Understanding Austin

Austin's Medication

2010-12-08T08:13:00.001-05:00

I'm sorry that I've been gone so long. What with monitoring Austin's meds and the recent flood that we had in our area I've been quite busy. Our local campground was under 3 1/2 feet of water. Austin has been having some problems with taking his medication, Abilify, in the morning. He has it in liquid form so we kind of side stepped the taking pills problem. The doctor instructed me to give

Austin's Bad Day and New Medication

2010-11-23T11:57:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a very exhausting day. I overslept. Therefore the kids overslept. As most of you know, with a special needs child, routine is a very important factor in setting the pace for a good day. Austin did not do well with this change in his schedule. He usually has to have at least 30 minutes to wake up and allow himself time to focus on what needs to be done before he can even get

Teaching Sign Language to Children with Communication Difficulties.

2010-11-18T19:04:00.001-05:00

Sign Language was first used for the hearing-impaired. Years ago, Autistic children were taught to communicate through Sign Language. With today's technology, computers have taken over as the best form of communication for people with communication difficulties. I understand it is more sensible to use computers. However, how often does a child have a computer on hand when they go on an outing

SHOULD I GET A 2ND OPINION?!

2010-11-16T16:51:00.005-05:00

I am begging for some input here from all of you! I'm not sure what to say. So, I'll just start with: I am so frustrated right now! I just got home from Austin's neuro-psychologist appointment and sat down and cried. The doctor spent about 1 1/2 hours explaining how the brain works. If I had wanted a medical lecture I would have gone back to my Anatomy & Physiology college professor. This

Austin could use a Service Dog.

2010-11-14T21:53:00.000-05:00

When a diagnosis of Autism or Sensory Processing Disorder comes to your family it can be overwhelming. You want to do everything in your power to help your child. That is the way I felt when Austin was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. He is still being tested for Autism Spectrum Disorder. We will find out the results on Tuesday, November 16, 2010. Austin has always had problems

Special Needs Blog Hop--Share a Funny Memory.

2010-11-14T16:01:00.000-05:00

This is my first week participating in this blog hop. This weeks' topic is to share a funny memory of my child. So, here goes... Austin prefers to have on as little clothes as possible. Since he is 12 now, he usually just wears his boxer shorts around the house. But, when he was very little, he loved going naked (inside and outside). In 2001, we had just moved from New Jersey to

Austin wants to write a book.

2010-11-12T20:00:00.002-05:00

Austin had an appointment with his neuro-psychologist the other day. His assistant, *Miss Lena, was doing the testing that day. When she came out to get him, she asked how he was doing? "I have a head ache," was his reply. He's just like me. When someone asks me that question, I take it literally and tell them exactly how I feel. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "I hope you start

Special Needs Blog Hop

2010-11-09T00:36:00.001-05:00

Tammy at Autism Learning Felt along with her friend Stacie at Super Mommy to the Rescue have decided to create a blog hop just for special needs blogs! I came across this blog hop a bit too late to link up to it this week. But, I posted my answer to the question anyway. Hopefully I'll do better next week. This Weeks Question: What do you love most about your child? It's really hard to

I KNOW MY CHILD BEST

2010-11-04T16:47:00.001-04:00

As a parent, I know my child best. It seems, at times, that I am the only one who knows and/or understands him. I usually avoid going out in public unless I absolutely have to. It frustrates me when people give us dirty looks or shake their heads. They’re making assumptions about my son. I have heard so many comments about him from friends, family, and total strangers. “He needs his ass beat,”

My son the nerd

2010-10-30T19:29:00.000-04:00

Thank God it's Friday! Austin had a great week at school. He had a few "concerns" this week. He kept forgetting his homework or reading journal at home and disturbed the class a few times with his restless behavior. In turn, he received a detention on Wed. After school on Wed. he forgot to go to his detention. So, he had to make it up today (Friday). Since Halloween is almost here. The

Austin's Funny Bone

2010-10-26T12:33:00.005-04:00

With all the stress and frustration that any disorder brings, everyone needs some sort release from an exhausting day. The saying, "laughter is the best medicine," is so true. That is what Austin provides for our family. He is the funniest 12 year old boy that I know. In fact, I have dubbed him the "Jim Carrey" of the family. There is never a dull moment with him. Sometimes, when things

Sunday Fun

2010-10-25T12:42:00.007-04:00

Austin is used to a schedule during the week. Weekday mornings he gets up, gets in the shower, eats breakfast, brushes his teeth, and heads off to school. Once at school, his day is already planned out for him. His evenings are scheduled too. So, his weekends can become a bit frustrating for him when he gets bored. Yesterday, he was moping around the house complaining that he was bored. He

In the beginning...

2010-10-20T09:43:00.000-04:00

Austin is my 12 year old son. He's the youngest of four children. For many years, I have known that there was something different about him. When he first started school, I had high hopes, as any parent would. As the years passed, I realized that there was something about him that was different than my other children or the children in his school. He always seemed highly intelligent but his