I did think my next blog post was going to be about Sensory Miles. However, today was something crazy.
Many of you know my cat Ziggy is not doing well. I came to terms with myself that I needed to assess Ziggy's quality of life. The poor thing had been locked in our laundry room until that room really smelled and I moved him to the bathroom in the basement. That is not the life I would like to live. I mean I have been taking him outside in the back yard as much as I can, but I can't let him walk around the house because he seems to be peeing everywhere.
Saturday I wanted to get him to the vet... to tell them Ziggy's time is up. It felt painful but they could not get him in until Tuesday... today. Today I gave Ziggy extra love and cuddles and the whole time I had to keep myself from crying. I kept having to remind myself that it would be better for him just to go then to keep him and he keep getting worse. Of course they could not get him in until 4:00 pm so the day had to start out like normal.
The boys played outside in their swimming pool and I took Ziggy out for fresh air. He looked so sad and pathetic. His fur is all knotted because he does not care to clean himself. His underside is really bad because I was having to pull him out from under my bed by his scruff and the made his fur more knotted. I noticed he could barely walk and the confirmed to me that it was time.
I had to get the boys in the house and dressed to go grocery shopping. Strangely Avery asked why I was not getting a 'car cart'. "Why, are you going to sit in one?" I asked him. "I'm tired" he replied. So he crammed himself into the car with Miles. Miles kept hugging Avery into a headlock, therefor many people in the store found them amusing.
We got home in time for me to put the groceries away and get the cat packed up in his carrier to go to the vet. On my way to the vet I had the radio on. The song "Stay" by Rihanna ( video and song here) was playing and then started to get overplayed by another signal playing some somber classical cello music. The music then when I thought the music was coming back it was really "Try" by Pink. (song here). Then the music changed back into cello, then Stay, then Try and kept switching. Don't ask me why I did not change the station or turn it off because I don't know. Instead I said out loud. "Cut it out! I am not in the mood! Pick a song... one song... and stick with it!!!!" and then the music switched to Stay and stayed.
At the vet: In walk a new doctor that does not know Ziggy. All he knows is what he has read on his charts. The funny thing about bringing Ziggy to the vet is that they always have a hunch what is wrong with him. and hunched on how to treat him. This new guy didn't even let me get in that I wanted to end the poor things life. He talked about getting him retested with an expensive test for his thyroid, and how if it is, and he BET ME that HE WOULD BE RIGHT, that it would be easy to treat. He kept saying how Ziggy is too young to be sick and he would not really let me say much. I ended up getting Ziggy more food and more of the steroid medication he has been taking and left with my cat.
I had planned on the fact that I would be crying when I left for home... but not because I was taking the cat back home with me. I had no idea what was happening really. I am still a bit confused about it all. Anyway on the way home it started raining, it was sunny and pouring rain at the same time. Then there would be no rain and you could see a head that you were going to drive into another down pour. It was strange,
Sorry how long this is. ... I was thinking the next part I was going to write about going to the Chilson Center could be a whole different post. So I think I will spare you and write the rest later.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Sensory Avery
I joke that while in the womb Avery picked what he wanted and left the rest for Miles. No one has to tell me that all children are different but sensory need is one of the things that sets my children apart. I don't think that Avery will ever be diagnosed with something like Sensory Processing Disorder because he has learned to cope with most of his sensory issues and they don't affect his everyday life like children who are diagnosed with SPD.
Avery could be classified as an "avoider" when it comes to sensory needs. His avoider tendencies have always stood out to me --- maybe because I don't fit that. When Miles' therapists where pointing out Miles seeking sensory input, I never really noticed because I related to what Miles was doing. I could not relate to Avery's avoidance of sensory input.
The first thing I noticed about baby Avery was that he did not want his face covered with a blanket. This meant not even over his infant carrier. Since he was born in October and the cold months were just starting, you had better believe that we heard multiple comments about covering our baby. I first thought maybe he just got too hot, or wanted to see the world. Then one day I went out to lunch with my best friend's dad. He worked near my house and he wanted to see Avery. When I dropped him back off at work Avery was sleeping. I started driving again and Avery started screaming like something was murdering him. I was almost home so I did not pull over. When I got home I found Avery's blanket was placed over the car seat and over his face. Now it was not right on his face, but he was under the blanket.
