Living with an Autistic Child: It's Halloween and Greg's waiting patiently at the...

Living with an Autistic Child: It's Halloween and Greg's waiting patiently at the...: It's Halloween and Greg's waiting patiently at the door with a big bowl of candy for the trick-or-treaters! He is very excited and I noticed...

It's Halloween and Greg's waiting patiently at the door with a big bowl of candy for the trick-or-treaters! He is very excited and I noticed that he put out more Halloween decorations for the kids.  He even has the Halloween music playing as he watches scary movies on tv!  Of course he has his candy ready.  I don't want to disappoint him but I don't expect too many trick-or-treaters tonight.  It's only 50 degrees and it's a school night.  But regardless to that I'm going to think positive and hope we have a good night! After all it's not dark yet!

Living with an Autistic Child: Recently I was reading a blog about a mother of an...

Living with an Autistic Child: Recently I was reading a blog about a mother of an...: Recently I was reading a blog about a mother of an Autistic boy. She had many concerns about his behavior. When he acted out she would tel...

Recently I was reading a blog about a mother of an Autistic boy.  She had many concerns about his behavior.  When he acted out she would tell him to wait until his father got home and he was going to be in big trouble.  What does this mean to an autistic child?  First of all it lets the child know that you have absolutely no control over him or her.  Secondly, it suggests that the father might be abusive or very strict towards this child.  If this is the case abuse is not the answer.  This only teaches this child to be abusive towards others.  This mom should be firm and share the responsibility of disciplining this child. Time-out, limiting their play time, rewarding them when they do right and speaking to them in a firm voice helps a great deal!  Gregory can be manipulative if you show fear towards him.  I learned to look him in the eye, speak in a firm voice and be consistent with what I say.  If you don't do this, then this child will make your life a living hell!  Trust me, I've been there and I've done that!

Living with an Autistic Child: Today's a great day! Just got home from another g...

Living with an Autistic Child: Today's a great day! Just got home from another g...: Today's a great day! Just got home from another great workout at the gym! Gregory is quite proud of his achievement on the eliptical machi...

Today's a great day!  Just got home from another great workout at the gym!  Gregory is quite proud of his achievement on the eliptical machine.  He burned 400 calories!  Wow! Later on today he will probably spend his day watching his favorite movies. He likes old stuff like Beverly Hills Cop, Child's Play,  Little Shop of Horrors, and Honey I Blew up the Kid.  Several others I can't remember them all. He also likes to spend time on the internet downloading old television shows. The rest of the day he will probably spend in the kitchen helping me with dinner.

Living with an Autistic Child: Today is a great day and Gregory is very excited b...

Living with an Autistic Child: Today is a great day and Gregory is very excited b...: Today is a great day and Gregory is very excited because it's his sister's birthday. He has two other sisters and a younger brother. He called me three times at work already! He started ...

Today is a great day and Gregory is very excited because it's his sister's birthday. He has 2 other sisters and a younger brother.  He called me three times at work already!  He started baking a cake for her and can't wait to put the icing on it too.  He loves cake, and did I mention he loves food in general!  However he has to limit his portions of course, due to the cholesterol content. I must admit he has been very good about watching his cholesterol and he takes his meds like clockwork.  I'm very proud of him!  As far as decorating the cake, Greg decided to use orange trimmings because it's close to Halloween.  And we all know he's in the Halloween spirit and can't wait for that day either.  I must say the cake is coming along great and once again Greg has accomplished his mission!  Great job Greg! He's smiling from ear to ear!

Living with an Autistic Child: FYI: It is estimated that one in every 110 childr...

Living with an Autistic Child: FYI: It is estimated that one in every 110 childr...: FYI: It is estimated that one in every 110 children is diagnosed with Autism, making it more common than juvenile diabetes, childhood cance...

FYI:  It is estimated that one in every 110 children is diagnosed with Autism, making it more common than juvenile diabetes, childhood cancer and pediatric AIDS combined.  An estimated 1,5 million people in the US and tens of millions throughout the world are affected by Autism.  Statistics show the prevalence rate of Autism increasing 10-17 percent annually.  At the moment there is no established explanation for this increase.  Studies have shown that boys are more likely than girls to develop Autism and receive the diagnosis three to four times more frequently.  In the US alone, one out of 70 boys is diagnosed with Autism.

Living with an Autistic Child: After a busy day at work I came home to a big surp...

Living with an Autistic Child: After a busy day at work I came home to a big surp...: After a busy day at work I came home to a big surprise. Gregory cooked dinner for me. Could you believe it? He cooked spaghetti and ga...

