In my last post I talked about a major struggle that we have had with the Bug. I am happy to report that he is doing better! The aggression is still there and we have a long way to go, but his teacher hasn't had to call me to tell me that he had a really hard day.
One of the things I checked into was talking to a friend of my parents who is an expert in the field of Autism. He was so kind and took the time to discuss the problems and help me come up with solutions. One of the questions I asked him is if he has ever seen any other kids like Bug. He laughed and asked if I was kidding. Autism is such a broad spectrum and each child has their own unique challenges. I have never met a child quite as hyper and aggressive as my Bug. He told me he has seen several. It may seem so silly to ask that, but there are so many times I go to his classroom and think I have the most difficult child there. Granted I am not with the other kids 24/7, and I know I have a friend who thinks they same thing about her son. Having my Parent's friend tell me there were other kids like that and they have come up with solutions was so comforting.
He also gave me some phone numbers of seem people to contact, so I have some work to do. We have tried to be very prayerful about what things to try, so we will see where this new road takes us.
One option we are considering is medication. Any one that knows me well knows how much this scares me. We have tried it before for 8 long months to no effect. I consider it a last resort. I know several people that medication has been a life saver, and I don't want any of my fears to get in the way of helping my son. I am trying to keep an open mind, but for now I am going to stick with behavioral modification.
Now for the progress! The last couple of days Bug has been giving us some wonderful language, and showing some great progress in his reading skills. Last night he was trying to get some toys he had thrown down the heater vent, and he kept saying to my husband, "I need you." He continued saying that until all the toys were found. Today he was playing downstairs with his toys and I came down to check on him and he said,"Go away, go away." It sounds rude, but it was so cute! The most amazing thing has been watching him play with his alphabet squishy tiles. He loves to spell cat, but then he replaces the c with a b to spell bat. I was watching him do this and first he said, "Cat, meow." When he replaced it with the b he said, "boat, quack, quack." Not the right word or sound for bat, but he is working on it. He then proceeded to try and make more words, and he came up with Elmo, toy, and bean. It was so fun to see the combinations he was making. I see the wheels in his brain connecting, and I look forward to when he starts really reading. This is what I like to call a burst in his progress!
After seeing him do this with the tiles, I tried using them to help him with his homework. We are working on the sounds of the letters, and when he was able to see it, (because he is a visual learner) he did so much better. I know he is doing so well thanks to an extra dedicated teacher who sees his unlimited potential! One thing she is implenting is high 5's. He is noticing peers for the first time, and doesn't know how to express his excitement. So she is teaching him to come up to classmates and give a high 5! We are using this at home and I am going to teach it to cousins so they know what to do. So if you see the bug, give him a high 5 and say hello!
These are small steps but it makes me feel like we are doing something, and as long as we are able to move forward it gives me hope.
I love that picture! I'll be sure to give him a high 5 next time I see him!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for you. I'm remember those days celebrating things that others might consider simple. One step at time - that's part of the journey and can be very rewarding when you look back and see how far you've come.
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced that I have my special kids because I need to learn things. One of the greatest things I've learned is to celebrate every achievement big or small and to have gratitude for the accomplishments. Years ago I didn't think I could do this journey and I still have rough days but it's been worth it.
Keep up the good work :)
Glad to hear about all of these good things. He sure is adorable.
ReplyDeleteToday in primary I was observing our darling autistic EM, going totally ballistic after earning a "warm fuzzy" for service. He dropped the sparkling pompom in the sacred vase, then went absolutely nuts, wanting to touch the rest of the pompoms, needing to hold them. His dedicated primary teachers--a couple in our ward who have an adult Down's Syndrome daughter, were patient and finally got him out of the room. But EM is getting older. He probably weighs 65 lbs. now. He is a HUGE handful, even when he's at his very best. His angel parents are just like you--in love with their son and willing to do whatever he needs, constantly seeking the Lord's guidance and praying for more and more patience. I hope He is listening to you all, and sending His reassurance that (His) your children are in good hands. You and EM's mom should be besties. You'd have a lot to talk about. His dad's parents live out by you. Love you!
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