Because Avery did not like to have his head covered I ended up bottle feeding him along with breast feeding him. It also worked out because he was a pretty hungry baby! If we were not at home I would most likely bottle feed because I wanted to cover up in public and Avery would not nurse under a blanket... no matter how hungry he was. Also to back track I forgot to mention that Avery did not enjoy being swaddled for more than a few minutes.
To go in progression of age I will talk about Avery's crawling. I did not think about this as sensory avoidance until recently. Avery for the most part did not crawl. I have some videos where he is sort of scooting but he is trying to avoid putting his knees on the ground. Both knees were never on the ground at the same time. He also did not like 'tummy time' as an infant.
Until he could walk he also did not like being in the grass. Once he could walk he did not care.
Recently I checked off a SPD screening checklist for both kids. Not to make this post long I will briefly state the other things I marked off for Avery on the list. Some of the thing Avery will tolerate now, for example brushing, washing and cutting his hair. It used to take 3 trips to the hair place and sometimes it would still end up not finished. Somewhere I have a picture.
Avery is not really a cuddly kid. It is not that he is not affectionate but he prefers not to cuddle for long periods of time... UNLESS YOU ARE HIS NANA! He could cuddle with Nana all day, I have always been a little jealous.
Avery has become a little more tolerant of messy play and getting his hands messy. I think now that he can go wash his hands himself I just don't hear the complaint anymore. He would even freak out if Miles was messy too, but I think he is used to that. This is also why he avoids sauce of most kinds unless it is cheese or chocolate.
The one place where Avery is a seeker and not an avoider is the fact that he has to jump on EVERYTHING and still at ave 5.5 needs to put things in his mouth.
After Avery got too big to sit in a bucket swing he does not like swinging. He wants to but he does not. He does not like to be tipped upside-down, unless he does it to himself on the couch and has rarely been a risk taker.
Avery gets startled by loud sounds. Before he got used to his Uncle Phil, just Phil's loud laugh would make him cry. Avery covers his ears when he is scared. He is more afraid of a loud sound than seeing something scary. If the sound is unexpected, not even loud it can freak him out. He still does not like the sound of fireworks or thunder.
A few other things I marked off for Avery are: needs directions repeated often, says 'what?' frequently, has difficulty locating items among other items.
That is my Avery and how he avoids sensory.
Avery could be classified as an "avoider" when it comes to sensory needs. His avoider tendencies have always stood out to me --- maybe because I don't fit that. When Miles' therapists where pointing out Miles seeking sensory input, I never really noticed because I related to what Miles was doing. I could not relate to Avery's avoidance of sensory input.
The first thing I noticed about baby Avery was that he did not want his face covered with a blanket. This meant not even over his infant carrier. Since he was born in October and the cold months were just starting, you had better believe that we heard multiple comments about covering our baby. I first thought maybe he just got too hot, or wanted to see the world. Then one day I went out to lunch with my best friend's dad. He worked near my house and he wanted to see Avery. When I dropped him back off at work Avery was sleeping. I started driving again and Avery started screaming like something was murdering him. I was almost home so I did not pull over. When I got home I found Avery's blanket was placed over the car seat and over his face. Now it was not right on his face, but he was under the blanket.
Because Avery did not like to have his head covered I ended up bottle feeding him along with breast feeding him. It also worked out because he was a pretty hungry baby! If we were not at home I would most likely bottle feed because I wanted to cover up in public and Avery would not nurse under a blanket... no matter how hungry he was. Also to back track I forgot to mention that Avery did not enjoy being swaddled for more than a few minutes.
To go in progression of age I will talk about Avery's crawling. I did not think about this as sensory avoidance until recently. Avery for the most part did not crawl. I have some videos where he is sort of scooting but he is trying to avoid putting his knees on the ground. Both knees were never on the ground at the same time. He also did not like 'tummy time' as an infant.
