Posts Tagged ‘apraxia’
A Day Without Autism
I’ve been writing about our autism journey for nearly four years now. Which blows my mind. Cooper was diagnosed at age three. Some days I can’t believe we’ve been on the autism path for that long. And then some days it feels like an actual life time. Writing has always been my escape. When no one in my real life understood what I was going through I would write it out. And immediately feel better. Writing was a way to connect with other parents that were on my same path.…
Read MoreWhen Your Child’s Disability Consumes You
A reader asked me yesterday…’My son has autism and I’m not depressed. I know that. But I feel like his disability is consuming me. Help me please. Why is this happening? I don’t even recognize myself anymore.’ I reread her message over and over again. I related to her with every fiber of my being. At 34 I have been on the Autism journey for almost five years now. I work. I have two kids. I have friends and family. I have a full, busy life as most would say.…
Read MoreI Am That Mom
I am that mom. The one you see running around at the park, covered in sweat, and continuously redoing her pony tail. The one climbing to the top of the jungle gym and sliding down with a kiddo between her legs. I See You I can see you out of the corner of my eye sitting with a group of women leisurely drinking your coffee. I see you watching me. We’ve bumped into each other a few times. I know you are a lovely person. You smile and wave. I…
Read MoreThis is Going to be Okay…
Most days I think this is going to be alright. I can give my autistic, nonverbal son the best life ever. He can live with mom and dad forever and we will be OK. I tell myself I can do this. And I’ll find someone to care for him after I’m gone. I am a fighter. I will never give up. But even more than that I am an advocate for a little boy with autism that deserves the best life possible. And I’ve quickly realized that when you have…
Read MoreWhen Persistence Finally Starts To Pay Off
Many of you will look at this picture and see a boy drinking out of a cup and think…so what? This is a normal thing. How is that a big deal? To a parent that has a kiddo that struggles with using a straw, drinking water, using a cup, swallowing, pooping, using his lips, frustration, fear, rigidity, learning, trying new things, regressing…this is so much more than a picture of a boy drinking out of a cup. This is a picture of five long years of struggles finally coming together.…
Read MoreThe Uphill Battle of Being a Caregiver
I cried on my way to work this morning. Not because I was sad. I cried because being Cooper’s mom turns me into someone I don’t like. I feel trapped. And alone. And so utterly overwhelmed. And like I need to make threats to make his life easier. I don’t ever feel like I’m doing enough. Or the right thing. The special education system is a constant uphill fight with a 200 lb pack on your back and no food or water. Nothing comes easy. Not one part of it.…
Read MoreWhy Is Honesty Perceived As Negativity?
Hi all, I wanted to share this post from a fellow autism parent and blogger. I read his posts often and rarely has something resonated so deeply with me. Click to read Losing Hope Is Not A Bad Thing by Autism Daddy. When people ask me if I think Cooper is going to talk one day I used to say….YES. And then slowly I switched to MAYBE. And lately I say a no. People usually look at me with a weird look or scold me or tell me to be…
Read MoreMost Of All, I Teach You Giving
This. Always this. I do not gift you with clever conversation, cute remarks to be laughed over and repeated. If you allow me, I will teach you what is really important in life. I gift you with my innocent trust, my dependency upon you. I teach you giving. Most of all, I teach you hope and faith.
Read MoreCooper Has The Kind Of Autism No One Talks About
I stumbled across a post today on Facebook titled, ‘My Son Has The Kind Of Autism No One Talks About-Term Life’. “Because for every boy with autism who manages his high school basketball team, there are 20 boys with autism who smear feces. And for every girl with autism who gets to be on the homecoming court, there are 30 girls with autism who pull out their hair and bite their arms until they bleed. And for every boy with autism who gets to go the prom, there are 50…
Read MoreCooper's Talking Device
Hi all, I wanted to share a video of Cooper’s talking device. Cooper has been using it at school for a little over 3 months and we are just starting to use it at home. Much like everything else I find it to be a little overwhelming. Sometimes I feel like it’s just ‘another’ thing we are trying. But in saying that his speech therapists are RAVING about his successes with it. He can say up to 6 word sentences. An example would be: ‘I want to eat yogurt please.’…
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