tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64265713931022353282024-09-05T19:19:12.965-05:00My attempt to make sense of my son's autistic spectrum disorder...TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-51673987929365057292008-02-18T13:24:00.002-06:002008-02-18T14:05:16.788-06:00

This past week has been difficult. Accidents, emotional outbursts and a lot of stimming behavior. My wife suggested we slow down with his supplements, I suggested we continue on. Sometimes recovery looks like regression until a breakthrough. My experience in working with my son is that from day to day it is hard to know what to expect. Keep good notes and maybe a pattern will emerge, but maybe

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-11361587984149214242008-02-10T08:00:00.000-06:002008-02-10T09:27:20.940-06:00

We didn't know what to think. AJ started to have an accident daily. He was getting his cod liver oil. Luckily JC remembered we had received a free sample at Autism One last year and left it in the car all day. The heat from the sun all day may have destroyed the beneficial fatty acids in the cod liver oil. Earlier in the week we attended a seminar where Dr. Jorn Dyerberg, one of the pioneer's of

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-42859179550664521242008-02-07T07:54:00.000-06:002008-02-07T08:46:10.535-06:00

AJ was banging the wall, yelling "Bad wall. Stop it! You don't hurt my sister!" KJ bumped her head on the wall and AJ came to her support. We consider it a positive social development. He is engaging with his surroundings aware of his sisters' pain. He has had several positive developments in the last several days. He's been asking more complex questions, why questions, where questions. He stood

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-72132168144295213992008-01-31T10:47:00.000-06:002008-01-31T13:52:15.406-06:00

Last night I attended a presentation by Dr. Charles Chapple called "The Structure and Function of Sensory Processing Disorders; From ADD to Autism." Dr. Chapple has published two papers in medical journals and is working on his third. One of the most important and interesting facts Dr. Chapple pointed out is the current medical diagnostic criteria for autistic spectrum disorders doesn't even

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-46726491121298603662008-01-30T07:52:00.000-06:002008-01-30T08:34:38.053-06:00

AJ's eyes were welling up. He was taking short deep breaths through his mouth. His arms were partially raised above his head. He was overwhelmed. On the verge of crying. I reassured him, "It will be OK, AJ. I can help you. Show me what the problem is." He grabbed the end of his sleeve and pulled his arm in. He strained against the fabric, but his arm was stuck. He couldn't get it all

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-73104489853881933862008-01-27T17:23:00.000-06:002008-01-27T18:13:39.118-06:00

This is the hardest part of AJ's recovery. The last several days he has been an emotional powder keg. We have had crying fits, refusal, he even had an accident today. It's been weeks since the last accident. He wants to "stim" all day. At the sink, by the washer, the dryer, watching paper or receipts flap over the heat registers, watching flames in the furnace (we have latches to keep the doors

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-26615991913733744982008-01-26T22:57:00.000-06:002008-01-26T23:44:34.287-06:00

I used 4 knives to make two PB&J's for my two kids. AJ is gluten-free, casein-free, KJ is not. We are carefull to avoid cross contamination of the peanut butter and jelly jars. Usually I make AJ's sandwich completely before starting on KJ's. Then I carefully drop the needed PB&J onto her bread, without touching the bread, then finish by spreading it out. The knife never contacts her

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-1650274757352261262008-01-25T10:25:00.000-06:002008-01-25T11:17:34.135-06:00

Two days ago I finally did it. I forgave myself. My gut told me not to get AJ's vaccinations. I relented under the pressure of all the "experts" and all the other people in my life who love my son and wanted the best to keep him healthy. They truly believed it medically important and I had only a gut feeling it was not. I remember how I was treated at the hospital the day my son was born and I

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-15701636971083100692008-01-21T23:40:00.000-06:002008-01-22T00:31:07.287-06:00

Today I joined AJ at the sink. The water ran, we directed it down our fingers into cups, onto spoons, filling bowls. He smiled and laughed and I did too. I asked him why he enjoyed the water so much and he said "Watch." He then cupped his hand in his familiar way, diverting the water along his fingers and into a cup in the sink. He looked back at me and smiled and giggled in his infectious

