So it's been a year of autism now

Our son Little D was diagnosed a little over a year ago with being in the autism spectrum. He is now believed to have Asperger's Syndrome. If you would have told me a year ago that he would be the kid he is today, I would have thought you were lying. A year ago I was unsure about LD's future. I didn't know if he would have even a glimpse of a normal life. Now....the sky is the limit for what LD can achieve.

One year ago at this time our son could not communicate any of his needs verbally. He had many behavioral issues. His sensory issues were so bad and we had no idea how to deal with them. We were at a loss.

Now, our son is talking overtime and won't shut up! LOL He still has behavioral issues but we are learning more about them each day. His sensory issues can still be trying but at least we have techniques that help him get through the incidences.

Here is a little tidbit about what our little man has....Asperger's Syndrome:

History

Asperger's Disorder was first described in the 1940s by Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger who observed autistic-like behaviors and difficulties with social and communication skills in boys who had normal intelligence and language development. Many professionals felt Asperger's Disorder was simply a milder form of autism and used the term "high-functioning autism" to describe these individuals. Professor Uta Frith, with the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience of University College London and author of Autism and Asperger Syndrome, describes individuals with Asperger's Disorder as "having a dash of Autism." Asperger's Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 as a separate disorder from autism. However, there are still many professionals who consider Asperger's Disorder a less severe form of autism.

Characteristics

What distinguishes Asperger's Disorder from Autism Disorder is the severity of the symptoms and the absence of language delays. Children with Asperger's Disorder may be only mildly affected and frequently have good language and cognitive skills. To the untrained observer, a child with Asperger's Disorder may just seem like a normal child behaving differently.

Children with autism are frequently seen as aloof and uninterested in others. This is not the case with Asperger's Disorder. Individuals with Asperger's Disorder usually want to fit in and have interaction with others; they simply don't know how to do it. They may be socially awkward, not understanding of conventional social rules, or show a lack of empathy. They may have limited eye contact, seem to be unengaged in a conversation, and not understand the use of gestures.

Interests in a particular subject may border on the obsessive. Children with Asperger's Disorder frequently like to collect categories of things, such as rocks or bottle caps. They may be proficient in knowing categories of information, such as baseball statistics or Latin names of flowers. While they may have good rote memory skills, they have difficulty with abstract concepts.

One of the major differences between Asperger's Disorder and autism is that, by definition, there is no speech delay in Asperger's. In fact, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have good language skills; they simply use language in different ways. Speech patterns may be unusual, lack inflection or have a rhythmic nature, or it may be formal, but too loud or high pitched. Children with Asperger's Disorder may not understand the subtleties of language, such as irony and humor, or they may not understand the give-and- take nature of a conversation.

Another distinction between Asperger's Disorder and autism concerns cognitive ability. While some individuals with autism experience mental retardation, by definition a person with Asperger's Disorder cannot possess a "clinically significant" cognitive delay and most possess average to above average intelligence.

While motor difficulties are not a specific criteria for Asperger's, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have motor skill delays and may appear clumsy or awkward.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Asperger's Disorder is on the increase, although it is unclear whether it is more prevalent or whether more professionals are detecting it. The symptoms for Asperger's Disorder are the same as those listed for autism in the DSM-IV; however, children with AS do not have delays in the area of communication and language. In fact, to be diagnosed with Asperger’s, a child must have normal language development as well as normal intelligence. The DSM-IV criteria for AS specifies that the individual must have "severe and sustained impairment in social interaction, and the development of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities that must cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning."

The first step to diagnosis is an assessment, including a developmental history and observation. This should be done by medical professionals experienced with autism and other PDDs. If Asperger's Disorder or high-functioning autism is suspected, the diagnosis of autism will generally be ruled out first. Early diagnosis is also important as children with Asperger's Disorder who are diagnosed and treated early in life have an increased chance of being successful in school and eventually living independently. To learn more, see Consulting with Professionals.


This information is from The Autism Society of America. To find out more about autism...please go to: http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer

One child in every 150 is diagnosed with autism. Out of every 5 children, 4 are boys. These children need your compassion and understanding and your support to be heard. Please don't let this month go by without informing yourself a little more about autism.

