Today was AJ's first day of summer school. We had a great time together durring his week off. Today a friend of mine emailed me a link to a story about fragile x syndrome and autism. If I understood the article correctly, a scientist in Massachusetts thinks he found a way to "cure" fragile x syndrome. Naturally his tests have only been done on genetically engineered mice, but it does give hope that they can find a cure in the next few years. Keep your fingers crossed.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070627/hl_afp/ushealthautism
Taria
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
6/24
AJ and I had a great week off together. I have a brand new respect for his teachers at school. That child is full of non-stop energy....lol. He would get going from 7am to about 10pm every night...lol. Oh to be young again!!
We didn't really do much this week. We hung around the house and played. He did manage to parret quite a few words, so I was thrilled with that.
Today we are going to relax and play and in between try to cook dinner or something. The next few weeks will be pretty dull. The only exciting thing we have to look forward to is Summer school starting on Wednesday. The 4th of July we are having friends over for food and fun, so that should be nice. If the township does the waterway fireworks again we can watch them (and the ones my neighbors usually set off) from the front lawn. He did so well with them last year. He didn't fuss once about the noise, he really enjoyed looking at them and actually clapped after each one went off. It was so cute!!
We may also go to a family reunion type BBQ that Saturday, but I haven't decided yet. I get so sick of people trying to pretend there isn't a problem. I think that's more annoying than them pretending he's retarded or something. Oh well, I'll let you know what I decide and I'll try to get some photos up.
Taria
We didn't really do much this week. We hung around the house and played. He did manage to parret quite a few words, so I was thrilled with that.
Today we are going to relax and play and in between try to cook dinner or something. The next few weeks will be pretty dull. The only exciting thing we have to look forward to is Summer school starting on Wednesday. The 4th of July we are having friends over for food and fun, so that should be nice. If the township does the waterway fireworks again we can watch them (and the ones my neighbors usually set off) from the front lawn. He did so well with them last year. He didn't fuss once about the noise, he really enjoyed looking at them and actually clapped after each one went off. It was so cute!!
We may also go to a family reunion type BBQ that Saturday, but I haven't decided yet. I get so sick of people trying to pretend there isn't a problem. I think that's more annoying than them pretending he's retarded or something. Oh well, I'll let you know what I decide and I'll try to get some photos up.
Taria
Monday, June 18, 2007
6/18
Today was AJ's last day of school. I'm so proud of all his accomplishments this year.
I've been thinking more and more that I want to have another child. I don't know if it's just my maternal side talking, but I just can't bare the thought of AJ being all alone in this world if something should happen to my husband or myself. The selfish part of me is hoping my next baby will be a typical child. I could never forgive myself for leaving behind two special needs children.
I've been googling adoption information lately. I've brought it up to my husband once or twice, but he isn't ready for that step. If I left it up to him AJ would be it and he'd be ok with it. I've never wanted an only child. I've always saw my family as a big family bursting out at the seams. My parents both came from 7 children families, and I alays wanted that. Growing up it was just me and my sister, and I always wanted more siblings. Aj desirves to not be alone. He desirves to have more people in this world who loves him.
Is this selfish of me?
Taria
I've been thinking more and more that I want to have another child. I don't know if it's just my maternal side talking, but I just can't bare the thought of AJ being all alone in this world if something should happen to my husband or myself. The selfish part of me is hoping my next baby will be a typical child. I could never forgive myself for leaving behind two special needs children.
I've been googling adoption information lately. I've brought it up to my husband once or twice, but he isn't ready for that step. If I left it up to him AJ would be it and he'd be ok with it. I've never wanted an only child. I've always saw my family as a big family bursting out at the seams. My parents both came from 7 children families, and I alays wanted that. Growing up it was just me and my sister, and I always wanted more siblings. Aj desirves to not be alone. He desirves to have more people in this world who loves him.
Is this selfish of me?
Taria
Sunday, June 17, 2007
6/17
Today was a very good day. AJ was coaxed into saying "Happy Dada Day" for my husband and for his grandfathers. It is the cutest thing to hear. I think I feel the most pang of hurt in regards to AJ's autism is I the fact that I missed out on all the little conversations we could have had. I listen to my friends tell me all about the conversations they had with their children who were born in the same month as AJ and although I share in their joy, I will admit I always feel jealousy too. I won't go through that mommy why stage. I won't experience those silly little observations or those silly explainations they come up with for themselves. It just won't happen for us (at least not anytime soon).
I think I will always mourn the little boy I will never have, while enjoying the little boy I got.
It's not so bad in Holland :)
Taria
I think I will always mourn the little boy I will never have, while enjoying the little boy I got.
It's not so bad in Holland :)
Taria
6/16
Today was a good day for AJ with the exception of a "painting" incident this morning. AJ tends to play in his fecal matter if left unattended. His therapist says he does it for texture input, but not only does it gross me out, it pisses his father off. AJ hasn't done the walls in a while, but when he does do it no one is happy.
This afternoon we went to my parent's house to help with some yard work. Bryanna, my niece, was there to help keep an eye on AJ. He did very well. He loves being there and hanging out with Bryanna. She is only 9yrs old and is amazing with him.
