I am a widow and single mother of a mildly to moderately autistic boy. He will turn 3 years old in two weeks. He was diagnosed with Autism just before his 2nd Birthday. When he was diagnosed he couldn't talk or communicate, he wouldn't respond to his name, and there was no eye contact. He was still drinking from a bottle and still eating baby food. He has improved a lot in the past year. His eye contact is really great now, he responds to his name, has learned to communicate some, immitate and initiate words. He is now trying to tell us what he wants sometimes. He drinks from a sippy-cup, sometimes from a straw, and sometimes out of a regular cup. He still eats baby food. We are still working on trying to get him to eat table food. Because of his sensitivity to textures and also because change is hard, he will not eat anything he has to chew. I have learned that parents are the best advocates for their children. Parents know their children better than anyone. What works for one child may not work for another child. Each parent has to figure out what works best for their child, this could be true for normal children as well as autistic children. My son has a speech therapist, occupational therapist, and play therapist. He has also been in daycare 3 days a week around normal children. My son has a happy, sweet, loving, and playful nature. He relates well to me when I play with him. He likes games, like peek-a-boo. He is becoming good at imaginative and pretend play. He likes to hide under the kitchen cabinet and laughs when I knock on the cabinet door and use a funny accent to ask where he is and say "knock-knock!" He laughs when I use animated voices. My son and I love to get silly and have fun together. I often sing and use animated voices to try to teach him about bathing, brushing his teeth, and putting his clothes on. This approach makes him laugh, pay attention, and learn a little about the activities we are engaging in. This approach can also be calming and soothing for him. He loves music. I have been singing to him since he was born. It has always had a calming and soothing affect on him. I didn't realize just how much it calmed and soothed him or why until after he was diagnosed with autism. I used to have to sing to him the entire time we were traveling somewhere in a car just to keep him from fussing the whole time. Then my husband bought a DVD-player and Baby Einstein DVD's for the car. Now he usually watches a DVD in the car, so I no longer have to sing the entire time while I drive. Sometimes my son and I have our own little music time at home. We get some of his toy music instruments, play them, dance and sing along to some music in the living room. He can carry a better tune than I can. He substitutes a syllable or two for the words to the songs. More recently, he has started singing some of the words along with the songs. I also bought magnetic alphabet letters to put on the refrigerator. I am working with him on the alphabet. He gets excited about the alphabet, "A-B-C's, A-B-C's," he says, excitedly. He can identify and say most of the letters, now. He loves the Alphabet Song. He can't say the word Love, but one day he had rearranged some of the letters so that "LUV" was spelled out away from the other letters. I think that was one of God's miraculous ways of helping my son to communicate his love to me. On another day my son spelled out E-I-O, I guess because he loves the song Old MacDonald. If you are looking for an inspirational story, my son inspires me everyday. He is teaching me so much about love everyday. My son is the true inspiration. He is my inspiration. He motivates me and keeps me going. Love can overcome obstacles. The most important thing we can do to help an autistic child or any child is love them. Love is the greatest of all things.
Proud Mother of Autistic Child Almost 3 Years Old
Similar Articles
- Music for Kids with Autism Hits the Right Key
- Autism Experience
- Cathy Bollinger and Elly Tucker sing with the kids of PACE
- Music and Autism-Smooth Jazz
- Part II of Video of Cathy Bollinger performing for PACE kids
- Summertime
- Music for Kids with Autism praised by Tony Attwood and Carol Gray
- Teacher Gives Kids with Autism a Hand at Writing
- Autism Speaks and they say "I'm Still Here"
- Video/DVD Babysitter
It's so nice to hear about a
It's so nice to hear about a parent of an autistic child who is inspired, instead of exhausted, by their little one. My son is also three, and is just begninng to go to therapy this next month. I am getting certified as a BCaBA (ABA--behavior therapist) so that I can help my son throughout his entire life, if necessary. My son has PDD-NOS and is considered to be mildly to moderately autisitc as well. He is also making great leaps and bounds everyday, just like Grant!! My son, Soltaan, speaks, initiates play with his sisters, will give them hugs and kisses when I ask him to, and is intellectually adept. He knows all of his ABC's, can read sight words, colors, knows all the shapes, and has a large labeling repertoire. What is sad is that we are in Saudi Arabia working as expatriates, and there is almost nothing for autistic children here. We were lucky to find a place, but that means I will have to move with my son and his twin sister to another city in Saudi, away from my husband and our other set of twin babies. I am so glad for you that you are getting your child the help he needs, and that he is benefitting. Stories like yours are so encouraging---I can't wait until my son gets the 20 hours/week of therapy that has been recommended for him!! When I hear how successful therapy is for other children at approximately the same level of disability as my son, I (like you) just get more inspired and excited. Our love for our kids is so motivating. All of their tiny triumphs are huge for us as parents. My husband and I find a reason to celebrate everyday! Even if somehow I knew that my son was autistic before birth, and I had a chance never to have had him, there is no question that I would have had him. I know parents of severly impaired children may not feel the same way, and I can understand the suffering and caregiver strain they are undoubtedly feel. But I am grateful for my special little angel!! I love him and my other 3 precious babies more than air. I hope you continue to see wonderful improvement and continue to feel such joy!!
Dear Grant's Mom, I am
Dear Grant's Mom,
I am touched by your story. I have several friends who have autistic children. I am so inspired by the love they have for their children, and the love their children feel and express to their families. It is obvious that your son, Grant, is a joyful, receptive and responsive little boy who feels your love and assimilates your teaching in a very real and tangible way. That reality is revealed through his ability to sing, spell, interact, and smile. How blessed Grant is to have such a wonderful mother.
Recently, I had the opportunity of participating in a fund raiser for a friend's autistic son. What happened that day went far beyond raising money. This gathering of family, friends, and good neighbors resulted in an increase of awareness, compassion, community, courage, and love. As you state, "Love is the greatest of all things.".
I have just started a blog, More Than Beautiful. This blog shares stories celebrating real women who are making a difference in the world every day -- extraordinary women living ordinary lives. I would love to post your inspiring story on the blog. Please feel free to visit the blog www.morethanbeautiful.wordpress.com to see if this is something you would be willing to consider. Your story is inspiring and would be wonderful to share. If you would rather not, please just know that your story has made a difference for at least one person today.....myself. Thank you so much for that!
Sincerely, Blenda McGary
I love this. It is always
I love this. It is always so wonderful to see posts like this. I feel the same way about my son. He is turning 4 today. He was diagnosed with pdd-nos at 3. He has really come a long way since then. He was at a 15 month old level in his speech at that time and now his speech therapist said the other day that he is almost to normal speech for his age. He still has a lot of problems with his Ls, Ws and Rs but he is getting there. He still can't figure out he/she but we are working on it. He also loves singing. He is just so wonderful and makes me proud everyday. He is just the most loveable little man. I have to thank you for posting this. It has brightened my day!