Fan Haoran (center) and his parents. [Photo by Ji Tianwei for chinadaily.com.cn]

One of more than 10 million senior students in China, Fan Haoran will sit the gaokao, the national university entrance exam in 20 days. It's an important milestone for both Fan and his mother, Zhang Jinling.

Fan, 18, was born in Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, and was diagnosed with severe autism when he was four.

"He had yet to speak at the age of four and responded to others' words," said Zhang. "Furthermore, he was glassy eyed and sometimes shouted suddenly."

A checkup at a hospital in Beijing found that a brain developmental disorder caused the autism, which affects Fan's ability to communicate with others.

"When I got the results, I knew nothing about autism," Zhang said. "After browsing online I learnt about the condition and felt overwhelmed," she said. "But we pulled together soon after, because my husband and I were fully aware that we have to be strong enough to face it."

Shortly after coming back from Beijing, Zhang quit her job at a State-owned factory in Harbin and began to be a full-time carer for her son.

In the following two years, Zhang attended different training courses and helped her son practice at home.

"I have forgotten how many times I taught him to speak some simple words, but I will never forget the day he called me 'Mama' even with non-standard pronunciation at the age of five," she said. "I felt it was all worth it."

Fan Haoran (right) plays footfall with his father, Fan Jiang. [Photo by Ji Tianwei for chinadaily.com.cn]

To help Fan communicate with his peers and integrate into society, when he was old enough, he was enrolled at a standard, rather than specialist, primary school.

Zhang said it was really difficult for the first two years. Fan even couldn't sit still for a full lesson.

"Thanks to special care from his teachers, conditions got better from his third year at primary school," she said. "He also showed great interest in mathematics and writing composition."

To help him increase his physical activities and promote his mental development, every weekend, Fan's parents take him outside to do physical exercises, such as running and playing football.

,Fan gradually became a confident and optimistic boy.

"I hope he can be admitted to a university in Harbin, which may be more convenient for us to take care of him," she said. "He also told me he would like to choose major in mathematics or computers."

Fan Haoran studies at school. [Photo by Ji Tianwei for chinadaily.com.cn]

Fan Haoran (left) helps his mother do housework. [Photo by Ji Tianwei for chinadaily.com.cn]