Recently I checked off a SPD screening checklist for both kids. Not to make this post long I will briefly state the other things I marked off for Avery on the list. Some of the thing Avery will tolerate now, for example brushing, washing and cutting his hair. It used to take 3 trips to the hair place and sometimes it would still end up not finished. Somewhere I have a picture.
Avery is not really a cuddly kid. It is not that he is not affectionate but he prefers not to cuddle for long periods of time... UNLESS YOU ARE HIS NANA! He could cuddle with Nana all day, I have always been a little jealous.
Avery has become a little more tolerant of messy play and getting his hands messy. I think now that he can go wash his hands himself I just don't hear the complaint anymore. He would even freak out if Miles was messy too, but I think he is used to that. This is also why he avoids sauce of most kinds unless it is cheese or chocolate.
The one place where Avery is a seeker and not an avoider is the fact that he has to jump on EVERYTHING and still at ave 5.5 needs to put things in his mouth.
After Avery got too big to sit in a bucket swing he does not like swinging. He wants to but he does not. He does not like to be tipped upside-down, unless he does it to himself on the couch and has rarely been a risk taker.
Avery gets startled by loud sounds. Before he got used to his Uncle Phil, just Phil's loud laugh would make him cry. Avery covers his ears when he is scared. He is more afraid of a loud sound than seeing something scary. If the sound is unexpected, not even loud it can freak him out. He still does not like the sound of fireworks or thunder.
A few other things I marked off for Avery are: needs directions repeated often, says 'what?' frequently, has difficulty locating items among other items.
That is my Avery and how he avoids sensory.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
I have these 2 songs in my head a lot lately so I thought I would share.
#1 "Somewhere Only We Know" - KEANE
#1 "Somewhere Only We Know" - KEANE
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know?
Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go?
So why don't we go?
Ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know?
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete
Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know?
Oh simple thing where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
And if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go?
So why don't we go?
Ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know?
#2"Carry On" - FUN.
Well I woke up to the sound of silence
And cries were cutting like knives in a fist fight
And I found you with a bottle of wine
Your head in the curtains
And heart like the Fourth of July
You swore and said,
"We are not,
We are not shining stars."
This I know,
I never said we are
Though I've never been through hell like that
I've closed enough windows to know you can never look back
If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.
Carry on, carry on
So I met up with some friends at the edge of the night
At a bar off 75.
And we talked and talked about how our parents will die,
All our neighbours and wives.
But I like to think I can cheat it all
To make up for the times I've been cheated on.
And it's nice to know when I was left for dead
I was found and now I don't roam these streets,
I am not the ghost you are to me.
If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.
Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us tonight.
'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home
If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.
Oooh.
Oooh.
Oooh.
Oooh.
(No one's ever gonna stop us tonight)
(No one's ever, no one's ever gonna stop, no one's ever gonna stop us tonight)
(No one's ever, no one's ever gonna stop, no one's ever gonna stop, no one's ever gonna stop us tonight)
And cries were cutting like knives in a fist fight
And I found you with a bottle of wine
Your head in the curtains
And heart like the Fourth of July
You swore and said,
"We are not,
We are not shining stars."
This I know,
I never said we are
Though I've never been through hell like that
I've closed enough windows to know you can never look back
If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.
Carry on, carry on
So I met up with some friends at the edge of the night
At a bar off 75.
And we talked and talked about how our parents will die,
All our neighbours and wives.
But I like to think I can cheat it all
To make up for the times I've been cheated on.
And it's nice to know when I was left for dead
I was found and now I don't roam these streets,
I am not the ghost you are to me.
If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.
Whoa!
My head is on fire but my legs are fine.
After all they are mine.
Lay your clothes down on the floor,
Close the door, hold the phone,
Show me how no one’s ever gonna stop us tonight.
'Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home
If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.
Oooh.
Oooh.
Oooh.
Oooh.
(No one's ever gonna stop us tonight)
(No one's ever, no one's ever gonna stop, no one's ever gonna stop us tonight)
(No one's ever, no one's ever gonna stop, no one's ever gonna stop, no one's ever gonna stop us tonight)
Friday, July 12, 2013
Surprise Miles!!!
