Feeding Issues

FEEDING ISSUES WITH AUTISM

Kids with ASD usually have some sort of feeding issue.  Feeding involves every sensory system (sight, smell, touch, taste, sound).  Many children have sensory processing difficulties which can make eating certain foods very hard on them.Some of them have gastrointestinal issues that they can't verbalize.  They can also develop behavioral problems at mealtime.  They may learn that they can leave the table and play after refusing a food they didn't  like.  Some kids have rituals around food that make it impossible for them to eat anything that's not a certain color, brand, texture, etc. Being persistent and consistent is key.

ASD individuals usually don't like trying new things.  A strategy that is frequently suggested and I personally have heard it at least twice form a nutritionist at an Autism facility is to withhold their food and they will eat what's on the plate when they're hungry.  Yeah right!  This kid is a stubborn beast!  Plus, I'm not going to starve my child.  That's ridiculous.  Studies have shown that 69% of ASD individuals were unwilling to try new foods and 46% had rituals surrounding their eating habits.  So no, starving them isn't going to help unless you want to cause anxiety and meltdowns at dinner. 

Here is list of what Jaxon will eat:

• cool ranch doritos
• crunchy cheetos
• cheddar jack cheese its
• sour cream and onion pringles
• chocolate m&m's
• classic lays chips
• mini nilla wafers
• mini oreos
• mini chips ahoy cookies
• popcorn shrimp
• chicken strips
• fries

THAT'S IT!  I'm also working on cutting down on the artificial dyes in his diet so for right now m&m's and doritos aren't in my house.  Introducing new foods to Jaxon is easy.  He loves to smell them and look at them, but it takes a bit to get him to even lick it.  He will lick a green bean, but he has yet to bite it.  He will bite into an apple but he won't eat and swallow what he bites off.  His diet is extremely limited and that is why he has 3 Carnation Instant Breakfast drinks in the morning, 1 at lunch, and 3 at bedtime.  

My mom and I are so scared that he's starving and won't tell us.  When we go out to eat he used to eat most of his food and right now he's not.  He's getting new molars and losing some more front ones so I know that's some of the problem.  It just stinks when you're eating dinner and he's interesting in what's on your plate and his plate but he has no will to try it.  We always pack snacks for him, because we know that he won't eat what's provided.  It's so hard, but the school tries to work with him on it and we work on it at home, so hopefully one day it will improve.

Jaxon at a birthday party eating chips that we brought.  What I wouldn't give for him to try a piece of birthday cake!

Occupational Therapy

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Occupational Therapy (OT) is an intervention that is child-centered and is designed to help a child build on areas of strength and improve skills in areas of weakness.  Often times a therapy session looks like a lot of play.  Occupational therapists take in account the physical, social, emotional, sensory, and cognitive abilities and needs.  ASD kids are slower to integrate imputs coming in from their senses which makes their processing speed a lot slower.  

Occupational Therapy work on the following intervention areas:

• Fine Motor Skills - development of small muscles needed for fingers to pick up small items, handwriting, getting dressed.
• Visual Motor Integration - hand-eye coordination, such as picking up small pieces of food from the plate and getting it to the mouth.
• Gross Motor Coordination/Postural Stability - walking, standing, running, gross play skills
• Cognition and Perception - thinking and problem solving, such as trying to figure out how to get a toy out of a box.
• Sensory Processing - integrating information coming in from the different senses, such as adjusting your walk from a hard surface to sand.
• Environmental Modifications/Adaptive Equipment/Technology - modifying the environment so a child can "do" the "work", such as sliding a special pencil grip onto the pencil to it can be held securely for writing. 

OT can also help a child stimulate their Central Nervous System during activities as well as demand the brain and body to work together while the child is "playing".  Heaving lifting and deep pressure also help the child stay calm and increases the ability for self-regulation.  Children do better when they are approached in a fun way.  Kids during an OT session could build with blocks, color, play games, do puzzles, practice dressing themselves, draw, cut and glue and many other things that help the child without them really noticing because it's fun!

Jaxon has been going to OT since he was 2.  Since then he has improved so much!  I remember one day he just starting drawing and writing.  He used to hate it and then poof!  After that took off so did cutting things out.  Now drawing is his favorite thing to do and it shows his personality when he writes "books".  He has gotten over his aversion to paint and shaving cream on his fingers, and now he really enjoys it.  He also has gotten over his hatred of vibrating animals and objects.

