Posts Tagged ‘Nonverbal’
My Son’s Disability Isn’t Always Beautiful
A very nice woman approached me over the weekend and thanked me for talking about autism. She thanked me for being honest and not sugarcoating it. She thanked me for keeping it real. That conversation reminded me why I do what I do. I refuse to lie about my son’s disability or downplay it to make people feel better. When my son was first diagnosed I dove head first into helping him. I turned to other bloggers, Pinterest and Facebook groups because I couldn’t find anyone in real life that…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Children’s SLP
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Tara Surowiec and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I would like to thank Christine, my children’s Speech Therapist. She first started working with my son Greyson when he was just two years old. Currently, he is five years old, on the spectrum and nonverbal. A little bit about us…My husband Paul, myself (Tara), my daughter Alexa (8) and my son Greyson (5) make up our family. We just celebrated our 17th anniversary! My husband Paul is an RN…
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…
Read MoreWho Are You Thankful For This November?
This November I want to honor the therapists, teachers, doctors, friends, children, spouses, ABA Centers, and family members that make a difference in your family’s life. This could range from the friend who sat with your child while you showered (for the first time in weeks!) to the doctor who finally listened to you. Or, the grandparent that took your other child to the park so they could get a break from their sibling’s disability to the therapist who puts in hour after hour teaching, modeling and praising your child.…
Read MoreWe Made It Over The Potty Training Mountain
There are moments I know I am going to remember forever. And one of them is reading this text message from Cooper’s school. He did it. He pooped at school. I want to be honest when I say I never fully believed that my autistic son would be potty trained. That’s how high the mountain was for him. At age six it felt like he was nowhere close. He loved his diapers. He refused to sit on the toilet for longer than 15 seconds and he’d scream and kick and…
Read MoreAutism and Potty Training
I had a long discussion with Cooper’s therapy team this week about potty training. They know him well obviously. He is almost seven. He is pee trained and has been since he was four. If he is not wearing a diaper he will use the toilet completely on his own. He recognizes he has to pee, drops his pants wherever he is in the house, penguin walks to the toilet, and pees. He does not have accidents even if we are away from our home. And a week or so…
Read MoreA Day Without Autism
I’ve been writing about our autism journey for nearly four years now. Which blows my mind. Cooper was diagnosed at age three. Some days I can’t believe we’ve been on the autism path for that long. And then some days it feels like an actual life time. Writing has always been my escape. When no one in my real life understood what I was going through I would write it out. And immediately feel better. Writing was a way to connect with other parents that were on my same path.…
Read MoreAutism’s Effects on Siblings
I have two amazing little boys. Cooper is six and Sawyer is four. I always dreamt of having a huge family. I thought for sure I’d have at least four kids. A bunch of dogs too. A full life as they say. In a way I think I thrive on chaos. I love being busy and having fun. If you know me then you know I am rarely sitting down. As a newlywed when I thought of the future I pictured baseball games and school dances. I truly believed that…
Read MoreI Am That Mom
I am that mom. The one you see running around at the park, covered in sweat, and continuously redoing her pony tail. The one climbing to the top of the jungle gym and sliding down with a kiddo between her legs. I See You I can see you out of the corner of my eye sitting with a group of women leisurely drinking your coffee. I see you watching me. We’ve bumped into each other a few times. I know you are a lovely person. You smile and wave. I…
Read MoreAll Individuals, Even Nonverbal Individuals, are Communicators: An Interview with Eve Megargel
Eve Megargel, author of ‘Learning to Kiss,’ is an impressive woman. I figured that out quite easily with a quick Google search. She is a published author, educator, filmmaker and advocate. But what really impressed me, and drew me to her, were her views on people with nonverbal autism. She believes that despite having no spoken words they are still communicators. She believes in setting standards for them, giving them a voice, and refusing to settle. She has been a pioneer in this way of thinking for over twenty years.…
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