Obi was there too. Obi is a 6 month old black labrador that I got in February to train as a theraputic dog for AJ. Right now we are still working obedience, but he has such a fantastic personality for what we want him for. He won't be fully trained until he's about 2yrs or so, but he's already been such a great influence on AJ. So far AJ has imitated a dog barking, something he's NEVER done. He also sits on the toilet and plays with Obi's ears or tail. Don't get me started on how cute these two are in the car...lol. AJ has accepted Obi better than expected. The only set back is since Obi is still a puppy he's a jumper, and AJ doesn't like that very much. But in all honesty Obi doesn't like it when AJ pulls hairs out of his tail, so I guess they are both even....lol.
Taria
This afternoon we went to my parent's house to help with some yard work. Bryanna, my niece, was there to help keep an eye on AJ. He did very well. He loves being there and hanging out with Bryanna. She is only 9yrs old and is amazing with him.
Obi was there too. Obi is a 6 month old black labrador that I got in February to train as a theraputic dog for AJ. Right now we are still working obedience, but he has such a fantastic personality for what we want him for. He won't be fully trained until he's about 2yrs or so, but he's already been such a great influence on AJ. So far AJ has imitated a dog barking, something he's NEVER done. He also sits on the toilet and plays with Obi's ears or tail. Don't get me started on how cute these two are in the car...lol. AJ has accepted Obi better than expected. The only set back is since Obi is still a puppy he's a jumper, and AJ doesn't like that very much. But in all honesty Obi doesn't like it when AJ pulls hairs out of his tail, so I guess they are both even....lol.
Taria
Saturday, June 16, 2007
School Report 6/14/07
On Thursday I went to a IEP meeting at AJ's school. An IEP meeting is basically a meeting between me, his teacher, a therapist or two, and his caseworker. We sat down and just discussed where he is, what he has accomplished, and what we want to accomplish in the upcomming months.
Starting this summer school session he will receive 2 sessions per week of speech and language therapy, 2 sessions per week of occupational therapy, and 3 sessions per week of adaptive physical education component therapy.
With the extra sessions I'm sure this year will bring improvments by leaps and bounds. I am very happy with the progress the school is making and I can't wait until AJ is ok to be in a typical classroom environment with "typical" children.
Taria
Starting this summer school session he will receive 2 sessions per week of speech and language therapy, 2 sessions per week of occupational therapy, and 3 sessions per week of adaptive physical education component therapy.
With the extra sessions I'm sure this year will bring improvments by leaps and bounds. I am very happy with the progress the school is making and I can't wait until AJ is ok to be in a typical classroom environment with "typical" children.
Taria
Welcome to Holland
WELCOME TO HOLLAND
by Emily Perl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a special need, to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."" Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around - and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.
But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.
by Emily Perl Kingsley
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a special need, to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."" Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around - and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.
But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.
Introduction
Hello,
My name is Taria and my son A.J. has autism. This blog will serve as an outlet for me to just get things off my chest. I don't plan on sending this blog to anyone to read, but if you come accross it and learn from it or enjoy it. WELCOME....lol.
I do wish I started something like this when he was diagnosed at 2yrs old. He has improved much over the last 3yrs, but we still have a long rocky road ahead of us. I'd love to have another child, but my husband is putting the kabosh on that. He is scared that we will have another autistic child. AJ is a handfull, but he is by no means as bad as it can get. He is a very loving, very sweet, and a VERY VERY active child. AJ is also 95% non-verbal.
Autism is a very upsetting and puzzling disorder. It is neurological in nature and effects an individuals behavior, language skills, social skills and sensory processing system. It is a mystery to doctors and researchers. Recent statistics show 1 in 94 children in New Jersey has been diagnosed with autism. Advocates and lawmakers are now calling the situation a crisis.
Him being non-verbal is very frustrating for him and us. He also has SID (sensory integration disorder) which basically means he is hypersensitive to textures, touches, and sounds. With a lot of hard work, dedication, and determination we hope that AJ will one day be a "typical" boy.
Taria
My name is Taria and my son A.J. has autism. This blog will serve as an outlet for me to just get things off my chest. I don't plan on sending this blog to anyone to read, but if you come accross it and learn from it or enjoy it. WELCOME....lol.
I do wish I started something like this when he was diagnosed at 2yrs old. He has improved much over the last 3yrs, but we still have a long rocky road ahead of us. I'd love to have another child, but my husband is putting the kabosh on that. He is scared that we will have another autistic child. AJ is a handfull, but he is by no means as bad as it can get. He is a very loving, very sweet, and a VERY VERY active child. AJ is also 95% non-verbal.
Autism is a very upsetting and puzzling disorder. It is neurological in nature and effects an individuals behavior, language skills, social skills and sensory processing system. It is a mystery to doctors and researchers. Recent statistics show 1 in 94 children in New Jersey has been diagnosed with autism. Advocates and lawmakers are now calling the situation a crisis.
Him being non-verbal is very frustrating for him and us. He also has SID (sensory integration disorder) which basically means he is hypersensitive to textures, touches, and sounds. With a lot of hard work, dedication, and determination we hope that AJ will one day be a "typical" boy.
Taria
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