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-84150158125815379862008-01-16T12:48:00.000-06:002008-01-27T09:04:50.501-06:00

AJ walked out of his room this morning smiling and cuddling his new Webkin the little stuffed dog with a web page. He loves his new friend. I asked him "What's your dog's name?" and I watched his face as he processed the question. First his mouth opened slightly and his eyes got a far away look, as if he was reading off some files floating across the room. I watched him search his brain, saw him

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-18900312601463372822007-12-25T16:48:00.001-06:002008-01-27T07:21:30.637-06:00

This was the first Christmas since we started treating AJ through diet and biomedical intervention we didn't have to prepare his meal and bring it somewhere. My mom bought and prepared the entire holiday meal for everyone using organic and gluten free, casein free ingredients. The diet has become such a part of our lifestyle I hadn't realized how strange it would feel to not have to worry about "

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-7809159639848945122007-12-20T18:40:00.000-06:002007-12-20T19:44:28.441-06:00

Today I stopped at AJ's Doctor's office to replenish some of his supplements. Today's tab ran $261.23. Insurance will cover none of it. They are not pharmaceuticals. Thankfully my wife and I are not in this alone. This months supplements were covered by an unexpected gift from one of her relatives. As I left the office I saw a man loading an SUV with a baby stroller. They were from out of

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-9200904465716201562007-12-19T12:01:00.000-06:002008-01-27T09:10:08.811-06:00

This was a good week for reminders of how important A's supplements are. During the hectic holiday season A's supplements are not always given. We try to keep up the routine, and God bless people who can do it 100%. I admire them. My wife and I stumble at times. Sometimes we run out, sometimes the kids are with their Grandparents and don't get the supplements, sometimes we are rushed and forget.

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-62748695977419785672007-12-09T09:13:00.000-06:002007-12-09T09:58:43.283-06:00

On Friday I went to a presentation at AJ's school called "Supporting the Growth of Positive Behavior in Young Children". Great information from a wonderful resource in Illinois, Star Net Region II http://www.thecenterweb.org/ 1-224-366-8579. The school provided babysitting and at the end of the presentation KJ and AJ were brought into the room. The aide, JD, worked with AJ on zippering his coat.

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-11292540178902692542007-12-05T23:16:00.000-06:002007-12-09T09:11:26.805-06:00

AJ left Indian Guides smiling and talking about the dodge ball game. "I had fun at indan geeds, Dad. I threw the ball." As he talked his hands mimed the act of throwing. I am happy he enjoyed himself and had fun. I struggle knowing by the third game all of the other kids played like he wasn't there. His opponents stopped throwing at him, and his own team stopped trying to instruct him. The kids

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-86430259872592468252007-12-03T12:36:00.000-06:002007-12-03T14:11:51.947-06:00

It's been a while since my first post. I started a real estate career at the same time I started blogging and realised I couldn't learn them both at the same time. My goal is to post 3x a week. My father-in-law was able to get us free tickets to the Barnum and Bailey Circus when it was at the United Center a couple of weeks ago. With my son's sensory issues I would not spend $240.00 on tickets

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-27055669890265025582007-05-04T02:58:00.001-05:002007-12-03T14:11:02.086-06:00

At 8:53 J remembered our son is bringing the pancake mix to his school today for both himself and the other GF/CF boy in his class. I had already cooked the last of the eggs for breakfast. Our son was still in his pajamas, and our daughter's preschool was over at 11:30. I had two and a half hours to get him dressed, stop at the bank, pick up the eggs, and mix up the pancake batter. With my

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6426571393102235328.post-77697539943506554492007-05-01T12:33:00.000-05:002008-01-27T07:26:05.720-06:00

Autism is one of the scariest words a parent can hear when it is about their child. All of the parents with ASD kids I've talked to spent time denying Autism, many still do. I know my wife and I spent over 1 year chasing other names for what we saw in our son, sensory integration disorder, low tone, hyper sensitivity, PDD-NOS. Ultimately to treat him we had to accept the label of Autism or

TShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17254012039943672595noreply@blogger.com0