Posts Tagged ‘nonverbal autism’
Conversations that Change Us
It was a few years ago. Five years to be exact. Cooper had just been diagnosed. We now had a reason for the behaviors. A reason why he had no words. Why he couldn’t sit still. Why he screamed. Why he refused to sleep and eat. Why Jamie and I were so exhausted. And worried. And scared. We knew why. I had recently told you. Over the phone of course. It was one of our weekly conversations. We talked about the weather first. Then football. My job. And then Jamie.…
Read MoreAutism and Wandering
It’s just after 11pm. My nonverbal autistic son is usually (and by usually I mean always) in bed (and by bed I mean on the floor behind the door of his room) by 8:45pm. Not tonight. Dawson has been impressing me with all of his newly founded abilities, which he performs independently. Putting his dishes in the sink. Putting his shoes away. Pulling his pants up when he is done with the restroom. Climbing on top of things to access what he feels he needs…you wouldn’t believe the type of…
Read MoreWatching the Anxiety Release its Hold on Him
I never knew a child could have anxiety. I fully admit that. If you would’ve told me five years ago that anxiety could completely control a child’s life, and the child’s family’s lives, I would have probably laughed at you. I would have said something like, ‘what does a child have to be anxious about?’ I was ignorant. I didn’t know. I was naïve. I was clueless. Well, the universe had a way of showing me. My son’s anxiety is brutal. It controls every aspect of his life. It controls…
Read MoreCar Safety and Autism
Sharing our families huge wins is one of my favorite things to do on this page. Because I know how hard we worked for them. And how so many other families are working towards them too. Before we had the baby, Jamie and I agonized about Cooper’s lack of car safety. He would throw, kick, flail, even rock in his car seat so ferociously that the whole car would rock. We did everything we could to work on his tolerance. We did social stories. We rewarded. We split the boys…
Read MoreThank You Autism
Ever since the age of 7, when I got the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” my response has always been “A teacher!”. I was one of the lucky ones who never had a single doubt about what I wanted to be, I went to college with a plan, in four years I would be in a classroom full of 20 or so little smiling faces that I would get to call my class! It only took me one semester to figure out that being…
Read MoreTo the Person at Peace with Autism
I have seen your comments on my favorite blogs. I have thought about your stance. I could feel your frustration with mine. I can imagine and see your side of this. But I would be lying if I said I fully understood it. And I don’t think you fully understand mine. But I hope you can try to understand my thoughts as much as I am trying to understand yours. From the moment I gave birth to my beautiful girl, I have never felt so in tune with another human…
Read MoreMother Posts Sign on House to Protect Autistic Son from Police
This story is almost three years old. I just learned of it today. I saw the photo above on Facebook. And I instantly felt ill. Sick to my stomach. Because I knew. This is the reality for so many parents in my world. This is my greatest fear. And I know say that a lot. I worry about who will care for Cooper after I am gone. Who will keep him safe. But in the now, in the day-to-day, I worry about protecting him from the world. He is nonverbal.…
Read MoreWatching Him Learn About the World
As with anything, there are parts that are beautiful. Parts that are hard, funny and sad. There are challenges. And huge, ginormous victories. There are tears. Both of joy and of pain. There are smiles. And lots of confusion. And even feelings of failure on my part. There is more worry than I ever thought possible. And did I mention love. So much love. Autism isn’t just a word to us. Or a diagnosis. It’s not just a box checked on a form. Or something we advocate for in April.…
Read MoreFinding a Way to Help my Son
I’m going to share something with you that I wasn’t sure I’d ever be strong enough to share with people outside of our world. But first let me ask you this question… If you had a secret that ultimately was the turning point on why your nonverbal, aggressive, severely autistic son could continue to live with your family, would you share? This is something that I’ve gone back and forth with in my mind whether to share and to be quite honest I don’t know completely why. So what if…
Read MoreI’m Learning how to be his Mom
On Saturday morning, at 5:45 am, I casually mentioned to Cooper that I was going to Target at some point. I was chatting away to him when I worked it into the conversation. The words ‘Target’ and ‘birthday party.’ I talk to him all the time like this when we are alone. In the car. Or awake before anyone else gets up. I go on and on. Mostly nonsense really. I talk about the news. And how much I love coffee. I talk about Sawyer’s schedule. And our plans for the…
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