autism

[grandma dolittle]

I have a 24 year old son who has Asperger's Syndrome. It is a high functioning autism, but doesn't have all the autistic symptoms. I am also a retired special education teacher and I taught several autistic children. If there is any way I can be of service to anyone, please let me know. grandma

[Timothy]

Dear Grandma,

My son has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and "mild" CP and a host of associated issues.
He is almost 14 yrs old. One of our ongoing concerns is his lack of interests in academics, the three R's.

He reads numbers, like the digital clock, from center to right to the first number on the left.
Words are similar, gets the letters mixed up, out of order. He knows many simple sight words
and several big technical words. He attempts to sound out some words but often starts a couple
letters into the word, not at the beginning.

Any suggestions on how we might help him in this area?

Thank you,
Timothy

[grandma dolittle]

It sounds like a learning disorder. Try sun glasses or better yet see if you special ed teacher can get him some colored overlays and let him lay that on top of his work. I have know this to help kids. he will need to pic the color that helps him the most. It has to do with the light on his paper and the message his brain gets. Not knowing him personally, it is hard to really help because the "host of other issues" may come into to play also. My heart goes out to you because I know how hard it is to be a parent of a special needs child. Don't forget yourself when you pray. You need the strength only God can give you. Also, give yourselves a break from your child so you can relax and breath deeply.

My son had a " host of other issues' that made being a single parent to him challenging, but we made it through and he knows that no matter what I'll always love him and am here for him. Praying for you.

[Timothy]

Thank You, I will try that.

[Timothy]

Saw This Sign:

At the top of a picture of a teddy bear all snuggled in bed with its eyes wide open it reads:

"Autism never sleeps..."

at the bottom it reads:

"neither do my parents" !

[grandma dolittle]

AMEN! Did you read the latest? UK scientist have found a brain pattern that people with autism have and "normal" people doesn't. Next they are going to isolate the Asperger's brain pattern. I am excited about this. Maybe, one day soon they can find what one thing ALL austic persons have in common! At the current time, they will be able to check siblings of an autistic person to see if they have the same pattern before they exhibit symptoms. This will allow eariler interventions. Plus, ease the minds of parents of an austic child when the sibling does not have the same brain pattern. I found this on BBC news a few days ago. I pray God will give them success! grandma

[Bumble]

My 4yr old grandson has just been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder, he is a very loving and beautiful child and at least now he can get the help he needs and his mum can get the support she needs.
I feel like getting him a t-shirt printed saying "I'm not naughty, I'm autistic" as the looks and whispers as we take him out anywhere can sometimes be very upsetting. My daughter is a wonderful Mum who has her hands full to bursting as she also has 18mth old twins who both have chronic lung disease due to being born 3 mths early. her week usually consists of at least 1 hospital app but more than likely its more. She is now expecting again and I am praying hard that this child will be healthy, but either way it will be loved. My eldest son has 2 children and his youngest who is 2 is also disabled but as yet the docters have yet to give him a full diagnoses. I cant help thinking that all the problems my granchildren suffer might in some way come from my side of the family as i was adopted and so have no family medical history.

[grandma dolittle]

Bumble, That is a real possibility. However, autism is in a class by itself as there is no one thing that all persons with autism have in common. A lot of theories have floated around for years, but have no substance. It was once thought electrical lines caused autism, but not all live close to electrical lines; mercury in baby shots, but not all took the baby shots; mother's age; but autism has been fround from all ages of mothers; gluten in bread products, but that didn't pan out either. They simply don't know. That's why I got excited about the scientist identifying brain waves with persons who have autism. That seems to be the first thing they have in common. Now, maybe scientist can find a trigger to autism.

I feel for your daughter. Having an austic child is hard enough, but having twins with medical problems, and expecting again.! How does she keep her sanity???? i certainly hope she gets respite help as well as other help. She may need a couple hours a day to herself. Tell her I will remember her in my prayers. May God bless you both .

[Bumble]

I was wondering if you have any ideas of how to tell a 4yr old autistic boy that his gramps is dead. He adored his gramps and will miss him terribly but im not sure just how much he will understand.

[Timothy]

Never really know how much our children will understand.
But, find out. then go from there.

Keep it simple. Keep it truth. Reasurre them that they are loved by gramps and by you.
Let them feel that which they will feel. They need this to grow. Be there for them.

Perhaps give them a keepsake of gramps. Tie clip, lapel pin, pictures, your poem.

Just be there for them. Let them learn from you how to be compassionate. How to
be there for someone else, in the future. who knows, maybe they'll be the ones being there for you?

I sent you a private message.

I leave you, my sister, with this, which a good friend has shared with me:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, (Passed on from this realm to the next) that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the ArchAngel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together WITH THEM in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we EVER be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Continue to comfort with TRUTH ...

May you know the Lord's peace.

Timothy