When Jaxon is in OT he enjoys swinging.  It helps calm him.  He also enjoys jumping and doing puzzles.  I've included some pictures of him in an OT session.  Jaxon can go to Occupational Therapy well into adulthood if needed.  As long as he keeps improving I couldn't imagine a time where he wouldn't have OT because there is always progress to be made.

 

Obsessions

OBSESSIONS

People with Autism tend to become very interested in their particular subjects.  An obsession is a form of anxiety disorder.  Thinking about something a lot is okay, but it's hard not to think about something to the point where it's undermining your way to live and enjoy life, that's an obsession. 

It can start out as something small like a train, and then it turns into watching videos of trains constantly, reading books on trains, collecting trains, and steering every conversation you have toward trains.  It can become isolating very fast. 

 Social interests are healthy.  Things like hobbies, favorite school subject, or your career.  Obsessions are something that someone with ASD can dedicate an ENORMOUS amount of time to.  They will spend every free moment with it, and when they're not, they will think about it constantly.  Obsessions can impede on school work, grades, as well as friendships.

With Jaxon, I first noticed his bathroom obsession well over 2 years ago.  He insisted on going into both the men and women's bathrooms wherever we were.  As it got worse, he would seek out bathroom signs right when we walked in the door.  If we were in a restaurant, he would bolt to go to the bathroom.  As he got a little older we would tell him that he can go look and that's it until we're done eating and then we will go look at them again.  That worked most of the time.  

It has gotten to the point now, where he goes in and looks for a few seconds and then he's out.  It has improved a lot!  He knows at school and church that he's not supposed to go in the girls bathroom because we don't want to deal with that mess.  But when Jaxon is with me or my mom, he will want to go to the women's bathroom which I figured would happen because he always had to go with us when he was little so whatever.  

I know the bathroom obsession may dissipate or increase, but I'm at the point where I can handle it now. 2 years ago, no way.  It embarrassed me and made me mad at him, which he didn't deserve. But now I'm the mom standing and holding the men's bathroom door open so I can hear Jaxon and I apologize when men walk in and out.  They all smile because they get it, I'm just a mom waiting for her kid to get out the bathroom.

Some of his obsessions come and go like his train tracks and pretend food.  There were months where he would set up his train tracks just so and they had to stay there all day and getting him to clean them up at night was a nightmare.  He went through a phase where he would set up his food plates and want us to eat with him over and over and he had the plates set up in a certain way, so if you placed the banana in the wrong spot he would have to fix it right away.

Jaxon's other obsessions include crayons, markers, and animals right now.  He loves to draw, and I am confident in saying that he has every Crayola color memorized because sometimes I like to quiz him! At bedtime we usually read a book about animals, and he has a huge crate full of animal figurines that we talk about and play with.  

When I say Jaxon has "obsessions" I mean it lightly.  He's little and I know his interests change.  Some of his interests take over his mind more than others, but it has not impeded his learning at school so I'm not worried.  It is definitely something to keep an eye on as he gets older.

  

PLAY THERAPY

 PLAY PLAY PLAY!!!!

 
Play Therapy is a play-based technique which builds on ASD kids' own interests or obsessions to develop relationships and social/communication skills.  A lot of kids with ASD find it very hard to relate to others, especially peers, in ordinary ways.  Instead of pretend or imaginative play, they may use the objects to self-sooth and become self absorbed.

Play Therapy helps children move beyond Autism's self absorption into real, shared interaction.  It can also allow children to explore their feelings, environment, and relationships with parents, siblings, and peers.  Parents may be able to build a stronger relationship through play.  Play therapy helps improve many skills including relating to others, joint attention, peer play, physical fine and gross motor skills, and requesting their needs and wants in appropriate ways.

I was first looking into ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) for Jaxon, but where we live it is very limited.  There were insurance issues, waiting lists, long traveling, and I got the run-around a lot!  So while I was dealing with that fun mess, I found a website of a place in Springfield, Robert Jason Grant Ed.D Autplay Therapy Clinic (I will post their website at the bottom).  We went and had a consultation with Caitlyn and we decided to start going there.  Jaxon was doing really well there, but the drive to and from Springfield on a Monday afternoon after school, was wearing us all out.