Thank you from our family and from my beautiful boy who just happens to live life walking to a different beat then the rest of us.

God bless you.

BLOW OUT!

We dropped Little D off at grandma's today and brought Princess Grabby Hands in for her 15 month check up and shots. We were almost home and went over some tracks and POW...the tire blew. The other back tire went slowly flat because there was a nail in it. OH JOY!

SO...we were just 2 blocks from the local tire place so we slowly drove there and they are looking at it now. The one with the nail can be fixed but the other one is a complete blow out. There goes about $90. Isn't that grand? Well, wait a minute...I'm glad it wasn't a grand. I guess it could have been worse.

I left hubby there and walked home with PGH in the stroller because I didn't know how long it was going to take and with PGH just getting shots, I didn't want her having to sit in a tire place for a couple of hours and being uncomfy. Thank God for me being very prepared because I had plenty of blankets in the van to cover her with and cover most of the stroller with because it's super windy out and only 50 degrees. It was about a mile from the tire place to home. Not a bad walk but considering poor baby just got shots. Let's just say she wasn't pleased.

Not how I wanted to spend my morning but what can ya do? SIGH....

PGH is only 15 months and already 32 inches tall. She is 25 lbs 8 oz. My little girl is going to be an Amazon woman! Considering she started life on the 20th percentile for height and weight for the first 5 months....she sure made up for it now! She is now in the 88th percentile for height and 83rd percentile for weight. She is just a really tall girl! SOB....I don't want my baby to grow up yet!

A root canal is nowhere near a filling!

Ok, when you are going in expecting just a filling and leave with a root canal...your day isn't that wonderful! BLEH!

I went in today expecting to get one or two teeth filled. I had a lost filling and a broken tooth but thought they were just filling worthy and even the person who did the initial exam said fillings. Well, that is the last time I listen to anybody but the person who will actually be working on my teeth!

I go in and am told that BOTH TEETH need root canals. OH FUN! I only got one done today. I go back for the other one at the end of the month. I have to wait on the crown portions because of the expense but at least the pain of the nerve will end.

Ok...you can hate me now...it wasn't that bad. I've heard horror stories of people jumping out of the chair. I was numbed up and it began. The dentist was the most soft spoken and calm man I have ever been around. Part way through I felt a little twinge and he said I would need another shot in the actual nerve. I was waiting to be hanging from the ceiling by my finger nails during this.

He injected the nerve and counted to 5 (expecting me to cling to the chair like a baby monkey hanging for dear life as it's mom swung through the jungle). I just sat there like nothing was happening. The dentist looked at me in shock. He asked if I had felt it. I said yes but it wasn't more then a tiny pinch that was gone in less then a second. He said that is the part everyone dreads and why they put off getting a root canal for long periods of time.

Either I have the highest pain tolerance on the planet or other people are just way too sensitive! I don't get it. I really didn't find it to be that big of a deal. Is root canal pain just over rated for extra sympathy?

So, now I sit here drooling on myself like an infant and hungry as all get out. I don't dare eat because none of it would stay in my mouth anyways right now. My lip feels about the size of Daffy Duck's beak! My tongue feels like someone shoved an over inflated hot dog in my mouth. Such a lovely picture I am painting for you, isn't it?

So go on and eat your lovely dinners and think of me with a mouth so numb that I could get 1000 piercings in it and not feel even one (not that I would but you get the picture) and talking out of the side of my mouth. WOOHOO! >INSERT HUGE EYE ROLL HERE<

This medicine may cause mass hysteria!

Little D was just put on allergy medicine today. He was having problems during some of his therapies and being exceptionally louder so we had his ears checked out and there was some signs of allergies and sinus issues causing him to be a bit off and his hearing to be clogged up.

So he gets prescribed this medicine, Hydroxyzine. What does a good mommy do? I read all of the warnings first. I just love how they word these things. It's all doom and gloom if you take it but it is supposed to make you better, right?

For starters, LD cannot drive while on this medicine nor can he operate heavy machinery. So I guess my toddler won't be jetting around town in his sports car or operating a back hoe. Darn it! I wanted him to run some errands for me or dig a ditch! What is a non-heavy machinery? Does that mean he can operate a radio? What about a microwave? Can he operate Match Box cars? What about battery operated trains? Hmmm....guess I'll have to look this one up.

