Posts Tagged ‘autism blog’
No One Tells You
Your first child turning 18 is an exciting time in a person’s life, right? A time when the child you grew within you reached the age of legal adulthood. It seems like those 18 years went by in a blink of an eye. A child you raised, guided, and encouraged throughout their childhood actually turned out pretty darn awesome. Your role in their life is different now. The little birdie is getting ready to leave the nest. They are preparing to go out on their own and conquer the world.…
Read MoreThe Day I Became your Mama
My oldest child, my twin, and the one I’ve sometimes wanted to bust in the chin. Sarcasm, or na? See what I did there. A rhyme for you. I bet you don’t have the slightest clue, but it’s true, God gave me you! You were the one who made me a Mama, more than 25 years ago. I was a mere 20 something years old, when you came. You were a gift from God, ain’t he good! You my daughter, bring joy to my day, come what may. Many times…
Read MoreWhat Autism Gave Us
Autism is the most perplexing thing ever. The saying “when you meet one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism” couldn’t be any more true. The way it manifests in every child differently. The way it can break your heart by watching your child struggle with what would be the simplest of tasks to a typical child. They way it isolates you from the rest of world. It can make you feel so alone. The regressions it causes. It can make you feel hopeless. Autism can be a…
Read MoreIt’s not Failure to Need a Break
Are you a parent? Have your children ever been out to play themselves, played alone in their room, had a sleepover, went out with a relative? For me none of these things are possible. My son is severely autistic. He is ten years old but still fully incontinent and has no spoken language. He is developmentally around the age of 12 months and he needs round the clock care. He doesn’t have friends to play with either in his own home or elsewhere. There’s no sleepovers in his world, or…
Read MorePlease Stop Blaming Yourself
As a therapist who primarily works with special needs children and their families, I often hear the same statement over and over again by distraught parents: “It’s my fault. I caused my child’s disabilities, etc.,.” Each and every time I hear this statement, a part of me cringes inside while the other part of me wants to jump up and give this perplexed parent the biggest hug of their lives. I also want to shout right back to them the answer that maybe they’re not ready to hear: “No, you…
Read MoreThe Dreaded Cycle
Oh it’s the dreaded cycle again. My son you were doing so well just yesterday. Then today you wake up and our nemesis is back. I hope you know I really dislike you! You take away my sons smile and give him tears. You take away his appetite and give him belly aches. You take away is sleep and give him anxiety. You take away his health and give him illnesses. You take away his school/friends and give him inclusion. You take away is laughter and give him meltdowns. Sometimes…
Read MoreWhy I Medicated my Toddler
There is a stigma that comes with medication. An infamy that fills us with fear, guilt, and avoidance. I am the first to admit that I explored every possible avenue. Prescription drugs weren’t even up for discussion when it came to our daughter. The first person who offered my child medication was a neurologist. He told me she needed to calm down and offered a small dose of Clonidine. But I declined. Why would I medicate a 2-year-old? Then, an interim psychiatrist who did a full evaluation that we needed…
Read MoreA Letter to my Former Self, the NICU Mom
Hey Lady! It’s me…You! Weird I know, but listen up Buttercup because I have some important things to tell you. You’re leaving the NICU today after the longest 143 days of your life, but you already know this might not be the end of the ‘hospital life,’ and you’re right. I’m going to let you in on a little secret though…Carter will be physically okay! You’ll have some bumps in the road but nothing as major as the surgeries he endured in the NICU. I promise. You’ll find the perfect…
Read MoreThe Inner Workings of an Autism Parent’s Mind
There’s probably quite a few things we, as an autism family, do that seem completely typical to us, but totally out of the norm for other families. And we haven’t realized these things aren’t typical until others have pointed them out to us. Here are a few points we’ve learned aren’t typical for most families but are vital for ours: Always on the defense In our house, we are always on the defense. We’re always waiting for the next “thing” to happen. The next meltdown, the next dysregulation, the next…
Read MoreBut I Want for Something
Jamie and I had one of those weekends as parents. You know, one that just depletes you. Where you wave the white flag, but quickly realize no one seems to care and that you are the adults and you just need to survive. We have a sick baby. A really, really sick baby who isn’t sleeping. Sawyer had three hockey games. That I had to miss. Which made me feel terrible. Cooper’s anti-anxiety medication seems to be leveling out again. Just like everything else we have tried over the years,…
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