Eventually, I found a place closer to us and we have been going there for a few months now.  Jaxon really likes it and always wants to go see Miss Ashley instead of going to his other therapy appointments.  I'm still waiting to hear from ABA because I think it will really help with Jaxon's feeding issues and other things as well.

When Jaxon is at his play therapy appointment, Ashley lets him guide the way.  Whatever he plays with she plays along with him.  She tries to get him into associative play (where Jaxon will play the same thing as her, but they aren't having to work together).  

Parallel Play:  Children are playing next to each other, but they are not talking or doing the same activity.

Associative Play:  Children are playing the same game, but they are not working together or connecting with one another.

Play Therapy can help children learn:

• to respect themselves
• that their feelings are acceptable
• to express their feelings responsibly
• to assume responsibility for themselves
• to be creative and resourceful in confronting problems
• self-control and self-direction
• to accept themselves
• to make choices and to be responsible for their own choices

As Jaxon keeps going to his play therapy appointments, Ashley will start to converse with him more, ask questions, and hopefully they can talk a little.  With Jaxon's limited speech, that can be difficult.  Play Therapy was new to me, but once I read about it, it made sense.  Let these kids play and get comfortable and when they're ready they will let you in their world and you can really reach them there.

http://www.robertjasongrant.com/ 

A Little Update on Jaxon

Hey guys!!!  I just found out yesterday that I have Pneumonia, so I've been laying around resting while Jaxon has been at school and I thought I would jump on here and update you all on how Jaxon's been doing in school.  He has made it through two and a half weeks of school with only one day being a little rough.  Success!!!!!  He was given his own desk in his class because my kid thinks that other students' stuff is his and he can chuck it across the room (rolling my eyes as I type).  My mom asked about the desk and was told that he does really well with his work when he is at his desk.  Less distraction.  Plus he has a cool cubby in his desk for his stuff.  AWESOME!  I'm glad that between his General Education teacher and his aide, he is getting a lot of help.

Jaxon has also stopped drinking milk and his meal replacement drinks at school out of a sippy cup!  I know, I know, a 6 1/2 year old kid in 1st grade drinking out of sippy cup?  Eh.  I've learned to let that go.  Shoot he was 6 before he was fully potty-trained.  Slow and steady wins the race ya'll.  Anyways, he is now drinking out of regular cup and a straw at school.  He doesn't drink it all, but I know with time, he will.  I'm so thankful for the staff that has encouraged him and let him know that his "sippy disappeared" HAHA! 

Jaxon has a new crush this year.  Sweet Nadia isn't in his class this year (which is probably a good thing since my mom saw Jaxon bop her on the head at recess).  Again, I'm rolling my eyes.  He always seems to find one girl and become infatuated with her.  Yesterday he wrote her first name and his last name.  Oh dear, he is too young for this stuff!!!

We have also gotten back into reading stories at bedtime.  I've always read to him, but during the summer I didn't push him reading to me that much.  Now we have a reading log and he is doing great!  I have to work on finding harder books for him!

Jaxon also loves the new music teacher.  I'm just glad the adjustment of a new music teacher has gone well so far!  I know that between having an aide this year, the new sensory room, and Jaxon using his noise reducing headphones when it's too loud has helped him tremendously so far this year.  I know that this year will be a success.

His aide sent me this picture earlier this week.  So proud of him being willing to try new things!!!

I'm including a video of Jaxon and I having a "conversation".  It's more of him saying random things, and me asking him questions, but it's our norm.  His words just keep coming and coming and I'm hoping that one day, we will be able to sit down on the couch and talk about his day.

Autism and Speech Difficulties

AUTISM AND SPEECH DIFFICULTIES

People with Autism have a hard time communicating verbally or non-verbally.  Some ASD individuals have a full vocabulary and have gone on to do great things, and some individuals are non-verbal adults who have to be monitored constantly due to self-harm.  Autism is a HUGE spectrum.  With that being said, I'm going to touch on one of the hardest things I've had to deal with in our journey.

Jaxon was 2 years old when his Pediatrician wanted him to get his hearing checked and his speech evaluated.  My mom and I thought that Jaxon was just a late talker. No big deal.  Once he was diagnosed and we continued in speech therapy, I realized that teaching my son how to talk and pronounce sounds correctly was a going to be a battle.  Looking back on videos for this post, I forgot that Jaxon was around 5 before he really started talking in words we could understand, even then a lot of it wasn't pronounced correctly.  Before that it was just grunts and noises.   It was like having a 2 year old talking, but my kid was 5 years old.

