Today is the last day of Autism Awareness Month 2012...but as you all know, Autism doesn't end here for us. Autism Awareness is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year in our house.
I had the privilege of going into both Brycen and Aubree's classrooms to read a story to the children about Autism and to discuss not only Autism but other disabilities. Those kids were amazing with the questions they asked and the comments they made. My belief is that children are born to accept everybody. They don't know any differently unless someone (typically an adult or older child in their life) encourages them to feel and think differently. So many parents place pressure on the school or other places to teach their children about acceptance of others who are different...but awareness and acceptance start at home. Though I loved the discussion I had with the kindergarteners last Thursday, I can guarantee that 30 minutes of amazing questions and comments cannot trump any beliefs they are being taught at home. If their parents are not accepting of those with disabilities, and they went home and told them "We read about Autism today", their parent may make a rude comment that just trumped everything I talked to them about earlier. Whether it's a phrase or derogatory word a parent or other significant person in a child's life says, or just the actions they take (steering their cart away from someone in a wheelchair at the grocery store or making a rude gesture to that child screaming on the floor), this is how our children learn.
So if there is one thing I want you to take away from Autism Awareness month this year, it is to set an example through your words and your actions for your children and other children that you may have influence on. Teach them that people with disabilities may look or act a little differently, but that does not mean they are any less of a human than the person without a disability. It starts with you! Make this world a better place for our children in the future and promote awareness and acceptance in your own home every day of the year!
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens;
but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
Helen Keller
Monday, April 30, 2012
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Autism and Our Family
"Autism"----It's one word that can change the life of a child and family in so many ways. Autism Spectrum Disorders are being diagnosed at a rate of 1 in 68 children currently. If you do not already know someone that has been diagnosed, the statistics say it won't be long before you do.
Our son developed typically until around the time he turned 2 years old. We heard words...we saw him play with other kids...we watched as he played with his toys appropriately...we made eye contact with him...overall we understood his wants and needs. In a matter of a few months, that was all taken away from him. He began lining up toys, lost all of his words and signs except for one word "ball", ignored other kids, could not sleep through the night, lost eye contact and the ability to follow directions, and he had no way of letting us know what he wanted or how he felt. It was heartbreaking to see something happening to our child that we couldn't stop!
Brycen began receiving home therapy 1-2 times per month for about 6 months before we realized it wasn't just developmental delays. We knew it was Autism...we just didn't want to say it outloud to anyone. He was officially diagnosed with Autism (classic form and regressive), as well as Mental Retardation in August 2009 by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
We continue to learn as we make our way through this journey with Brycen and we will continue to share this journey with you on this blog! The blog has been a great therapy for us to be able to vent our frustrations and struggles with accepting that we have a child with special needs, while sharing how blessed we are to have a child teach us what life truly means. It has also been a great way to inform others of his progress and changes over the last couple of years.
Thank you for your support of Brycen and our family! We hope you are able to learn something through this blog no matter if you are a parent of a child with special needs or a neurotypical child, a teacher or therapist, a family member, or just someone that is interested in the journey that a family goes on as they learn their child is battling a life-long disorder.
Our son developed typically until around the time he turned 2 years old. We heard words...we saw him play with other kids...we watched as he played with his toys appropriately...we made eye contact with him...overall we understood his wants and needs. In a matter of a few months, that was all taken away from him. He began lining up toys, lost all of his words and signs except for one word "ball", ignored other kids, could not sleep through the night, lost eye contact and the ability to follow directions, and he had no way of letting us know what he wanted or how he felt. It was heartbreaking to see something happening to our child that we couldn't stop!
Brycen began receiving home therapy 1-2 times per month for about 6 months before we realized it wasn't just developmental delays. We knew it was Autism...we just didn't want to say it outloud to anyone. He was officially diagnosed with Autism (classic form and regressive), as well as Mental Retardation in August 2009 by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
We continue to learn as we make our way through this journey with Brycen and we will continue to share this journey with you on this blog! The blog has been a great therapy for us to be able to vent our frustrations and struggles with accepting that we have a child with special needs, while sharing how blessed we are to have a child teach us what life truly means. It has also been a great way to inform others of his progress and changes over the last couple of years.
Thank you for your support of Brycen and our family! We hope you are able to learn something through this blog no matter if you are a parent of a child with special needs or a neurotypical child, a teacher or therapist, a family member, or just someone that is interested in the journey that a family goes on as they learn their child is battling a life-long disorder.
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