After a busy day at work I came home to a big surprise.  Gregory cooked dinner for me.  Could you believe it?     He cooked spaghetti and garlic bread all by himself!  He even baked chocolate chip cookies and blueberry muffins!  Wow!  I'm very impressed and very proud of him!  He doesn't cease to amaze me!  Everyday is something new with him. The important thing is to continue giving our kids confidence and lots of praise.  Be patient and the rewards will come!  No matter how big or small they are,  just be thankful for each and every accomplishment!

Living with an Autistic Child: The weather wasn't too bad the past week or so. G...

Living with an Autistic Child: The weather wasn't too bad the past week or so. G...: The weather wasn't too bad the past week or so. Gregory seems to be in a great mood today. He seemed to be entertaining a couple of young ...

The weather wasn't too bad the past week or so.  Gregory seems to be in a great mood today.  He seemed to be entertaining a couple of young ladies as my car pulled up in the driveway after work today.  As I mentioned before Greg is very friendly.  He also knows that he's a handsome young man. He's 27 and he often tells me "I'm a grown man I can do things myself."  There was a time when I would cut his hair for him but now he insists on going to the barbershop. I guess you can he has grown up.

Living with an Autistic Child: Thinking back when Greg was a child many people wo...

Living with an Autistic Child: Thinking back when Greg was a child many people wo...: Thinking back when Greg was a child many people would say that he was too smart to be Autistic! Really Autistic people are very intelligent...

Thinking back when Greg was a child many people would say that he was too smart to be Autistic!  Really Autistic people are very intelligent!  There are many famous people with Autism or Autistic characteristics. Commonly known as Autistic Spectrum disorders.  Some of them are Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Mark Twain, Emily Dickinson, Beethoven, Van Gogh, Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Edison.  Did you know that the average human processes 13 to 30 cycles of brain wave energy per second in their conscious state?  A child with Autism can process up to 250,000 cycles of brain wave energy per second in their conscious state!  I'm saying this to inform you that some people on the Autistic spectrum are overly smart and show it in their own special way! I'm just saying that the famous people I mentioned above with Autistic traits were geniuses in my opinion!  They were able to go beyond what we would consider common understanding and take it to the next level!

Living with an Autistic Child: Knowing the early signs of Autism and having your ...

Living with an Autistic Child: Knowing the early signs of Autism and having your ...: Knowing the early signs of Autism and having your babies screened as early as 16 months can benefit your child's development a great deal! E...

Knowing the early signs of Autism and having your babies screened as early as 16 months can benefit your child's development a great deal! Early intervention may be a step in the right direction for your child development. If you notice any unusual signs in development such as no big smiles or joyful expressions by six months;  no back-and-forth sharing of sounds, facial expressions or smiles by nine months;  no babbling, gestures, such as pointing, showing,  reaching, no two- word meaningful phrases or waving by twelve months;  no words by sixteen months; or a loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age. If you notice any of these signs in your child's development call your Pediatrician and get your child tested! Although there is no cure for Autism there is hope.  The sooner the detection the better!

Life with an Autistic Son isn't easy!  You might want to say "Why me!"  I used to say that when Greg was young and a teacher of Greg's told me that it takes a special person to raise a special child. I remembered that and it somehow got me through all the tough times!

Living with an Autistic Child: Tell me why today is Saturday my day off from work...

Living with an Autistic Child: Tell me why today is Saturday my day off from work...: Tell me why today is Saturday my day off from work and I just left my son's doctors office after 3 hours of waiting? Sounds totally ridicul...

Tell me why today is Saturday my day off from work and I just left my son's doctors office after 3 hours of waiting?  Sounds totally ridiculous, right?  I thought of finding another doctor but the truth is I hate to part with this doctor.  He's really good with Gregory and he is patient and understanding and knowledgeable. It's important to have a good doctor that's experienced in Autistic individuals.  He's aware of the emotion problems associated with them and knows the right medications to prescribe for them. I only wish I had known this doctor years ago!  Doctors in the past had Greg on series of medications. From Ritalin to Haldol, you name it and nothing seemed to work for him.  So I guess next time I'll get there much earlier to cut down on waiting time. Well now I must decide what to do with the rest of my day.  Gregory suggested going out to dinner, but that;s a bad idea!  He has to watch his cholesterol and when we go out he tends to overeat.  As you know he loves to eat.  After we get home from the gym Greg wants to shop for more Halloween decorations and maybe catch a movie. He's great in the movie theater.  He prefers to sit alone, but he's very quiet you wouldn't know he's there! I think a movie would be a great idea! It's been a while and I know he would love it!

Living with an Autistic Child: It's been a very cold week and Gregory tells me th...

