Posts Tagged ‘nonverbal autism’
Stop Acting Like Autism is a Death Sentence
I’ve been writing publicly about autism for five years now. Meaning, I’ve opened myself up to the world to educate and share our journey. And with that level of vulnerability comes support and scrutiny. At this point, there isn’t much that I haven’t heard. My son has been called ugly. I’ve been called fat. I’ve been told I should’ve aborted Cooper. He’s been called a retard. Dumb. Ugly. A mistake. A freak. He’s had death threats. Hell, so have I. I’ve been told that Cooper and I are stealing Medicaid…
Read MoreLet’s Talk Compression Clothing and Autism
Often, children with autism will be recommended to use a weighted vest. My son Cooper is a sensory seeker and highly behavioral. Every therapist we’ve ever worked with has recommended we try to get him to wear some type of compression clothing. Some common reasons a teacher or therapist may recommend a weighted vest: To improve a child’s focus so they can pay attention to academic work in the classroom. To provide deep pressure stimulation that has a calming effect. To help decrease stereotypical behaviors. Increase Attention to Academic Work We…
Read MoreA Time Before Autism
I had a rare hour of silence from autism today and I let myself get lost in old photographs. Oh, the cuteness of Cooper. He’s always been beautiful. Right from day one. So beautiful in fact that many people struggled to believe something was wrong. As I scrolled back through the years I felt so many emotions. Before Sawyer. Before the therapies. Before the diagnosis. Before we knew. Cooper’s beautiful smile in every picture. As the photos got older I started to recognize myself. There I was. Smiling holding Cooper.…
Read MoreThe Diagnosis: My Daughter has Autism
Sadie has autism. She doesn’t make eye contact. She is in her own world and doesn’t notice anyone around her. She doesn’t speak. She’s not potty trained. She doesn’t know how to play “appropriately” with toys. She’s regressed. She may never be independent. She can’t sit still. She has sensory issues. Sadie has autism. The words coming from Sadie’s pediatric specialist that day made my stomach turn. She diagnosed her within minutes of meeting her. It was so obvious to her that Sadie has autism and it was something I…
Read MoreWhen your Search for Answers Brings Sadness
Hey friends. First, a huge thank you to everyone that emailed, commented and messaged me after my sad post a few nights ago. I read every word. Second, here is the video I know many of you have been waiting for. A few days ago we took our son Cooper for an appointment at the Mayo Clinic. This was the first of eight appointments over the next couple of months. It’s a big deal in our world. I finally found a doctor that will look at Cooper’s whole case….not just…
Read MoreIt’s Okay To Not Be Okay
I know a lot of friends are waiting to hear about our day at the Mayo Clinic. I have so much to say. And tomorrow I will do a video. But tonight I am sad. And I’m just going to be sad for a while. Autism is so unbelievably hard. Some part of me always believed that this was going to get better. I thought maybe, just maybe, someday, he’d snap out of it. He’d start talking. He’d tell me about his day. He’d call me mom. I thought someday…
Read MoreSigns to Bring Awareness to the Invisible Disability
Last April, Cooper and I were playing at an inclusive playground in our town. The park was developed by a family of a little girl with Cerebral Palsy. It was the one place that I felt comfortable bringing Cooper alone. With inclusive playgrounds, the objective is to include everyone. They are thoughtfully designed to provide a safe place where children of all abilities can play together, and are developmentally appropriate for children with and without disabilities. Just as the name suggests, inclusive playgrounds have another mission that goes beyond the physical accommodations and specialized equipment.…
Read MoreTell Her My Name Mama
Yesterday, we had a social worker visit at our house to chat about Cooper’s waiver and complete paperwork for the upcoming year. This is nothing new. We have people in our home constantly discussing Cooper. That’s the world of autism. We used to have friends come over for dinner and drinks and now we have social workers and therapists come over and talk about autism. Oh, how life changes. Anyhow, yesterday was especially chaotic. Even for us. Sawyer wanted to make jello. He wanted a drink and a snack and…
Read MoreI am my Autistic Son’s Person
I am my seven year old autistic son’s person. I have been since the day he was born. He looks for me in a crowd. He seeks me out in our home. He demands me. He is always touching me. If he is wandering he demands that I am the person that follows behind. If I take a break to relax than he is clinging to me until I get up. And until recently he never developed relationships with other people. He didn’t see the value. People in our lives…
Read More9 Ways to Prepare Now for Your Autistic Child’s Future
A few months ago my autistic, but otherwise extremely healthy child was denied life insurance. I was shocked and confused. When Cooper was born, in preparation for college, Jamie and I started a savings plan for the him that could be converted into dollars for college tuition. Smart right?! Recently, I received a letter in the mail that notified us that Cooper was denied coverage. I was irate. Autism is not a death sentence. My son is healthy. He has no medical conditions. An At-Risk Life After following up I…
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