Picking our battles

I as a mom with a son with Autism have determined that everything has to be delt with it's own sensitivity to make for a better outcome. On the other hand hubby feels that sometimes that it's the little things in life that matter the most. Not that I don't agree with him to the fullest but somethings are just not worth the fight!

Our son may decide that he may not want to go to bed at a certain time at night. We'll hubby may decide that this is worth fighting for on this particular day. Littleman he's not having any part of it. Not that he isn't a good sleeper but he feels like if he isn't tired he's not going to bed. This ultimately will end up in some big hollering match between the two of them. At some point in time during the hollering match mommy will have to step in and put an end to the situation. Littleman comprehends more than he can speak so telling him that bed time is in five more minutes usually wins a battle even before it starts.

Don't get me wrong I have my battle's as much as hubby does! Getting in the car in the morning can be quite the chore. Littleman in his mind has decided that this morning will be the morning that he's not going to therapy. I too have fallen for littlemans plan and end up in a yelling match with him and he's still winning the battle. After many attempts of barganing with him, littleman drops to the ground and stays there in protest. Mommy decides that picking him up off the ground and putting him in the car isn't working either. For a five year old little boy he uses his weight to his advantage. standing at over 4 foot tall and an approx weight of about 90lbs is not the way to get your early morning exercise especially when you just get off of work. Mommy ultimately gives up! Definitely not worth the fight you may ask? Well to my surprise Littleman gives up the same time I do cleans the dirt off his pants and climbs into the car and buckles him self in. Guess he just wasn't ready to leave!!

Many times a day these battles arise and looking for the answer before the situation gets out of hand is the key to our house hold. Not all of them end up in battles but alot of compromising is key!

Stepping Stones Fundy Regional Inc

We love these guys they have been the best thing that has happen to us since littleman was diagnosed with Autism. www.steppingstonesfundy.com Please check out their website!

After the Diagneses littleman started theropy. A 3 hour session per day from 9am-12pm five days aweek. Littleman was nervous and scared to be away from mommy for any period of time. Littleman was easily convensed that it was going to be ok and mommy would return.The first few days were the hardest cause not only was littleman upset with the idea of being away from me,but I too infact would leave stepping stones crying because he was so upset that mommy had to leave. I don't want you all to start thinking that I am a winey baby, but this was a very big step in our lives.

Littleman has excelled in all of his theropy. His speech has inproved very rapidly, they also teach everyday values and some of the other theropy he recives while he is there is:

Indi­vid­ual 1:1 intervention;

Polly Wogs Social Skills group

Pre­tend Play groups;

Sports Hour;

Play Park:

Music ther­apy;

Pud­dle Jumpers Social Skill group;

Occu­pa­tional ther­apy

Speech Lan­guage Pathol­ogy

Behav­iourist con­sul­ta­tion as needed

In home behav­ior man­age­ment

Currently to date Littleman has Graduated from Stepping Stones and is doing very well. I highly recommend these people to the fullest and glad that we had the best support system team that a mom could have from stepping stones. Thank you so much ladies you dont know how much you have helped us on our journey of life!

The day of the Diagnoses

I will remember this day like it was the day littleman was born December1,2010. We promptly enter the hospital and meet the team of specialists on the peds floor. Where there is littlemans paediatrician, a speech therapist,neurologist,and physcaligst awaiting our arrival. If meeting these people don't scare the shit out of you I don't know what will. They turn to us and say lets get started. We enter this room and its set up as a little play room where each specialist take their turn playing with littleman. As my nerves are getting the best of me I turn to my hubby and give him the biggest sigh a woman could ever make. Littleman seemed to be doing quite well with all that was happening.

About 45 mins later they decided that littleman needed a break (as did we) the doctors determined they had enough information to make a decision.We took littleman for a quick bathroom break and a quick snack and returned back to the meeting room. The complete time we took to do this was about 15 mins. The doctors entered the room and his peditrician started to explain things, well me thinking at this point in time just tell me,and get it over with. We knew that littleman had challenges! Then she come out with it. YES your son indeed has Autism! AS we had expected before that he may have Autism, nothing ever really prepares you for the true diagnoses! I started balling as my husband grabbed my hand and said everything is going to be all ok. What a guy sat their like a rock, while I on the other hand was breaking down in front of these people who I never met before.

They gave us information for Early Childhood Intervention, and stated that someone be in touch with us within the week. Littleman the light of my life knew mommy was upset about something and reached out and gave me the biggest kisses and hug a mommy could ever ask for. The doctors were gone by this point in time. I cleaned my self up and we left the hospital the same way we went in. The happy parents of a happy  healthy little boy!

events leading to the diagnoses

 

this is one of the first pictures of the bruses on his little forehead from the head banding!

 

 

So I'm sure your all woundering what made us decide that something was wrong. Well here it is!

At around the age of about 15-17 months old our littleman started head banging. What is this you all ask? Well our son would take violent temper tantrums which included a violent banging of his head on the floor, wall or anything that was a flat surface. This new act of craziness as I like to call it was the first sign.

Not too shortly after the head banging, a reoccuring act was gaging. This was done when certain foods were put on his plate. Something that he might have eaten the day before and had no problem with. but now the sight or smell of this food would litterally make him sick.

A lack of language was starting to be present at this stage. Several words that he was using was no longer being used and more squaking and loud screams were used. We couldn't figure out why this was happening! Several of the children on my side of the family were slow talkers and all needed Speech Theropy. His total language at the age of 3 1/2 was mom and dad, before he started theropy.

Loud noises now seemed to bother him. The vacume cleaner was his favorite tool to use in the house, but now was totally scared by the noise when it was turned on.

Watching TV he limited him self to watching certain movies that may have caught his attention for about 3 mins at a time. But was demanding that the show be repeated several times a day.

to be cont'

All about me

I am a 34 yr old mom. I am a wife. I am a Nurse. I have been married for 11+ years to my wounderful husband and we met in high school and have been together ever sinse. We got pregnant in 2006 and had a very healthy baby boy in june of 2007. This was the best day in history because I always knew I wanted to be a mommy.

I have an extrordinary life. My husband has ADHD and my son has ASD. They keep me busy from the time our feet hit the floor in the morning until all hours of the night. My husband was diagnosed when he was in elementry school and our littleman as we call him was diagnosed at the age of 3 1/2. Both are the loves of my life and keep me very busy. They both are very active and hyper and once they get going no one can slow them down.

This is me on the grave yard shift!

 

I too am very busy not only with everyday things around the house, I also work the grave yard shift at a Nursing Home in our City. This is what I call mommy time, I work the night shift so I can be avaliable for Theropy appointments, Doctor appointments, and what ever the day may bring. I know what you are thinking that is deffinetly not mommy time! Well I guess you are right but it does break up my day with the craziness. So back to my job I take care of residents(patients) at a Nursing Home that unfortuntely can no longer take care of them selves. I love my job and love being apart of the residents lives.

So now you are woundering when do I find the time to sleep? This easy Days that I'm off I sleep regular nights and days that I get off at 7am i sleep when my son is in his 3 hour Theropy session. This gives me most days at least 2 1/2 hours of sleep most days.. I know what you are thinking now there is no way someone can function with that little sleep! We'll you are right again! but I have been so used not getting long periods of rest that my body no longer requires it.