Posts Tagged ‘nonverbal autism’
Hoarding and My Autistic Son (VIDEO)
Hoarding. It’s a very real behavior in our autism world. Take a peek at what our son hoards and the sheer amount. I have a feeling a lot of parents will relate, smile (and cry) at this one. Photos, DVD cases, DVD’s, VHS tapes, books, receipts, pieces of paper, etc. He gathers them all up and visually stims on them. And then once done, he chooses his favorite few, and the rest get stuffed behind dressers, entertainment centers and under beds and couches. Every Saturday I clean up his piles.…
Read MoreFood Struggles and Autism
Food struggles. Some of the hardest battles we’ve had to date. I could tell you stories people. Tonight though, Super Cooper ate a whole plate of spaghetti and meatballs. And while he ate, Jamie and I reminisced about the days where he would throw chairs and tables (yes tables) over the sight of a blueberry, an apple or any new food. Up until Cooper was five years old he ate only four foods. The same four foods for every meal. Chicken nuggets, yogurt, Goldfish crackers and veggie straws. He also…
Read MoreA Look at Nonverbal Autism
A few nights ago I was talking to an acquaintance about Super Cooper. He was asking me questions about what it’s like to have a nonverbal child. He asked me if it is sad. He asked me if it was quiet. He asked me if Cooper has a desire to communicate. All AMAZING questions. They even brought me back to the day a speech therapist told me that we should prepare ourselves for the very possible fact that our beautiful son may never speak. I’ll admit, that sentence leveled me.…
Read MoreHaircuts and Autism (VIDEO)
It’s hair cut day! Anyone that follows my page knows that this is a huge day in our world. (Next to potty training this is our biggest victory!) Haircuts and autism rarely mix. And after one too many really awful experiences trying to go to a salon, I decided to cut Cooper’s hair myself. The first year was awful. Kicking, hitting, screaming. But we stuck with it. And now, five years later, he is a pro. Take a watch and see how amazing my boy does at age seven. I…
Read MoreWe Take Nothing for Granted in our World
Last night, my five-year-old graduated from preschool. It was a super big deal in our world. He wore a cap and gown. He practiced a song for weeks in the car, the shower and before bed. His grandparents came to the ceremony. He stood in front with the other kids and got his diploma. Jamie and I sat and watched. My baby boy. Achieving milestones. Growing up. Now, we prepare for Kindergarten. We will set a day for school shopping. We will pick out his backpack and supplies. We will…
Read MoreLiving With Self-Injurious Behaviors
One thing I’ve learned as the mother to an autistic child, is that when your child has self-injurious behaviors, you’ll never be able to describe the feeling accurately. I’ve also learned that if a person doesn’t know what you’re going through, you’ll never be heard accurately. Any time that I have thought I might open up and share the fear, frustration, sorrow and deep gut wrenching pain, I’ve learned that unless a person has lived it as a parent or caregiver, they can never understand. Sometimes you get even worse,…
Read MoreStop Worrying and Enjoy Your Child
Yesterday, there was a beautiful noise at our house. One that seemed out of place. One that we rarely hear. One that for years was hard to produce. It was the deep, loud, silly, belly laugh of Cooper playing in a pool with his brother and his brother’s friends. He was in there for three hours total. He was one of the kids. I have never seen a happier child. Or heard a better laugh. We are talking pure joy. As I watched him play, I was overcome with emotion.…
Read MoreI Am A Cerebral Palsy Dad
Some of my favorite stories involve the relationships between fathers and sons. I lost my own father when I was 15 to lung cancer. My dad was my best friend. Don’t get me wrong, he could be a very difficult man. He was very old school. I would not be surprised to learn that he was probably bi-polar. He did not have the greatest upbringing. But it is funny. Although he was old school, unlike a lot of father’s from the baby boomer generation, he was very affectionate. Not a…
Read MoreI Still Would Have Chosen You
I stumbled across a poem on Pinterest today by Terri Banish. It is titled, ‘I Still Would Have Chosen You.’ I read it. And I read it again. And again. And immediately burst into tears. Every word was perfect. I used to talk about the hard parts of severe autism with strangers. At work. Or with someone I met out. These were nice people that didn’t live in my world. They had no idea. And while they usually were absolutely wonderful, they just didn’t understand. I’d notice as I was…
Read MoreSuccess with Headphones
I am a goal setter. I am a list maker. This is who I am as a person. Sometimes it drives my husband crazy. But, I think he will also admit how helpful it is. At any given time you can walk through my kitchen and see a list. Call social worker, complete paperwork, pay medical bill, make doctors appointment, etc. I also make lists with goals. Sometimes they are for Cooper and related to autism. Sometimes they are goals for our family. I even add the steps to achieve…
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