Now Jaxon is 6 and is really talking up a storm.  He doesn't say many sentences, but he can get his needs across (especially if he wants a snack). Technically being "non-verbal" to me means that you cannot carry on a conversation with someone else.  I classify Jaxon as non-verbal still.  People look at me funny when I say that, because they know he can talk.  Yes he can talk, but you cannot ask him what he did today and get an answer.  He cannot answer "yes" and "no" questions properly most of the time.  He says "okay" when he's not sure how to answer.  That is what makes life hard.  He gets frustrated that he can't say what he wants to say, and I get frustrated because he acts out because he's frustrated.  Vicious circle!  I hope that one day he will be able to talk to me about his day.  But for now, I rely on school staff, church members, and my mom to let me know how his day was or how he acted.

I'm now going to touch on some information about speech difficulties with Autism and how amazing speech therapists are. 

SPEECH PROBLEMS WITH ASD:

• They do not talk at all.
• They grunt, cry, shriek, or make throaty harsh sounds.
• They hum or talk in a musical way.
• They babble with word-like sounds.
• They use foreign sounding "words" or robotic like speech.
• They will parrot or repeat what other people say (echolalia).
• They will use the right phrases and sentences, but with an unexpressive tone of voice.  

COMMON PROBLEMS SPEECH DIFFICULTIES CAUSE: 

• Trouble with conversational skills, which include eye contact and gestures.
• Trouble understanding the meaning of words outside the context where they were learned.
• Reliance on echolalia as a main way to communicate.
• Little understanding of the meaning of words or symbols.
• Lack of creative language.

Because of these issues, a child with ASD must do more than learn how to speak.  They also have to learn to use language to communicate.  They have to learn how to engage in, and hold a conversation.  They have to learn how to tune into both verbal and non-verbal cues from other people (facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language). That is why when they don't make eye contact with you, it's because they are focusing on other aspects of the conversation, and making eye contact will distract them from what's really important.  Do not force eye contact!  I will not force Jaxon to look me in the eye.  He absorbs everything that is said, even when he's pacing around the room!

Due to these problems, individuals with ASD should have regular therapy appointments.  Speech therapy helps greatly, and going to social groups help individuals learn how to be socially aware to what is acceptable in a social setting.  

Speech Therapists have a hard but rewarding job in my opinion.  They are trained to help our kids gain their voice whether that be verbally or with a non-verbal form of communication (Electronic "talker", PECS, sign language or typing).  Speech therapists teach ASD individuals how to pronounce letter sounds, articulate their words well, comprehend verbal and non-verbal communication, understand others' intentions in a range of settings, and initiate communication without being prompted by others.  Speech therapists are the lifeline that these children and adults need.  

2 types of disorders that are common with ASD are:

• Speech Apraxia - difficulty coordinating the use of an individuals tongue, lips, mouth, and jaw to produce clear and consistent speech sounds.  Each time someone with Speech Apraxia says a word, it may sound different which makes it hard on the caregiver to understand them. 
• Echolalia - repetition of noises and phrases that are heard.  Individuals may not be able to  communicate effectively because they struggle to express their own thoughts.  Echolalia may be immediate or delayed.  Sometimes when it is delayed, the individual is thought to have expressive language, when in reality, they are mimicing something they could've heard a month ago.

There is a book I read a while ago called Life Animated  by Ron Suskind that really paints a picture of Echolalia and Autism.  It is such a great read!  They turned the book into a movie and it was nominated for an Oscar.  Here are a couple links to his websites so you can read a bit about it.  I suggest that you read it because it is fabulous! 

http://lifeanimated.net/
http://ronsuskind.com/books/life-animated/

Back to Jaxon!  Here are a couple of videos of him!  One was before he was talking and he was just making noises, and the other is when his words are coming out, but they aren't fully understandable yet.

This was 2014.  He was 3 1/2 and didn't have any words.

2015 - he was almost 5 and starting to form words.

 

Let's talk about STIMMING

WHAT IS STIMMING?

