Posts Tagged ‘autism blog’
The Mystery of Time
My son, when you were little, I would picture your future. Our future really. The beginning was hard. Mama can say that. You didn’t like to sleep. Or eat. Or sit still. Or play. You wouldn’t do any of the things that mama needed you to do either. Stack three blocks? No way Jose. Sit in a circle full of friends and listen to a story? Not gonna happen mama. Instead, you and I would do our own thing. It felt like we were in our own world. Just you…
Read MoreA Small Glimpse into Nonverbal
I had a nightmare last night. I was stuck at a four way intersection with a dead car battery and people were quickly growing frustrated with me. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words would come. I tried sticking my hands out the window to sign, to make a hand motion that could explain my predicament, but it seemed my brain had stalled just like my vehicle. People honked aggressively at me, motioning that it was my turn to go. I wanted to explain to them, I tried…
Read MoreAdvocating for your Child’s Health
A wonderful medical professional once told me something that changed my way of thinking forever. She wasn’t some big huge doctor. I didn’t wait months for my son to get an appointment with her. And yet, she changed his life. My nonverbal son was sick. Really sick. But because he didn’t show the typical signs, I didn’t know. No fever. No ‘my head hurts.’ No pointing. No saying ‘ow.’ Instead I was seeing a lot of self injuring. He wasn’t sleeping. So much screaming. More gaining control through behaviors. And…
Read MoreWhen a Nonverbal Child is Sick
Have you ever wished that your child would complain? We have. We do. This sweet boy is so sick. Sicker than we originally thought. But we didn’t know. Because everyone else in our family is sick too. And everyone else has the ability to complain. ‘Mom I don’t feel good.’ ‘My head hurts.’ ‘I feel hot.’ The remedies are pretty standard. Cough drops and popsicles for sore throats. A seat by the fireplace to combat the chills. Soup and ginger ale for a sore tummy. A bed on the couch…
Read MoreThe Goal is Independence
The other day I was talking about the future with another mama. We were new acquaintances, brought together by one common thread. Autism. Our sons were the same age. 9. Both similar. Ridiculously handsome, silly, very few words but still quite opinionated, and both very much in love with their mamas. We were talking about the beginning. Making jokes about the hard parts. Tearing up over the almost unbelievably hard parts. Then the middle part that we are in right now. The part where the pieces finally began to fall…
Read MoreTomorrow We Will Start Again
It was hard for you this morning. I have no idea why. You woke crying too early, the moon still visible. Groans and nudges before one of us got up and shuffled to your room. These are the moments we wait on your response. There are mornings, early mornings, when your smile is contagious, your eyes bright and your antics ridiculous. Those are the mornings I can smile back, fix myself a cup of coffee and take on the day like the superhero you’ve made me out to be. And…
Read MoreThe Invaluable Things He’ll Teach Him
I have three boys. They are 9, 6 and 1. The older one giggles a lot. He loves the Price is Right and Steve Harvey from Family Feud. Especially Plinko and when the answer is any price in the thirties. He doesn’t say much but he sure can get his point across. So, if you have a question for him, don’t be afraid to ask. Give him a minute to respond though. I promise you he’s listening. He just needs to process. The middle one is the one with the…
Read MoreOur Love Has Not, And Never Will, Need Words
Raising a non-verbal child taught me to communicate with more than mere words and to listen with more than mere ears. I don’t need words to catch the joy dancing behind Mason’s eyes when he sees me enter a room. I don’t need his voice to tell me he loves me when I have the strength of his embrace that follows after he wraps his arms around my neck. No amount of speech can match the magnitude that comes with his bedtime kisses, or late night cuddles. Every flick of…
Read MoreMy Son, This Year for Christmas…
Dear Son, This year for Christmas I know you won’t ask me for anything or understand why a burly man in a red suit is so important. You won’t understand why there are so many parties and great food, or why this little baby that sits in a manger is being spoken about. This evening, I won’t be able to explain to you that Santa will be here at night and that we should leave cookies out for him, because why would we leave cookies out for no good reason…
Read MoreMy Daughter’s 18th Christmas
This is Casadee’s 18th Christmas. I still make her a calendar every year so she can count down the days and quite honestly to reduce the number of times she asks me “Christmas tomorrow?” This year her number gift request is a desktop computer. She is typical in that regard, like most teens the price of the present goes up. This year I can use her newly awarded SSI money to purchase it. She doesn’t read or write but she has been using computers at school for as long as…
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