Honoring Autism Awareness Month!

APRIL is Autism Awareness Month!!
Autism affects 1 in 10 children. We must come together and celebrate the wonders of Autism. OUR children are wonderful, each with their own strengths and talents. They will teach us but we need to be willing to listen! Currently there are no medical tests for autism; diagnosis is based on observed behavior and development. While it is generally diagnosed at a young age—for 51-91 percent of children, concerns were recorded before age 3—it’s a lifelong challenge for most.

Parents of those with Autism face everyday with what is going to happen today. Will we make it through today without meltdowns, anxiety, aggravation. Families are overwhelmed and under resourced! I know this from experience...we are exhausted! As a parent of a child with Autism we face challenges everyday. Will my child be viewed differently from others, will he be accepted, will he be made fun of?? Those are my fears...just to name a few. You know what my fears are but do we know their fears? I DON'T! He can't express himself in that way yet. But with Self-regulation techniques we can help him through his anxiety and feeling ungrounded. A weighted vest helps him, a chewy tube (which we know that Tyler really needs oral stimulation), swinging helps him, and sometimes just a nice hug helps, and OF COURSE A ROUTINE that they know. Tyler loves having a routine and sameness throughout the day!


(older picture of Tyler swinging...it really helps group his body)

UK Emergency!!

Sunday was a day filled with oh my goodness! Tyler started the day of great at my mother-in-laws, he got up and was dancing and playing with the other kids. Then on the way to church he falls asleep, they get to church he is still asleep. They bring him upstairs for church and my mother in law just thought he was going to sit at the end of the pew but he got up and kept going. He fell down a couple of times and just didn't know where he was at. A lady in church witnessed all of this and said he's having a seizure and ran over to help. (I really wish that me or Troy were there but we weren't!) Troy is actually in the parking lot waiting to get him when Tyler starts to dry heave everywhere. He gets home with him and his pupils are the size of the color of your eyes. It was horrible! He continues to seize and dry heave...no relief in sight. I decided to take him to the emergency room where they managed to stop them and stop the dry heaving. Tyler has never gotten sick with his seizures before so this was new to all of us. He had gotten sick so much that he was already dehydrating from just that morning.

Once he came around, which was around 4:30 we left the hospital and was home by 5:30. He was still pretty much out of it and just tired from them. This was the worse that I have ever seen Tyler. It was very scary for me to see let alone let him feel that way. We are in talks with the neuro about trying Depakote. I'm hoping we can get relief soon!!

DIAMONDBACKS!

Tyler has decided that he wants to play T-ball this season. We are going to give it a go and see what happens. I really hope that being with other kids will do him well. He just really has a hard time with other kids and being able to fit in without upsetting him. We tried T-ball before when he was 3 going on 4 and it was so traumatic for him. His first practice is tonight and I'm hoping he takes it in stride and goes with it. We have planned this and told him that he has practice today hoping that if he knows what is going to happen he will be a little more at ease.

Go DIAMONDBACKS!