Posts Tagged ‘autism child’
Progress Over Perfection
Progress over Perfection. That’s a phrase I think about a lot. In the most challenging years of our son’s life, post autism diagnosis, it felt like we were frozen in time. Or moving backwards even. But never forward. Our son was in pain, but we didn’t know why or what. He didn’t sleep or communicate. He hurt himself and us. He rarely smiled. For years it seemed like he wasn’t made for this big, confusing world. And to top it off, the world didn’t seem to want him either. But…
Read MoreMy Son is More Than His Diagnosis
On this day 6 years ago, our son Shawn Corey received his official diagnosis of mild to moderate Autism. I can’t even begin to describe or express how we have all grown since then. I can’t even find the right words to express how proud my son has made me. I’d say the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that Shawn is so much more than his diagnosis. All people with special needs are much more than their diagnosis. He’s accomplished so much in the last 6 years I can’t even…
Read MoreI Can Tell You When My Son Is Happy, But Not Why
I look into his blue eyes and tried to find some common sense, some meaning in them. Some hidden reason why he was hitting his head with his hands, over and over. Some deep psychology as to why he was screaming. Some reason why, why did he do this. But instead I find silence. There is no panic in this boy’s eyes. No desperate urges. No curiosity. No hint that he is conscious and knows what is going on. At all. Many people say to me, after finding out about…
Read MoreShades of Grey
I never gave much thought to social norms before I had my son Cooper. Although I do remember a college professor speaking about them and advising each of us to stand backwards in an elevator and watch people squirm. Besides that though, I guess I have just always done them so they rarely cross my mind. That is until autism. My sweet boy is 10. He has blonde hair that is coarse like straw and ruddy cheeks, and he is entirely himself in every way. He doesn’t know how to…
Read MoreHow Much Does a Nonverbal Child Understand?
My son is amazing! Keegan is 9 years old and in the 4th grade. He is silly, loving, funny, smart, energetic, creative and a genuinely happy child. He also has autism and he’s nonverbal so things aren’t always easy. There are meltdowns and non typical behaviors and he can’t always express his feelings or wants. Keegan uses a speech device to help him communicate. It has helped Keegan and our family so much! The speech device has changed our family for the better. It’s given my child a voice and…
Read MoreAs a Special Needs Sibling, She Will Learn From Him Too
She sat beside me in the car, diligently working on sorting letters from the Elmo case she so often carries in her clutches, occupying much of her days… We waited for her Brother, who inside the adjacent building sat working on his own set of goals, alongside his SLP, and OT. “A for Apple! B is for Baby!” Eva proudly exclaimed, gazing up at me, her smile filled with wonder and excitement. A girl after my own heart…her love of books, words, and the letters that encompass them all emanates…
Read MoreRoad Trip
We are headed to a pool and our three boys are so excited. We have a long drive ahead of us…3 hours! In Sawyer’s mind that’s ‘like two whole days!’ Cooper is wonderful in the car which is night and day different than it used to be. He’s been packed and ready to go since first light this morning. And by packed I don’t mean clothes…I mean his treasures. They are in that bag he is holding. It’s his happy stuff. The baby is the most challenging one in the…
Read MoreSpecial Needs Mamas, Don’t Stay in the Hard
This morning I was headed to pick up my son from his hybrid, half days of kindergarten. I thought about how tired I was, how much I was tired of shortened school days, and then my favorite song came on and snapped me out of my complaints. Our day had started hours before the sun was ready to come up, when the house was quiet, and we could watch cartoons and eat cereal with leisure. This was our life for so many years, two am wake ups for weeks, or…
Read MoreI am Not That Strong
“You are so strong.” If I had a dollar for every time someone has said that to me, I’d have enough money to pay for ABA Therapy…out of pocket. If you aren’t a special needs mom that might not make sense to you, but trust me, it is A LOT of money. I first started hearing it when I got divorced. Then even more once my son was diagnosed with Autism. A single mom to a special need’s child. I get it – It sounds strong. Here is the thing…
Read MoreChristmas is Changing
When I dreamt of Christmas with my daughter, I pictured so many things. Simple things really. Christmas movies, Christmas shopping, hot chocolate after ice skating. Sure, we can do those things but gosh they are hard or there is almost always a fall out. The timing of the fallout has changed over the years. I would like to think it is learning to tolerate the outside world or maybe its age. Christmas isn’t typically a joyful time of year around here. Christmas in general is loud and busy. Two things…
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