1. I'm sorry I have fits but I'm not a spoiled brat. I'm just so much younger on the inside then I am on the outside.
2. I'm easily overwhelmed because I see and hear everything. I hear the lights hum and clock tick. Everything is so loud it makes my head hurt all the time and my eyes hurt from all the bright lights.
3. I'm not stupid, I'm actually very smart. I just don't learn the way you want me to. Please learn about Autism so you know how to help me better understand what you are trying to teach.
4. Please don't be mad at mommy and daddy because we don't come over for holidays or birthdays. They really want to go but I don't do well at another person's house. It's too overwhelming for me and they know that. They don't go because they love me, NOT because they don't like you.
5. Please have patience with me. I try really hard to make good decisions but I can be very impulsive at times.
6. Yes, I have Autism but that doesn't mean I'm less of a person because of it. If anything, I'm actually more of a person in spite of it.
7. My house might be messy sometimes. It's because my mommy and daddy spend all their time trying to find new ways to help me or teach my brother to talk..
8. Just because I can't talk doesn't mean I don't understand what you are saying. My feelings can be hurt just like yours.
9. I wish my mommy and daddy knew how much I love them. I have a really hard time with emotions and I don't always like to be touched. But I love them more than anything in the world, even more then my Lego's.
10. I know I can be frustrating but don't tell me I won't amount to anything because I have Autism. If you love and support me I WILL do great things in my life in spite of my challenges.
- Lost and Tired
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
"Autism is only part of who I am"
Carson had a fairly good weekend with very few meltdowns. When he woke up for school yesterday he wasnt feeling well so I kept him home. I hated to do that because I know how much he misses when he isnt at school but I just couldnt send him when he was feeling so miserable. We had to bring him to the dermatologist for a rash that he has had since the beginning of July. Its on his face and it comes and goes. We have had him at the pediatrician twice for it and have tried a steroid cream and an antibiotic cream and they helped but the rash kept coming back. The dermatologist said most likely he has eczema so we have another ointment to try and if that doesnt work we will bring him back in 2 weeks.
Bringing him to new places with people who don't know he's autistic is always difficult. I dont want to tell everyone we come in contact with that he's autistic because I dont want Carson growing up hearing that over and over. Anytime we bring him to get a haircut I always wonder if I should say something that way the hairdresser will be patient with him but I never do. I just dont feel like its something that I need to always say and like I said I just dont want Carson to always hear me explaining him to people. Yesterday when we went to the dermatologist it was the same way. He had a meltdown when the doctor tried to look at his face and I wondered if I should say something but I decided not to. I dont know if thats the right choice or not but to me at the moment it felt like the right thing to do.
He cant go through life holding a sign that says "I'm Autistic". He is much more than a child with autism and yes its difficult for him to be around people and its difficult when people try to make conversation with him and he doesnt respond. However, I dont want his autism to become a crutch. I dont want him growing up thinking that he is weak or cant accomplish things that other children can.
One day when he is much older we will tell him that he's autistic but I dont want that to put limitations on him and we will explain to him that he is different but he can do ANYTHING that anyone else can do. I just want him to acheive everything he can in life and I will not sit back and let him get swallowed by his autism. I will be his voice and I will fight for him every day!
Bringing him to new places with people who don't know he's autistic is always difficult. I dont want to tell everyone we come in contact with that he's autistic because I dont want Carson growing up hearing that over and over. Anytime we bring him to get a haircut I always wonder if I should say something that way the hairdresser will be patient with him but I never do. I just dont feel like its something that I need to always say and like I said I just dont want Carson to always hear me explaining him to people. Yesterday when we went to the dermatologist it was the same way. He had a meltdown when the doctor tried to look at his face and I wondered if I should say something but I decided not to. I dont know if thats the right choice or not but to me at the moment it felt like the right thing to do.
He cant go through life holding a sign that says "I'm Autistic". He is much more than a child with autism and yes its difficult for him to be around people and its difficult when people try to make conversation with him and he doesnt respond. However, I dont want his autism to become a crutch. I dont want him growing up thinking that he is weak or cant accomplish things that other children can.
One day when he is much older we will tell him that he's autistic but I dont want that to put limitations on him and we will explain to him that he is different but he can do ANYTHING that anyone else can do. I just want him to acheive everything he can in life and I will not sit back and let him get swallowed by his autism. I will be his voice and I will fight for him every day!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Another day, Another challenge...
Carson had a great week! School has already made a difference in him. He has only been going for 3 weeks but I see a huge difference already! I am so blessed we found Step By Step. They are wonderful and he loves it there! Now we have a 3 day weekend so we will see what thats going to be like for him. Weekends are really difficult for him because he gets out of his routine and with autistics that is extremley hard on them especially on Carson who doesnt understand what we say to him.
That has to be the biggest challenge as of right now. Having a child who is non-verbal is almost like having a child who doesnt speak the same language as you. He gets so frustrated because he doesnt understand a word we say and we dont understand what he says. He tries so hard to communicate and he gets so frustrated when we dont know what he wants. We cant reason with him and explain things to him like you should be able to with a 3yr old. A typical day for us is a day full of question marks. He has days where he is very upset the entire day and we spend the whole day trying so hard to figure out what he wants and we never can figure it out. I cant imagine what it must be like for him. He cant tell us when he's thirsty, hungry, tired or if he doesnt feel good. That has to be so awful and also extremley scary!
Communication is one of the big things he is working on in school. He is learning to communicate through picture cards using PEC's (picture exchange). We purchased PECs and have been working at home with him for a few months now but we havent had much luck. We are hoping that he will pick it up quick at school.
So here's to another weekend and I'm sure it will be a challenging one but I'm ready to take it on!!!
That has to be the biggest challenge as of right now. Having a child who is non-verbal is almost like having a child who doesnt speak the same language as you. He gets so frustrated because he doesnt understand a word we say and we dont understand what he says. He tries so hard to communicate and he gets so frustrated when we dont know what he wants. We cant reason with him and explain things to him like you should be able to with a 3yr old. A typical day for us is a day full of question marks. He has days where he is very upset the entire day and we spend the whole day trying so hard to figure out what he wants and we never can figure it out. I cant imagine what it must be like for him. He cant tell us when he's thirsty, hungry, tired or if he doesnt feel good. That has to be so awful and also extremley scary!
Communication is one of the big things he is working on in school. He is learning to communicate through picture cards using PEC's (picture exchange). We purchased PECs and have been working at home with him for a few months now but we havent had much luck. We are hoping that he will pick it up quick at school.
So here's to another weekend and I'm sure it will be a challenging one but I'm ready to take it on!!!
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