Posts Tagged ‘Autism diagnosis’
My Son is What? Artistic?
The journey called fatherhood is one that is naturally fraught with many twists and turns. There are no concrete directions that you receive at the beginning, but there is at the same time information and advice coming at you from multiple directions and sources. You hope and pray that everything is going to take care of itself as you work frantically to provide the framework necessary for normal growth and development of your child. Why wouldn’t this occur normally, right? Many of the behaviors I am seeing in my son…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Son’s Village
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Nikki Wallace and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This December I am honoring and thanking my son’s mighty village. I have so many people that I am grateful for that I don’t even know where to start. First, I want to thank my son’s aide Mrs. Angie Flint. She has been with us for two years now and she is like a second mom to my nonverbal six year old. When he is with her I never have to worry.…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: The Co-Founder of Agapi
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Morgan Ayala and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This December I would like to honor and thank Nina, the co-founder of Agapi Behavioral Consultants. Agapi was established in 2015 and their primary clinic is located in Greenville, South Carolina. Their mission is to provide a fun and educational centered environment for children with developmental delays. While also providing an environment which motivates and rewards their team of therapists. I have two boys, both with ASD. Dominic is five and…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Daughter Olivia
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Melissa Prater and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This December I would like to honor and thank my daughter Olivia. She is my rock. A little bit about our family. We are a family of four but a village of many. My husband works full time and I get the privilege to stay home. We have two children ages 5 and 16. Jack is my youngest and is diagnosed with ADHD, a speech delay and is on the autism spectrum.…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Oldest Son
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Kelli Stutzman and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This December I would like to honor and thank my oldest son Andrew. He is an amazing brother and son and I am so blessed to have him. To start, I want to share with you just how much my son Andrew helped me. Two years ago, at age 19, Andrew had just moved to Kansas City to live with his dad. It was a whirlwind at our house. I had…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Son’s Super Grandma
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Corinne Doyle and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This December, I would like to honor and thank my mom, Mary Doyle. She is the epitome of a SUPER GRANDMA. My son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder on May 26, 2017. A day that forever changed my life. Jett has always kept us on our feet starting from the day he was born. He was born premature at 36 weeks and then shortly after birth caught RSV at five weeks…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: Our BCBA Kelly
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Tiffanie Bashay and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This December I want to honor and thank our BCBA, Kelly Guyot. Kelly has been working with Anthony and our family since November 2015 and I am so thankful she is in our lives. Our son Anthony is four years old, nonverbal and on the autistic spectrum. He has come a long way since his diagnosis two years ago! Anthony is an only child and he lives at home with his…
Read MoreI Will Sit With You In The Dark
“When you can’t look on the bright side, I will sit with you in the dark.” Alice in Wonderland Hearing that your child has autism, or any neurological disorder, is so unbelievably scary. Maybe you knew deep down. Or maybe you were oblivious. It honestly doesn’t matter because in an instant everything is different. Same kid…different future. Different path. And not just for your kiddo. But for your whole family. For me I felt like a label was tattooed on my son’s forehead. And ultimately mine. I thought the label…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Mom, My Son’s Best Friend
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Amanda Lo Re and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I want to thank and honor my mom. There are some people who are truly angels on earth and my mom, Cindy is one of them. She is one of the most giving and selfless individuals I have ever met. She is our constant. Our rock. My sanity. And my son’s best friend. I guess our journey really began eight years ago. My mom became a caregiver to my…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Mom, My Best Friend
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Danielle and Noah and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I would like to thank my Mom, my best friend, and my rock. This might be the hardest thing I have ever written. I have felt compelled to write this but knew it would be emotional for me because the person I would like to thank is my rock. She lifts me up when I’m weak and is always there for me, no matter what. That amazing person…
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