Today we went to a playground that Avery had been asking to go to all week. The playground has cool play equipment and a 'spray ground' area for the kids to get wet.
At first Miles wanted to swing, then chase a boy on a bicycle and then play in the sandbox. Once at the sand box I am surprised to see Miles sit down in the middle of a bunch of other kids sitting in the sand. A typical scene is Miles sitting off to the side watching the other kids play together. He is sitting right next to a girl wearing a Cindrella dress-up gown. This girl has to be about 7 or 8 years old. She is pouring sand into some sort of cone/bucket/not really sure and I see Miles with a hand full of sand and the girl says "HEEEYYYYY!!!!" From my angle I am not really sure but it looked like he was putting sand IN the thing. I'm thinking either way if he was putting sand in or taking it out he was 'playing' with her and I was impressed.
After she yells at him he stops and then he flipped over sprawled in the sand on his belly. Maybe I was not paying attention, but I think I was, but the girl kept telling Miles to "stop it." I was not sure what he was 'doing to her' but secretly I was hoping he was kicking up sand on her princess gown, she was covered in sand anyway. If she did not want to be maybe she should not have been wearing the dress in the sandbox. For some reason she kept making fun of him to her friends who seemed just to be ignoring her anyway.
After Miles was covered in sand I took him to the water part to hose off. This is where he stayed for the remainder of the park visit. Miles is a little bit of a water hog though. Most kids just kind of stay out of the way. This is surprise number two. There was a little itty bitty girl would was checking out the same water fountain as Miles. Miles reached out and PUSHED the little girl down. I have never seen him purposely push another child that was not his big brother! When she fell over and cried he did look upset and I put him in a timeout and he sat there. A small part of me was happy because, well that is what kids do. I wished it was not a little bitty girl though and I wished it did not make Miles seem like a monster child. I was seriously shocked because that was so not like him. The picture below is a few minutes before the push and the little girl in the white hat is the little girl.
At first Miles wanted to swing, then chase a boy on a bicycle and then play in the sandbox. Once at the sand box I am surprised to see Miles sit down in the middle of a bunch of other kids sitting in the sand. A typical scene is Miles sitting off to the side watching the other kids play together. He is sitting right next to a girl wearing a Cindrella dress-up gown. This girl has to be about 7 or 8 years old. She is pouring sand into some sort of cone/bucket/not really sure and I see Miles with a hand full of sand and the girl says "HEEEYYYYY!!!!" From my angle I am not really sure but it looked like he was putting sand IN the thing. I'm thinking either way if he was putting sand in or taking it out he was 'playing' with her and I was impressed.
After she yells at him he stops and then he flipped over sprawled in the sand on his belly. Maybe I was not paying attention, but I think I was, but the girl kept telling Miles to "stop it." I was not sure what he was 'doing to her' but secretly I was hoping he was kicking up sand on her princess gown, she was covered in sand anyway. If she did not want to be maybe she should not have been wearing the dress in the sandbox. For some reason she kept making fun of him to her friends who seemed just to be ignoring her anyway.
After Miles was covered in sand I took him to the water part to hose off. This is where he stayed for the remainder of the park visit. Miles is a little bit of a water hog though. Most kids just kind of stay out of the way. This is surprise number two. There was a little itty bitty girl would was checking out the same water fountain as Miles. Miles reached out and PUSHED the little girl down. I have never seen him purposely push another child that was not his big brother! When she fell over and cried he did look upset and I put him in a timeout and he sat there. A small part of me was happy because, well that is what kids do. I wished it was not a little bitty girl though and I wished it did not make Miles seem like a monster child. I was seriously shocked because that was so not like him. The picture below is a few minutes before the push and the little girl in the white hat is the little girl.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
The quest for the ice cream truck
The things we do for our children....
Avery has always been a passionate and sensitive boy. I think as he gets older these qualities will transfer to something great. As for now it might seem trivial to people who are not Avery. Today we heard the ice cream truck and I told him we could get something if it drove by. Finding the truck now became Avery's passion.