Living with an Autistic Child: It's been a very cold week and Gregory tells me th...: It's been a very cold week and Gregory tells me that he thinks it's going to snow! I really don't want to think about snow, but he's right!...

It's been a very cold week and Gregory tells me that he thinks it's going to snow!  I really don't want to think about snow, but he's right!  Michigan weather is unpredictable at times so maybe we can slide by with a couple more warm days! I spent my evening yesterday reading other blogs on Autism and I found a lot of troubled parents. I never realized how many parents are at their wits end due to the stress of raising their Autistic child.  Some parents have suffered nervous breakdowns and others are on the verge of having a breakdown.  Thinking back when Greg was a child it was quite difficult.  If I could make it through the day without a call from his teacher that would be a beautiful thing!  For some reason he wasn't listening, he was throwing things, yelling or not interacting with the other kids!  It was always something!  After seeing a neurologist Greg was finally diagnosed with Autism!  That changed things dramatically!  I realized he was placed in the wrong classroom and the classroom for Autistic children was much smaller with 10 children, and at least one teacher per 2 students.  He was more relaxed and much more controlled. Finally the phone calls gradually stopped!

Living with an Autistic Child: Today is an exciting day for Gregory. He decided ...

Living with an Autistic Child: Today is an exciting day for Gregory. He decided ...: Today is an exciting day for Gregory. He decided to decorate the front yard for Halloween. He started by raking up all the leaves and swee...

Living with an Autistic Child: Today is an exciting day for Gregory. He decided ...

Living with an Autistic Child: Today is an exciting day for Gregory. He decided ...: Today is an exciting day for Gregory. He decided to decorate the front yard for Halloween. He started by raking up all the leaves and swee...

Today is an exciting day for Gregory.  He decided to decorate the front yard for Halloween.  He started by raking up all the leaves and sweeping off the front porch.  As soon as my car pulled up in the driveway he couldn't wait to show me what a great job he did!  He loves to decorate and says he wants to get ready for the Trick-or-Treaters!  He likes to pass out candy to the kids and he's quite generous!  Well it's almost time for dinner and as you know Greg loves to eat! We agreed to have stir-fry vegetables with shrimp.  He realizes that he has to eat healthy.  He always tells me how he has to watch his cholesterol.  He's very health conscientious!

Living with an Autistic Child: Autistic children are capable of mastering certain...

Living with an Autistic Child: Autistic children are capable of mastering certain...: Autistic children are capable of mastering certain skills. With early exposure to a variety of learning tools your child can find his level...

Autistic children are capable of mastering certain skills.  With early exposure to a variety of learning tools your child can find his level of comfort.  For example Autistic individuals have photographic memories. They learn better by sight (hands on experience).  Picture puzzles and memory games are great learning tools for them.  It's a fun way of learning and it helps to build up their vocabulary!. Too much too soon will make them angry and frustrated. It's better to set small goals for them at a time. And when the accomplish the goal, praise them for it!  

Living with an Autistic Child: After a long busy day at work would you believe I ...

Living with an Autistic Child: After a long busy day at work would you believe I ...: After a long busy day at work would you believe I had to make a trip to the grocery store? It's only the middle of the week at rush hour an...

After a long busy day at work would you believe I had to make a trip to the grocery store?  It's only the middle of the week at rush hour and the traffic is horrible!  To make my shopping trip easier,  I brought Gregory along. No need for a shopping list, he has a great memory. He knows exactly what food items we need!   Someone asked me if crowded places bothered him.  Not at all!  He loves being out in public places.  I can remember when he was a child how difficult it was taking him out.  He would scream, throw temper tantrums and take off running through the store!  On many occasions I had to pay for things he knocked over and broke.  Sometimes he would rip open candy bars!  It was quite embarrassing at times and I was forever apologizing for his behavior.  However I continued to take him out with me and I was determined to get him to behave!  It took a while until finally he became more controlled.  Thank God!  All I can say is you wouldn't believe he is the same person he was back then!

Living with an Autistic Child: Today is what I call Blue Monday. Everybody seems...

Living with an Autistic Child: Today is what I call Blue Monday. Everybody seems...: Today is what I call Blue Monday. Everybody seems to be in a really bad mood, that is most people. Gregory on the other hand is as happy a...

Today is what I call Blue Monday.  Everybody seems to be in a really bad mood, that is most people.  Gregory on the other hand is as happy as they come!  He's just laughing and having a good time.  Who knows why.  Too bad I can't bottle up some of that laughter and take it to work with me!  I mean why are people so angry? I spent most of my weekend reading other blogs on Autism.  You would be surprised of how many misconceptions people have about Autism!  Having Autism doesn't you lack intelligence!  Who said these children couldn't live productive lives!  Some parents don't think their children will ever talk and sadly they don't try to teach them either!  Parents, please take time to work with your child.  You might be very surprised of their capabilities.  Have faith and don't give up hope!  They are really very special people.  Why not give them a chance to prove it!

