I Love U

What is Autism? A Brief Overview- Autism is a brain disorder, causing deficits with communication and social skills. It is often associated with repetitive behavior, a lack of verbal skills, and difficulty accepting a change to thier surroundings. Autism affects 1 in every 150 children, which makes autism more frequent than pediatric diabetes, AIDS, and cancer combined. This disorder occurs in both genders, but more commonly in male children. Autism shows no prejudice, it occurs in all racial, ethic, and socio-economical groups. There is no known cause of autism or a cure. For Shane, early diagnosis was the key to gaining access to valuable interventions and therapies. Experts agree that early intervention can result in significant improvement of the child. The following is a list of signs and other concerns of autism. The list was provided by Autism Speaks (www.auismspeaks.com) Signs: Not babbled or cooed by 1 year, Not gestured, pointed, or waved by 1 year, Not spoke a single word by 16 months, Not spoke a two word phrase by 2 years,and Experiences any loss of any language at any age. Other Concerns: Does not respond to his or her name, Cannot describe what he or she wants, Experiences any delays, Does not follow directions at all, Appears at times to have a hearing imparment, Does not know how to play with toys, Has poor eye contact, Appears to be in his or her own world, Has odd movment patterns, Has unusual attachment to toys or other items, and Regularly lines up toys or other items. Initially, Nancy and I read a similar list. Taking the items one by one, we justified them as a minor delay or a typical two year old boy. Experts agree that there is a reason for concern if the child exhibits six or more of the impairments or any delays. (Story) NO CHANGES IN ROUNTINE/IN HIS OWN WORLD /LINES UP TOYS: The holidays are exciting, especially for new parents. We have always decorated both the inside and outside the house. But this year the decorating duties ten folded, if there was anywhere to hang or hook a decoration, it was used. Our house was a sampling of whatever was avilable for holiday decorations. As we decorated, we were excited for Shane, but became confused and disappointed when he DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS AND COLORS. he would SIMPLY SIT BY THE TREE, LINING UP CUPS. He periodically looked up as the cats climbed up the tree. Again our excitement grew as Christmas arrived. We spent Christmas Eve digging out the wrapped gifts from closets, the garage, and other hiding places. Without thinking, we placed a number of gifts where Shane would USUALLY SAT TO LINE UP HIS TOYS. Christmas morning, we were up early after a restless night of excitement of Shane's first Christmas. While Nancy woke Shane, I loaded the camera and video recorder to catch those first moments that each parent treasure. As he walked into the living room we were pleased to see him notice something new and for a fleeting moment, we thought we hit the jackpot. INSTEAD OF A WIDE EYED CHILD, WE HAD A SCREAMING CHILD RUNNING AWAY FROM THE AREA. In retrospect, I believe THE MELTDOWN OCCURRED BECAUSE THE GIFTS WERE PLACED WHERE HE WAS ACCUSTOMED TO SITTING.