We were playing in the backyard at the time and we could hear the music playing... somewhere. Avery walked to the end of the street a said he thought he saw it... nothing. We could hear it very clearly but it was nowhere. I thought it could be in the neighborhood across the street. We went back to the house and got the double stroller (the kids have bare feet) and decided to head over. We could hear it louder and yet it seemed to be getting farther away. I RAN down a path to one of the main roads... and the music was gone.
I told Avery we had Popsicles at home, but at this point he was ready to cry. "We have to find the ice cream truck!!!!" Ok, ok... The music picked up again and there we were walking down roads in the other neighborhood. It was close to 100 degrees out and here I was pushing two 40lb kids in a double stroller. We would hear the music then it would be gone. Every time Avery would ask if I could hear it I would say "I don't think so, maybe, no, maybe, yes." I was thinking that by then we had become delirious with the music stuck playing over and over in our heads.
Eventually I say to Avery. "I'm sorry but I don't think we will find it. You can have something from home or maybe.... " NO WAY THERE WAS THE TRUCK!!!! It's music was no longer playing but there it was! Avery waves frantically at the ice cream man. It was like we had just been found dieing of thirst in the desert. The man pulls over and thank goodness I can get some ice cream.
Avery gets this big thing shaped like Sponge Bob and Miles gets a Bomb-pop. Finally we start to head home. I have to tell Avery to eat his precious Sponge Bob before it melts or Miles takes a bite... and then Miles takes a bite. Avery wanted to show his daddy and I assure him that Daddy knows what Sponge Bob looks like and that I am sure he could picture what the ice cream looks like.
Finally home! We are right in front of the house and the $%^& ice cream truck (with music) drives by. Of course he does. I figure though that if we had not stopped him he probably would have just moved to another area in town.
Between this event and then working out at the rec center I have put 10,500 steps on my pedometer... so maybe I need to chase ice cream trucks more often.
Avery has always been a passionate and sensitive boy. I think as he gets older these qualities will transfer to something great. As for now it might seem trivial to people who are not Avery. Today we heard the ice cream truck and I told him we could get something if it drove by. Finding the truck now became Avery's passion.
We were playing in the backyard at the time and we could hear the music playing... somewhere. Avery walked to the end of the street a said he thought he saw it... nothing. We could hear it very clearly but it was nowhere. I thought it could be in the neighborhood across the street. We went back to the house and got the double stroller (the kids have bare feet) and decided to head over. We could hear it louder and yet it seemed to be getting farther away. I RAN down a path to one of the main roads... and the music was gone.
I told Avery we had Popsicles at home, but at this point he was ready to cry. "We have to find the ice cream truck!!!!" Ok, ok... The music picked up again and there we were walking down roads in the other neighborhood. It was close to 100 degrees out and here I was pushing two 40lb kids in a double stroller. We would hear the music then it would be gone. Every time Avery would ask if I could hear it I would say "I don't think so, maybe, no, maybe, yes." I was thinking that by then we had become delirious with the music stuck playing over and over in our heads.
Eventually I say to Avery. "I'm sorry but I don't think we will find it. You can have something from home or maybe.... " NO WAY THERE WAS THE TRUCK!!!! It's music was no longer playing but there it was! Avery waves frantically at the ice cream man. It was like we had just been found dieing of thirst in the desert. The man pulls over and thank goodness I can get some ice cream.
Avery gets this big thing shaped like Sponge Bob and Miles gets a Bomb-pop. Finally we start to head home. I have to tell Avery to eat his precious Sponge Bob before it melts or Miles takes a bite... and then Miles takes a bite. Avery wanted to show his daddy and I assure him that Daddy knows what Sponge Bob looks like and that I am sure he could picture what the ice cream looks like.
Finally home! We are right in front of the house and the $%^& ice cream truck (with music) drives by. Of course he does. I figure though that if we had not stopped him he probably would have just moved to another area in town.
Between this event and then working out at the rec center I have put 10,500 steps on my pedometer... so maybe I need to chase ice cream trucks more often.
