Posts Tagged ‘Special Needs Child’
The First Year of Autism
It has been one year since my youngest daughter, Joelle’s autism diagnosis. One year of so many firsts and so much learning for our whole family! The first lesson I learned was that finding therapies, securing them through insurance, and maintaining these therapies is like a second full time job! There are just not always enough hours in the day! We chose to start ABA therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and feeding therapy. Basically anything I could find services for, which, due to Covid, was hard. I also joined many…
Read MoreMy Boy, Anything is Possible
My Dearest Boy, We’ve walked quite the road, you and I. Your dad and brothers have been there every step of the way too. It all began when you and your twin brother were born three months too early. The future was so unknown back then. The challenges and hills to climb seemed insurmountable. But you and your brother both rose above every challenge you faced. As you grew, it was clear that your needs were greater than your brothers’. Your dad and I had no idea what was going on, but…
Read MoreWhen They Mention Autism
You know when you’re in a public place at a party, a BBQ or an assembly, and you’re sitting with other parents… You don’t know them well, but their kids are in your kid’s class, so you all group and make small talk. It’s all light and breezy and then you hear someone mention autism. And you just wait. Sometimes curiosity will tilt my head.Sometimes my stomach will turn.My heart will race. What they say could either make me happy and emotional, or it could go the other way which…
Read MoreIn the Hard is Where I Found Myself
Hi friends! I’m Shannon and this is how Autism help me find myself. My true self. I’m the proudest boy mom to the two most amazing boys. One of those boys was diagnosed with Autism two years ago and completely changed everything I thought I knew about myself and Autism. The day our Adventure in Autism started was the darkest day of my life. I felt like I was being forced to go on a journey I didn’t want to go on. I did everything I could to keep from…
Read MoreAdaptive Clothes are Becoming Mainstream and I’m So Excited
“Are you ready to go back to school?!” is everyone’s favorite question to ask these days. Whit usually smiles this smug smile and gives a wink. Our soon to be four year old, Vivi, tells everyone no. Every year, I have this hope that Whitman will want to pick out his backpack, lunch box, and some clothes to rock his school year. Every year it’s just him looking at things and shrugging. We have Vivi’s back to school shopping done. We’re just waiting for her unicorn backpack to arrive. But…
Read MoreBrothers
Here’s the thing no one told me about brothers. They fight. And they wrestle. They sneak punches. They take jabs. Like in this picture. They may be hugging. They also may be attempting to squeeze the life out of each other. I won’t know until someone screams. They team up against me a lot. Like velociraptors. One distracts me while the other two sneak into the pantry to steal Cheetos. They protect me too though. If one of them hates me for a second or gets really mad over something…
Read MoreA Lasting Impact
I am looking at you, my son, after introducing you to the bomb squad guy at a historic bombsite. He was our supervisor during our traffic works. I see you talking with the guy, posing as a tough boy, hands in your pockets, asking things about the history and World War 2. I dwindle back to years ago, when you were three years old and my Aunt called to tell me you appeared to be deaf unless she yelled “fries”. I see you looking at fragments of bombs with not…
Read MoreIt Starts With Us
I get a lot of emails. And messages. Even more comments. And many are from mamas of newly diagnosed kids. They typically come at 2 am. Or during a much needed nap time. When the exhaustion has creeped in. And the worry. When the word autism becomes a reality. They tell me their story. They ask questions. They ask me to tell them it will be okay. And they ask me me how I got to be so brave. Because they want to be brave too. They want to be…
Read MoreYou Don’t Grow Out of Autism
You don’t grow out of autism. It’s not some phase a person is going through. Autism doesn’t end at 18. Regardless of the stories you may have read on the Internet or social media accounts, it is incredibly uncommon for a child who is accurately diagnosed as autistic to become an adult who is no longer autistic. So those ridiculous theories of how to “cure autism”…not only is that dehumanizing, its false. Autistic children may build some strong skills and overcome some challenges that may make their autism less obvious.…
Read MoreA Place Where We Don’t Have to Apologize
Good morning from our last day at camp! It’s hard for me to even put into words how much this weekend meant to me. A place where my son could try all the activities alongside his brothers without pressure or judgement. A place where we haven’t had to apologize once. A place where everyone understands. And no one cares. I can’t wait to share more video with you today. Because my son, the one who adores watching other kids play and try, but rarely joins, went down a zip line!…
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