When It's More Than Just Squirrels.

Hulk being hulk!

Hulk was a very lively baby, who hated to sleep alone. As he grew, he found a love for drawing. We would find his creations everywhere. On the walls, furniture, doors, and on any paper he could find. He has an amazing ability! He also has some uniquenesses. He loves dressing-up and being different characters, sometimes I think he'd rather be them than himself.

Hulk has sensory processing disorder. The food on his plate can't touch. He occasionally has poor eye contact. Some noises, materials, and smells bother him. I noticed these things around the same time Tink was diagnosed with ASD, so of course the thought was in the back of my head. Once you have one child on the spectrum, you get this radar for other kids.

Hulk started school, Kindergarten, First grade went well. Except at home he was very hyperactive, impulsive, and couldn't focus. He was diagnosed with ADHD. By the end of First grade he was falling behind in reading and his teacher was concerned. In second grade he started a reading program to help him. He made some progress by the end of that school year, so they had him do the summer program for more help. He was progressing. Then in the began of this year he regressed back two levels. He started complaining about stomach aches and the cafeteria was too load. That word "regressed" I had heard that word before... Could it be ASD again?

After a meeting with his teachers, it was decided to do some testing and we started the long process for a consult with our developmental pediatrician.

School testing revealed he had social anxiety and was extremely bright with a IQ of 120. That surprised me, how can a super smart child have issues with reading? Due to the anxiety, he received an IEP; however, we did not pursue the ASD in school because of our past experience with our school district. We are "marked" parents.

Recently, at our developmental pediatrician appointment, Hulk was given the ADOS evaluation and scored in the moderate range. The end result was a diagnosis - ASD level 1 without intellectual or speech impairment.

It was ASD once again and I was relieved.

He was given the "key" to services that will allow him to become successful, and to open doors to the future.

Tornado in Holland..

Anyone who loves someone with ASD knows that routines, sameness, schedules, and rituals are extremely important to them. The slightest change in something we may think to be minor could cause major meltdowns that last for days. For the them, these things are more than a need... they are a requirement! Routines, schedules, rituals and habits all provides comfort and predictability in a world that is, all too often, chaotic and unpredictable. We all resist change regardless of our mental status. It keeps chaos at bay, so we get the peace of mind that we need. " According to Dr. Laura Markham (Elkins, n.d.), routines offer additional advantages of reducing or eliminating power struggles, initiating cooperation, teaching/learning to manage one’s own activities, teaching/learning the concept of anticipation, help adherence to schedule, and help paren...

Preparing for the future

For the past week I have been trying to keep my mind off the results of Doc's evaluation, still waiting for the phone call. I have been working on some ideas for the new sensory/therapy room. S ensory bins are wonderful hands on fun for many ages including toddlers and preschoolers! Many skills can be learned and explored through sensory bin play including social and emotional communication, literacy, fine motor skills, and more! Sensory bins provide an outlet for children to engage in a meaningful way and also receive sensory input that their little minds and bodies crave. Exploring through touch and feel can be a positive experience for most children. Sensory input from sensory bins works with your child's nervous system. Some fillers may be preferable to others, so don't give up trying! Let your child be your guide! Use a sensory bin to talk with your child about what he or she is sensing! Great com...

When one door closes, you can reopen it. No seriously that’s how doors work.

It was a Monday, one of those days where you sit down around 3pm and say to yourself "Well, that wasn't so bad.." as you knock on some wood before you jinx it! Except I must of knocked on some fiberboard or somthing plastic with grained contacted paper on it, because that's around the time everything changed. It was Hulk's first Monday night wrestling practice, normally it's on Tuesday. Mr. Holland would be taking him after dinner. Everyone sat down and started eating, Doc asked her normal question "Can I have something else?" and we gave her toast with butter, her usual. Hey.. we tried, right? After Mr. H was done eating he started getting ready to leave. Hulk ran up and down the stairs a few time to get what he needed, because one trip is not his thing. In the middle of all of this Doc had secretly gotten ready and was waiting in the mud room. During the day I had explained to her that daddy was taking Hulk tonight so I could stay h...

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