The list
I wish I still had the list they gave me when they mentioned flags for Autism. I sat there reading it over and over. I finally got out two highlighter markers and started marking the list. When I was done I had more symptoms marked for 4-year-old Avery than I did for almost 3-year-old Miles. The next time I saw the developmental educator who came to see Miles I told her this and all she could say was "Well clearly Avery does not have Autism."
I think most to all of those things I had marked for Avery have since vanished. However then it made me that much more annoyed with what they were saying.
Again I wish I still had that list. I Googled for it and the list no longer looks the same and depending on what you are reading the signs and symptoms change. I wish I could remember all the things I marked for Avery and the few things I marked for Miles. Also I all the things that they said Miles did or didn't do and then he started doing... like eye contact.
I think most to all of those things I had marked for Avery have since vanished. However then it made me that much more annoyed with what they were saying.
Again I wish I still had that list. I Googled for it and the list no longer looks the same and depending on what you are reading the signs and symptoms change. I wish I could remember all the things I marked for Avery and the few things I marked for Miles. Also I all the things that they said Miles did or didn't do and then he started doing... like eye contact.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Don't know my story? Feel free to ask not judge.
Other conversations have sparked this and yet it is something I think about often.
Now that I get out there into the world and now that my kids are in school I often get the question/ response "How come you have not gotten a diagnosis yet?" I want to say "Because I haven't OK."
For the most part I am not in hurry as I have mentioned before. As long as Miles gets a diagnosis before Kindergarten I am fine... and this is only because it determines what services he can get in school and perhaps outside of school.
So for those of you who don't know it or just want to read it anyway here it is: Miles was an easy baby. I was scared he would not be because Avery was and people kept telling me that if I had one easy baby there was no way Miles was going to be an easy baby... but he was. He was always happy and easy going except when he was hungry and you can ask his Nana about how he would not take a bottle... He laughed at his brother, he wanted to move quickly to keep up with him too. Unlike Avery he actually crawled and like Avery was an early walker. Because of Avery he heard and or watched the movie Cars everyday of his life for the first year but he was always excited when it came on. He was always on the go, but so was Avery.
He was always quite, unless he was upset, laughing or excited. When he was not talking or really even babbling (he cooed a lot though) we were not concerned and neither was the pediatrician because like Avery, Miles was hitting all the other milestones early except for communication. Avery started talking in sentences at age 2.
At age 2, Miles was not talking yet. The pediatrician referred me to child-find for my county but still said he was not too concerned with anything. This is where parents sometimes get mad a the pediatrician for dismissing things, I am not mad nor did I think he was blowing things off. Here is the other things my childrens' pediatrician knew about my children:
I was in the office every couple months for checkups between the two kids. The pediatrician was well aware of my family's situation and how Andrew was in an accident. He knew that my family was under distress and trauma and he knew it was hard to tell how it translated to my children. Miles was only 14 months at the time of the accident. He just wanted to watch and see how things woudl progress.
Miles had a harder time adjusting to apartment living and his daddy being home than anyone else. We were all happy but it was confusing to Miles. He was just turning 2. It has taken him 2 years (plus the year Andrew was gone) to become his daddy's buddy again. Since he has gained that back I have seen a burst of growth in Miles.
On to Foothills Gateway he had therapy through when he was 2. At the end of his time with them they brought up 'flags of Austism' and then even though they agreed he did not have many of them anymore the refused to remove them from the report. Some of it I thought was because Miles just did not like them and he just wanted to avoid them. They also said to me that because of the growth they saw he may grow out of more and testing was up to us. They also told me that they might not want to diagnose him until he was at least 4 in that case.
So there it is. We are now on a wait list for testing.
Now that I get out there into the world and now that my kids are in school I often get the question/ response "How come you have not gotten a diagnosis yet?" I want to say "Because I haven't OK."
For the most part I am not in hurry as I have mentioned before. As long as Miles gets a diagnosis before Kindergarten I am fine... and this is only because it determines what services he can get in school and perhaps outside of school.