Stimming is commonly associated with Autism.  Stimming or stim, is short for self-stimulation. Stimming refers to specific behaviors such as repetition of words, sounds, and phrases, spinning, hand flapping, and rocking.  Stimming is an adaptive behavior which can help a person with ASD focus, cope, engage, etc.  It also helps with self-regulation and self-calming.  A lot of autistic people stim because they are excited, happy, anxious, overwhelmed, or it feels comforting to them.   

WHY DO THEY STIM?

• Stimming can help block out excess sensory input which can cause sensory overload.
• Stimming helps provide EXTRA sensory input when needed.
• Stimming helps with the management of emotions.  Positive and negative emotions may trigger a burst of stimming.
• SOME stims serve the purpose of soothing and comforting oneself. 

 Stimming can be very subtle and also a part of most people's behavior patterns.  If you have ever tapped a pencil, bit your nails, twirled your hair, tapped your toes, or bounced your leg up and down, you have stimmed.  Those kind of stims are "normal" and don't bother others.  A lot of people with ASD have stims that have been deemed culturally unacceptable.  "Scary stims" include: screaming, hitting oneself, and headbanging.  These stims are scary to see, and cannot be helped when an autistic person is doing them.  They are coping in the best way that they know how.

A lot of parents try to make their children stop stimming.  Doing that does more harm than good.  Stimming helps them regulate themselves and self-soothe.  Most of the time, when they don't stim, their actions are more distracting than the stim itself.  I know that if Jaxon had a lot of stimming issues, we would get a lot of stares and I would feel embarassed.  But even then, I  couldn't live with myself if I discouraged him to stop stimming.  I couldn't  imagine how it would feel to be told to stop doing something that helped you feel better.

When Jaxon was younger, he stimmed a lot.  He would flap his hands, tip toe constantly, grunt, screech, line up toys, and stare at his fingers out of the corners of his eyes.  At his young age, a lot of it I thought was him just being excited.  Of course once I researched Autism and watched videos, I realized that he has been stimming from a very young age.  Now that Jaxon is older, his stimming has changed.  I see him tip toe occasionally, and he likes to make a screeching sound sometimes, but mainly he stims by drawing.  He regulates and soothes himself by sitting at the table and drawing paper towel machines, maps of the world, grocery stores, and tons of other things.

 

This was Jaxon in 2012.  He was so little, but you can see the tip toeing and the flapping.

 By now, he was diagnosed with Autism and I was more educated.  I just love his little face and how excited he was to see the kids playing.

This is a more recent stim.  He would visually stim by turning the light on and off over and over.

This is how Jaxon stims now.  He draws constantly, and sometimes, I feel like it has become an obsession as well as a stim.

 Here is how Jaxon stims now. He will line the floors and walls with papers he has written or drawn!

It's the Final Countdown!!!

SCHOOL IS STARTING SOON!!!!!!!!!

Jaxon will be starting school this coming Thursday.  He will be in 1st grade!  How did it pass by so fast?  As any parent, I'm always excited for the new school year.  But as an Autism parent, I also have a lot of fear.  How will the teacher be with Jaxon and his needs?  Will his aide be able to guide him the way he needs, or will his behaviors become worse?  Will his new classmates accept him?  Will Jaxon need to be removed from his classroom due to his aggression?  As a parent of an autistic child, the unknown is paralyzing.  I'm a planner and a control freak.  I like to have my lists and the things I need to get accomplished.  I like when things go the way that I think they should.  I try to be as organized as I can when it comes to Jaxon.  Unfortunately, I can't control a lot of the school setting.  I've given my input at the IEP meetings and have had numerous conversations via e-mail.  That's all I can really do.  I'm giving them my sweet child, to educate and mold.  I'm letting Jaxon go into a setting that still makes me uncomfortable sometimes.  If I could shrink myself down and be a fly on the wall, I would be there all day every day.  

I know a lot of it is unnecessary worry.  I know that nobody can love Jaxon and take care of him like I do.  Nobody else knows Jaxon's quirks and how to calm him the way I do.  I can inform the school staff, but I still feel like Jaxon's needs won't be met the way they need to.  I could be completely wrong about this year, and I pray that I am.  I always hope for a great school year.  I just hate that I let one school year dictate how I feel about the years to come.  That is one thing that I will have to get over on my own.  

To ease Jaxon into the new changes that are coming up, I've been talking to him about the new school year.  We've talked about his teacher, his aide, and his new classmates.  We've looked at their pictures, and worked on their names.  I am fortunate in the fact that we live in a small town.  The school is small, and most of the staff know Jaxon. (I'm sure they all know about his bathroom obsession lol)  I always hope that this small community will rally behind our young ones with disabilities and help them grow.

