Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Living with Autsim: Autism not diagnosed as early in minority children...

Living with Autsim: Autism not diagnosed as early in minority children...: Ok so I have been reading on Twitter and on the news how minorities are being diagnosed later than white kids.. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk...

Autism not diagnosed as early in minority children... Wth??

Ok so I have been reading on Twitter and on the news how minorities are being diagnosed later than white kids..
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/health&id=8561085

Seriously is not enough that we have to deal with the diagnosis of Autism and now we have to make it a racial issue?? The problem I don't think is the race of the families, I believe is on the doctors. I have encountered several overbearing and condescending doctors, who don't listen to you and give you the run around.

Because for some reason, there are some doctors who don't listen to the parents (the ones with the child 24/7) they just believe what they want and don't even diagnosed the kids because what they believe goes.

When Alex was 1 1/2, the neurologist told us there was nothing wrong with Alex. That people were wrong to want a child that age to follow rules and to even listen to parents, basically he said that Alex had the terrible two's... we have been having the terrible two's for a while now by his diagnosis...

So please parents, you know your child best, if you think there is something wrong with your child and your doctor is not listening go for a second opinion, a third a fourth, these is the life of your child especially if you suspect he has special needs.
It does not matter what race you are, you have to make your doctor's listen to you!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Living with Autsim: Emotional Connections

Living with Autsim: Emotional Connections: I went to a meeting with a new program in the community program that Alex participates during the school year and during the Summer. And thi...

Emotional Connections

I went to a meeting with a new program in the community program that Alex participates during the school year and during the Summer. And this new program called IMPACT which will connect me with different therapies and different programs including Michelle P. Waiver (if you don't know what or who Michelle P. Waiver was, google it) .
We were discussing how I "deal" and "cope" with Alex, and he mentioned something interesting, that I think people don't understand. He said that most parents of children with autism, the most difficult part that they go through is "not having an emotional connection" with their child. ???? what? Yes, Alex lacks basic understanding of emotions, he doesn't understand why your crying, he doesn't get basic humor, he will never understand sarcasm (poor me), but just because he doesn't understand it, doesn't know he doesn't feel it.
Everyone expresses emotions in different ways, so do they. And it sooo ironic to me that I have a child like Alex. I grew up, basically trying to shut down human emotion because it was better that way, logic was better than feeling the disinfection that was going on around me. (I had a difficult childhood) It was better to separate emotion from every day living... and trust me I accomplished it, in fact if it wasn't for my brother, i truely would have no idea how i would have dealt with everything... hopefully he won't read this cause he'll gloat...lol so its easy for me to separate emotions from my daily life, and its so IRONIC that I have a child like Alex, he naturally does what I learned to do lol and I connect with him because I know that in his head, things don't work in an emotional level.
I have an emotional connection with my child, it might one sided lol but every morning Alex comes to my bed so he could snuggle with me, that's my emotional connection, I take my emotional need from stuff like that and it takes me closer to him. I don't struggle with the emotional side, because I take what I need from moments like that, and thats it, take what you can get. I know he loves me, I know he cares, but he can't tell me, but i am sure as hell he lets me know with actions like that.
Basically the moral of the story kids is, that you have to understand your kids, somehow, get inside their heads and get to know them, its hard as hell when they can't speak, but they show you if ask the right way.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The Difference between Autism, Aspergers and PDD-NOS...and new changes by the APA

I know many who get confused, or just don't know. I will tell you the difference, either way is my opinion that each child is special in their own way, it doesn't matter what spectrum they are on, or if they are not in any.

Autism


- To have Autism, a child struggles with social delays, language delays, and repetitive or obsessive behaviors.


Asperger Syndrome


- To have Asperger Syndrome, a child has social delays, later delays in communication and language usuage (without early language delays), average or above intelligence and obsessive behaviors.


PDD-NOS


- To have PDD-NOS, means a child has social and communications issues, but does not fully meet the criteria for either of the other two diagnoses.


Now, I gave this definitions because there is a new evaluation being done by the American Psychiatric Association that will re-define the diagnosis in the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used to determine treatment, insurance coverage and access to services for a variety of mental illnesses.
Basically what the "Experts"  will do is exclude Asperger's and PDD-NOS from the Autism Spectrum. They believe that this changes will probably lower the amount of Autistic diagnosis, which has been rising sharply in recent years.
So the so called "Experts" are going to set stricter set of criteria's when diagnosing, the person would have to show three deficits in Social Interaction and Communication and Two Repetitive behaviors.

  What bothers me about this, is that a lot of children will no longer get as much therapies, nor as much help because they will not "fit" the criteria. Read the definitions and you will see and understand that no matter what this kids NEED speech therapies, behavior therapy, IP therapies, all of this kids need groups so they can socially interact, so they can learn how to interact, because unlike regular kids, these kids need to be trained, and educated in social interaction. We naturally learn how to act in public, what to say in front of people, these kids DON'T, they just don't know, they don't learn like we do. (Perfect example, watch The Big Bank Theory, and see how Shelton acts, see what he says and the things he does and you will understand)
Also, a huge issue is Communication problems, just because two of this two can speak doesn't mean they actually know how to communicate, in fact, most regular adults can't freaking communicate LOL what makes you think they CAN. Some of these kids you have to say what you actually mean, you can't be sarcastic because they can take it literal sense, those are communication issues that this so called "Experts" are overseeing.