So for those of you who don't know it or just want to read it anyway here it is: Miles was an easy baby. I was scared he would not be because Avery was and people kept telling me that if I had one easy baby there was no way Miles was going to be an easy baby... but he was. He was always happy and easy going except when he was hungry and you can ask his Nana about how he would not take a bottle... He laughed at his brother, he wanted to move quickly to keep up with him too. Unlike Avery he actually crawled and like Avery was an early walker. Because of Avery he heard and or watched the movie Cars everyday of his life for the first year but he was always excited when it came on. He was always on the go, but so was Avery.
He was always quite, unless he was upset, laughing or excited. When he was not talking or really even babbling (he cooed a lot though) we were not concerned and neither was the pediatrician because like Avery, Miles was hitting all the other milestones early except for communication. Avery started talking in sentences at age 2.
At age 2, Miles was not talking yet. The pediatrician referred me to child-find for my county but still said he was not too concerned with anything. This is where parents sometimes get mad a the pediatrician for dismissing things, I am not mad nor did I think he was blowing things off. Here is the other things my childrens' pediatrician knew about my children:
I was in the office every couple months for checkups between the two kids. The pediatrician was well aware of my family's situation and how Andrew was in an accident. He knew that my family was under distress and trauma and he knew it was hard to tell how it translated to my children. Miles was only 14 months at the time of the accident. He just wanted to watch and see how things woudl progress.
Miles had a harder time adjusting to apartment living and his daddy being home than anyone else. We were all happy but it was confusing to Miles. He was just turning 2. It has taken him 2 years (plus the year Andrew was gone) to become his daddy's buddy again. Since he has gained that back I have seen a burst of growth in Miles.
On to Foothills Gateway he had therapy through when he was 2. At the end of his time with them they brought up 'flags of Austism' and then even though they agreed he did not have many of them anymore the refused to remove them from the report. Some of it I thought was because Miles just did not like them and he just wanted to avoid them. They also said to me that because of the growth they saw he may grow out of more and testing was up to us. They also told me that they might not want to diagnose him until he was at least 4 in that case.
So there it is. We are now on a wait list for testing.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
I understand the need but in most instances it is not needed.
Label label label. I understand the need for labels, I attach them tho things, to myself, to others... we all do.
Here is my problems though, I don't want the general public to give my child the diagnosis of Autism. If specialists, doctors, therapists, and the likes give him one for treatment purpose I am fine with that. If the school needs a diagnosis for IEP and school help they can have it. At home he does not need that. out in public (at least now) he does not need that.
Acceptable home labels: Miles, "My-my", Monkey, stinker, cutie pie, little boy, child, and his astrological sign in Aries.
Today I had a guy at the Chilson (in the hot tub) ask me if Miles was Autistic. I don't mind the asking, I just told him he was on a wait list for testing. He proceeds to tell me about his nephew who is suspected to have Autism and about how hard it must be. He tells me how his nephew does not show emotion or want anything to do with others. He tells me that how Miles is acting reminds him of his nephew....
Thanks guy... I guess...
Still waiting and some days I think that is what they are going to say. Other days I think that idea is far away. Either way he is my sweet boy and I would not change anything about him. I just want to help him be his best... as I do with any child.
Here is my problems though, I don't want the general public to give my child the diagnosis of Autism. If specialists, doctors, therapists, and the likes give him one for treatment purpose I am fine with that. If the school needs a diagnosis for IEP and school help they can have it. At home he does not need that. out in public (at least now) he does not need that.
Acceptable home labels: Miles, "My-my", Monkey, stinker, cutie pie, little boy, child, and his astrological sign in Aries.
Today I had a guy at the Chilson (in the hot tub) ask me if Miles was Autistic. I don't mind the asking, I just told him he was on a wait list for testing. He proceeds to tell me about his nephew who is suspected to have Autism and about how hard it must be. He tells me how his nephew does not show emotion or want anything to do with others. He tells me that how Miles is acting reminds him of his nephew....
Thanks guy... I guess...
Still waiting and some days I think that is what they are going to say. Other days I think that idea is far away. Either way he is my sweet boy and I would not change anything about him. I just want to help him be his best... as I do with any child.
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