So this year I printed up a pretty good size list of ways that Jaxon can be accommodated in the classroom as well as throughout the school.  Last year I only gave one to his general education teacher.  This year most of the staff that I know will be working with Jaxon will receive one.  Most of the staff has known Jaxon since he was 3.  They all love him and he loves them.  But even then, some people still don't know how to handle Jaxon.  



At open house, I will be giving his general education teacher one of my print outs and a copy of Jaxon's IEP.  His IEP includes a list of sensory items that Jaxon will have in the classroom, so I have all of those in a bin as well.  Those are two things I wish I would've done last year for sure! Jaxon's IEP has to be followed, even on the first day of school.  His teacher needs to be familiar with it! I will also stress to her that daily communication is a must!  Jaxon can't come home and tell me about his day, so I am relying on his teacher to communicate with me.  Nothing is harder than wondering how your autistic child's day at school was because you weren't given a note for that day or even weeks in some cases.  I've learned a lot of things since last year and I'm glad that I am more prepared this year.

*Did you know that Jaxon has become very sensitive to sounds and sunlight over the summer to the point that he needs sunglasses anytime he is outside and his noise cancelling headphones almost constantly? Were you aware that Jaxon's aggression has gotten so bad that we are now going to start ABA therapy?  Did you know that Jaxon loves a schedule, and when it is changed because of an assembly or a school party, it makes him anxious?  When Jaxon is pacing the room and humming what do you do?  If they don't know, they will soon.*

I want this year to go smoothly, and I know that I have done everything I can think of to make that happen.  My mom is going to be taking him up to the school the 3 days prior to school starting.  It will be quiet and calm, so Jaxon will be able to wonder around and get reacquainted with the building.  I think most of us ASD parents know how chaotic open house night can be!  Hopefully these quiet tours will help.

Now we will anxiously wait and see how the first few days go.  Wish us luck!!!!

Communication Device

This morning Jaxon and I were sitting on the couch watching T.V. and he's playing with his communication device.  I watched him and remembered how not too long ago, Jaxon needed that to be able to communicate to me. I remember a time when Jaxon could do nothing but grunt and make noises.  This device helped him learn how to say words and help him learn how to form a sentence.

The ability to communicate is something that we all take for granted.  We communicate daily at work, school, church, at the grocery store.  Families that have a loved one with ASD knows how it is to have someone who cannot verbally communicate how they feel or what they want. A lot of these kids start out pointing and grunting.  That is very hard on the child and the family when wants and needs cannot be expressed and reciprocated.  Communication devices bridge that gap and give these kids a voice.

When Jaxon turned 2, we had his yearly check-up.  His Pediatrician asked all sorts of questions: Is he stacking blocks?  How many words is he saying?  When my answer to those were "no" and "none" she decided we should have his hearing checked and have a consultation with a Speech Therapist.

We had his hearing checked in the Lebanon Clinic first, and then we were sent to Springfield so Jaxon could be sedated and have them checked again because what 2 year old wants to sit still for a hearing test.  BORING!!!  The Audiologist in Springfield said that his hearing was fine.  

After that he attended Speech Therapy and eventually Occupational Therapy and still does to this day.  After Jaxon was diagnosed with Autism, we were set up with a company that provided communication devices to families. We went in and they let Jaxon play on one and we decided that it would be a good fit for him.  It took a while for the device to be sent, but ever since we've received it, Jaxon has used it.  Of course now Jaxon has enough verbalization that he doesn't need to use it, so he enjoys playing on it.

Communication devices are the newer version of PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)  which is where you place pictures in a line or on a board to make a sentence or make your needs known.  Either way is a great way for ASD individuals to communicate.  We were fortunate enough to receive a device.

Jaxon just plays on his right now, but you can see how it works.  Jaxon's Speech therapist had buttons on there for educational purposes.  He has learned a lot with this device.  

Here is a video of Jaxon playing with his device this morning.  It has so many options with what you can put on there.  I have a page that he can push and it will teach him the planets, the holidays, the types of weather, etc.  It is amazing!

Of course you can see that he learned how to make the device repeat over and over!

THIS KID!

 Jaxon has always had a goofy personality.  I'm so glad that now I can share it with all of you!!!!!

