sometimes feel overwhelming, but she refuses to give up.
“There are days when I feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and uncertain about the future. But there is one thing I am always sure of, I will never stop fighting for my son.”
She hopes that by speaking openly about their reality, more families will begin to understand autism, show compassion towards parents navigating similar experiences, and realise that every child develops differently.
Most importantly, she hopes Creed’s story reminds mothers who may be feeling scared or isolated that they are not alone.
With the growing support shown through initiatives like Stepping Up for Autism, Arendse said she hopes Creed’s journey will continue touching lives and encouraging greater awareness, acceptance and inclusion for children living with autism.