Living with an Autistic Child: I am totally thankful for this day and the fact th...

Living with an Autistic Child: I am totally thankful for this day and the fact th...: I am totally thankful for this day and the fact that I have electricity! Thank God! We were without power for the last 24 hours! It's fun...

I am totally thankful for this day and the fact that I have electricity!  Thank God!  We were without power for the last 24 hours!  It's funny how we take the simple things like power for granted.  I was about to lose my mind!  Gregory didn't seem to have a problem with it at all.  In fact he found it to be rather funny.  It kind of makes you wonder who really has emotional problems.  Everything's fine now and I can function now!  Gregory is relaxed and listening to music videos on cable.  He's in a great mood!  He helped me prepare dinner earlier and we are having meatloaf. We normally would have gone to church today.  By the way Gregory loves church.  Our church has a video arcade, a cafe,, a bookstore, and a youth ministry.  The pastor goes way out for the youths. Gregory is well known and highly favored around the congregation for sure! By the way he's quite friendly and will voluntarily introduce himself, especially to the ladies!

At last it's Saturday and Gregory is in rare forms today.  Too bad he just wants to stay to himself and listen to his music.  It wont be a good idea to bother him today.  He will come around that is when he's ready!  Someone asked me what is Autism?  Well it's a developmental brain disorder and really doesn't show up until age 2-3.  There really no known cause for it.  It has been estimated that one out of every 110 children are diagnosed with it.  You think you have a happy healthy baby until his second birthday when you notice that he's not talking and won't interact with other kids.  That's how it was for me and although medical professions told me my son would probably never talk, I refused to listen!  I continued to work with his vocabulary.  I went against all odds to prove them all wrong and I did!  Don't believe what they tell you!  Keep working with them read them books and most of all keep talking to them no matter what.  They probably won't talk back or give you eye contact but keep on talking.  It takes time and patience!

Thank God it's Friday!  Gregory is happy that I'm home for the weekend!  He's ready for dinner and tells me we are having chicken.  He tells me that he washed two loads of laundry today and of course I told him how proud I am that he did a great job!  Wonderful Gregory!  That really made my day!  Now he wants to know if we are having dessert after dinner?  Of course I will be happy to make dessert, he deserves it!  After all he has been standing outside waiting for me to get home in the cold, and who knows how long that was! I told him he shouldn't wait out in the cold for me.  He told me not to worry because he's a grown man so I just said ok you are right.  I guess I should make cupcakes for Gregory, it's one of his favorite desserts.

Today is a great day!  Gregory decided that We should have leftovers for dinner.  Wonderful!  I really didn't feel up to cooking tonight anyway! Thanks!  We just got home from the gym and we had a long and great workout.  I think vegetables and pasta salad is a great idea.  Besides Gregory agrees and wants to watch his cholesterol.  He was nice enough to heat up the food for me.  What more can a mother ask for!  Now he is fixing my plate.  How sweet!  Don't get me wrong he's not always this sweet.  He has his dark moments! I'm thankful for days like these, trust me!

Living with an Autistic Child: Everyday is a new adventure with my son Gregory. ...

Living with an Autistic Child: Everyday is a new adventure with my son Gregory. ...: Everyday is a new adventure with my son Gregory. Sometimes he's happy and other days he's not. Sometimes he's quite talkative other times ...

Everyday is a new adventure with my son Gregory.  Sometimes he's happy and other days he's not.  Sometimes he's quite talkative other times he has nothing to say.  He's so very sensitive at times that its like walking on eggshells.  You have to be careful about what you say to him and how you say it, or you will hurt his feelings.  He's great most of the time.  When I get home from work he's usually waiting on the front porch for me, rain or shine.  He knows what time I should be home or I will be getting a phone call from him on my cell.  He'll say "Where you at?"  When I get home he always asks me how my day went.  Then I ask him how his day was.  He tells me what he did for the day. Sometimes he rakes the leaves or takes out the trash.  Whatever it is he gives me full details. Then he usually tells me whats for dinner.  By the way, he loves to eat.  He always takes meat out of the freezer to thaw just in time for me to get home and cook for him.  He spends most of his day listening to cassette tapes of old music over and over again. That's right he still listens to cassettes.  Lol! I offered to buy him a CD player but he told me he didn't like CD players. So if he's happy so I'm I!  He also likes to watch old movies re-runs.  His favorites are Beverly Hills Cop, Child's play, and Honey I Blew up the Kid!