Jaxon has decided to set up his iPad and communication device as a computer lab.  
He is so ready for school!

Blending in with your surroundings skill level:  MASTER

*Hears belly laughing in the bathroom*

Me: Jaxon, what are you doing?

Jaxon:  Checking out my bell button. Take a picture!!!

This kid is a mess!

Autism 101

AUTISM

1 in 68 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

It is one of the fastest growing developmental disorders in the US and is the least funded.

Autism costs a family $60,000 a year on average.

Boys are nearly 5 times more likely than girls to have Autism.

Autism has no race preference, does not favor one region more than another, and knows no socioeconomic status.

Autism varies from person to person.  When you've met one person with Autism, you have met one person with Autism. You cannot assume because you know one person, that you will understand how another person views their own world.

40% of children with Autism do not speak.

25-30% of them have some words at 12-18 months and lose them.  Others might speak, but not until later in childhood.

It is a bio-neurological developmental disability that generally appears before age 3, sometimes later in life if the person is "high-functioning".

There is still no link to a cause of Autism.  Many people have different opinions including:  vaccines, chemicals in our foods, or environmental causes. My opinion is that my son was born this way.  This is the way that God made him.  He is perfect and everyone else with ASD is perfect the way that they are.

Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in areas of social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function.

Individuals with ASD have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication as well as leisure and play activities.  They don't respond to social cues (emotions and reading between the lines).

They often suffers from numerous additional medical conditions which may include:  allergies, Asthma, bowel disease, Epilepsy, Fragile X, persistent viral infections, feeding disorders, sensory integration disorders, sleeping disorders, immune and autoimmune disorders, neuro inflammation, gastrointestinal/digestion disorders, ADHD, OCD, PANDAS, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, and Tourette Syndrome.

Most people with ASD flourish with structure and routine.

They also have special interests that make each one of them unique.

Autism does not affect life expectancy, however research has shown that the mortality risk among individuals with Autism is twice as high as the general population.  That is mostly due to drowning and other accidents.

Some of the therapies that a person with ASD might utilize are:  Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Play Therapy, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Feeding Therapy, Play Therapy, Hippotherapy (equine therapy), Music Therapy, and Social Groups.

There is no cure for Autism.  With early intervention and treatment, the symptoms related to Autism can be greatly improved and in some cases, completely overcome.

Meet Jaxon and I

Jaxon is a goofball!

His eyes are the best!

So much love!!!

He laughed and laughed when he saw this!

I HATE Autism

Hey guys!!!

I was hoping that my first post would be a happy one, but unfortunately it will not.  Tonight was hard.  Tonight was the last night of Vacation Bible School at our church.  Once we got there, Jaxon was all out of sorts. Jaxon finally told me, "go home" so my mom took him to the car so they could go home and I could stay.  About a minute later I get a phone call from my mom needing my help in the parking lot.  She was getting Jaxon in the car, and he slipped out of her grip and headed toward the road.  My mom was able to grab him, but the result was both of them falling over the curb.  My poor mom was bleeding when I got to the car.  She and Jaxon are ok, but it is so scary when he gets out of our grip.  He has been so unpredictable lately, that I honestly don't know if he would run into the road or not. 

I love my son with every fiber of my being.  I love his smile, his voice, his goofiness.  In saying that I will also say that I HATE AUTISM!  I hate the fact that I have to fight Autism so I can take my son to do everyday things like go to the grocery store.  My son shouldn't have to wear noise cancelling headphones everywhere just so he can filter out all of the stimulation.  My son shouldn't have multiple meltdowns daily because of reasons I'm still trying to figure out.  My son shouldn't struggle at school because he's not getting his needs met.  My son shouldn't hit me over and over and over because he can't get his emotions out. Autism is what I have to fight daily and it is the biggest struggle I have ever had.

I hate Autism.  I love my son.  My son has Autism.  It is very hard to keep your composure while your son is hitting you.  It is hard because I just want to make him stop, but giving him that attention will make it worse.  So I stand there and take it.  It's heartbreaking to flinch when he runs up to me because I don't know if he will hit me or not.  Autism sucks. 

I know that Jaxon will improve over time and we are just in a rough patch.  I know that I am in the valley and praying daily for God to look after us and to help Jaxon.  And I know that one day, we will be standing on top of that mountain victorious because we persisted.