Friday, February 3, 2012

Living with Autsim: Carly

Living with Autsim: Carly: Ok, so I was on CM yesterday and someone put this video up and I was absolutely blown away by it. Carly is a young teenager from Canada...

Carly


Ok, so I was on CM yesterday and someone put this video up and I was absolutely blown away by it. Carly is a young teenager from Canada, who has Autism, well what the "experts" define as "Severe Autism".
And I watched it, and I made my husband watch it, and then I made my MIL watch it, and I put it on FB and I got a lot of positive responses.
And after watching it, I looked at Alex and I almost said "Shit" and then I realized... his actually most likely listening to everything I say. And I know he does listen, he is responding very well to everyone, following directions and everything, so now, this video kind of proofed what I have been feeling for a long time.
Just because he can't speak, just because his outputting noises, it doesn't mean his not listening to me, and you actually see the things that she talks about in Alex. The outputting noise, the hand flapping, everything that he does, he does for a reason, and I always understood, that there were some things that he could not help doing, so I would leave it alone because I am not going to fight something that he himself can't control, at least that was my way of thinking, and it turns out... i was half way there.
Now we see Alex in a whole different way, I told my husband, once you see this, it will totally change the way you think about Alex, and when he was done watching it, he was like, wtf? he was like your right!
We now see him in a different, more positive light. And it gives us hope, no one knows if what happened to Carly is something that is standard, or something she can only do, but it gives us hope that one day he will pick up the computer and type up something, anything. Or that at least, he will find a way to communicate somehow.
Anyways, watch the video guys, its something that we all have to celebrate.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Police Killed a 15 Year old Autistic Kid in Chicago!

So I was on Twitter this morning and I have @earlyautism on my twitter and they give news and info on a lot of Autism things that are going on. And today I saw something that totally worried me and I thought it was so badly handled.

BTW here is the link to the actual article. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-calumet-city-shooting-20120202,0,6999817.story

An autistic 15 year old was killed by Police, he was diagnosed with Asperger's when he was 9. Now this is not the first time that the police has been called in regards to Stephon Watts. Steven Watts (his father) mentioned in the article that I read that he was advised by the child's doctors and social workers to call police every time Stephon would become agitated, because Stephon was 5'10 and 220 pounds (at 15) and he has punched his mother in the face before, and the cops have been called at least 10 times sense 2010.
So the Chicago police knew that that house was a red flag because there was an autistic child living in that house with past insidents.
The situation was, Stephon did not want to go to school and so his father took away his computer and took it to the basement, Stephon was at the moment of the incident in the basement with his father when the police came, Stephon was holding a butter knife (yes, I said a BUTTER knife) and so the cops felt threaten and so they shot him twice and Stephon was killed.

So there is a few things that I would like to point out, the Chicago police had no idea how to deal with a child with autism (NONE WHATSOEVER) so obviously they are not trained to deal with the mentally disabled nor with autistic children, that's sad, and something that especially police officers SHOULD know, and know how to handle.
Another, if the police knew that the child had Autism and that he became violent and that that property had a red flag because of past incidents.. why not handle the situation better?? why not disarmed the kid and calm him down by holding him down on the floor? why was that not an option?
Another thing that worries me from a parent point of view, this kid was 15 years old, and he was 5'10 and 220 pounds... my son is 4 about to be 5 and he is 3'1/2 feet tall and 58 pounds and extremely strong... what the hell am I going to do? and am like 5' ft.. well my driver license says 5'2.. what am I going to do when his older and bigger??

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Living with Autsim: Therapy Session with MIL.

Living with Autsim: Therapy Session with MIL.: Today was the first session with my MIL and the therapist Kourtney and a translator. Side note, I could have done a better job at translatin...

Therapy Session with MIL.

Today was the first session with my MIL and the therapist Kourtney and a translator. Side note, I could have done a better job at translating than this lady, for real, I understand that she did not understand what the session was about, but she was mainly misinterpreting was Kourtney was saying, whatever, the point was with my help the damn point got across.
So, mainly what Kourtney was telling her was that she needed to do in steps if Alex had a meltdown. And to also start setting boundaries with him.
We also explained to her that when Alex grabs my hand, he lets me know what he needs or wants, that I don't just make it up (Alex grabs my hand and my MIL asks me whats wrong, at first I would tell her idk, then it was hold on, it came to a point that I would not answer) so now she knows that if Alex grabs her hand she needs to let him show her what he wants or what he needs.
Also if the boundaries that she sets is not working with him, then someone needs to step in and help. Also that she needs to be firm, even in the face of a meltdown, and if she can't handle the meltdown, then she needs to walk away.
The first question that was asked "how do you feel about the situation with Alex" her response was "its sad, because no one wants to deal with a special needs child" and she was honest, and she expressed her feelings. Until finally we got to the core of the problem... she feels bad, it hurts her to see that he is not understanding or coping with a situation and his having a meltdown, it gives her anxiety when he has anxiety, but Kourtney told her that she had to take a hold of herself and use self control.
A thing with Alex, you can't show a moment of weakness, no moment of hesitation, he sees it, he smells it I swear LOL and he knows right now who the weakest link is in the house is, he knows when your giving in and how to do it, he has actually sat down next to his father and screamed his head off knowing that daddy gets desperate, with me he has tried every thing, but Mommy don't play that!
So, we are going to have another session next week, but with another translator... hopefully.