Unfortunately, LD will not be able to nurse a child or be pregnant either. Now, I was looking forward to having grandchildren some day but I knew it wouldn't be for at least a couple more decades (or at least it better not be if he knows what's good for him) and I had a pretty good feeling that he would not be carrying nor nursing his children. But then again, in 20 years who knows what medical science will come up with. Maybe they will find a way for the men to do all the pregnancy and labor stuff. Oh boy! The human race will be wiped out when they find out how much physical pain is with that!

My 2 1/2 year old will not be able to drink alcohol or take any other depressant drug. Aww man! I was so hoping to go bar hopping with the kid. They ruin all my fun.

I guess the one part he doesn't have to be concerned about is that the elderly can be more sensitive to this drug. Since he is still in diapers, wait, that may not work since some of the elderly are in diapers, too. Let me re-word that. Since he doesn't have any of his adult teeth, wait, that may not work either since some of the elderly don't have any teeth. Ok, since he has only been on this earth for under 3 years (ok, I think that may work unless there is an elderly alien that just came here within the last couple of years that this would apply to) I doubt he has anything to fear with this warning.

The one nice thing about the medicine is that it can calm anxiety as a side effect. Anyone who knows anything about autism knows that these kids can get a lot of anxiety over even the thought of changing their schedule, going shopping and many other things. This may be a wonderful side effect! Here's hoping that this one works in our favor!

Unfortunately, it says not to share this medicine so I guess mommy can't reap the benefits of the anxiety relief issues! Oh well. Can't win them all!

Shhhhh.....I'm selling hubby's comics!

So I am doing auctions on hubby's comics. Here they all are is:http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZaimers1212

I am so tired of having something we don't need taking up space that we don't have. He hasn't touched the darn things since I met him almost 8 years ago. I am constantly cleaning out things of mine to make more room. Per my previous blog, we just cleaned out the kids stuff. It's time the big kid in the family cleaned out his stuff.

So do you think he will be mad? At this point, I don't know and I know he'll read this blog so he'll find out before long. He usually reads my blogs at least every few days. It's not that I don't care but come on! It's time to move on!

Well, he thinks I'm bluffing, I guess he'll find out differently. I know ultimately he won't be mad but he will be more bummed like a little kid told to wait until after dinner to have some cookies. I think he kind of wants to get rid of them but doesn't have the gumption to do it himself because he can't deal with going through them.

He always leaves it to me to get rid of something he can't bring himself to get rid of himself but doesn't want it anymore. He did this with some old clothes his grandmother gave him that he wore in the 70's. He said "if they disappear I don't want to know what happened to them" and they soon after disappeared into the great beyond. He asked where they were and I said somewhere besides here and he just smiled and walked away.

It's time for the comics to move on to the great beyond. It's time for someone else to enjoy them. He doesn't touch them and probably will never touch them again. They will just turn nasty and yellow and old. Time for them to go away.

I guess we'll find out before long! Sweetie...if you read this...YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU! LOL Think of all that space we can put other junk! Suck it up sweetie and wave goodbye to all those comics. I know you won't miss them!

>>>>Do you think that was enough kissing up to hubby? LOL<<<<

The ER needs an overhaul!

I am so frustrated right now. Princess Grabby Hands had a good fall and hit her head. After a short while she wasn't seeming right but I couldn't tell if it was because of the fall or if there could have been other reasons.

After debating back and forth between hubby and myself for about 20 minutes, we decided that I should take her in to the ER just to get checked out. A "better safe then sorry" moment.

I get to the ER and it's got some people in the waiting room but not super crowded or anything. I sign her name on the clip board and just ask the security guard if someone can just talk to me for a minute to make sure she doesn't need to be seen right away due to it being a one year old with a potential head injury which can go from bad to worse relatively quickly. He said he'd tell the nurse.

I wait and wait and wait and wait. 30 minutes go by and I don't even see a nurse anywhere. Yes, I'm still in the waiting room and nobody has looked at PGH (not even a quick flashlight in the eyes check). I finally see a nurse calling up the next person on the list who happens to be about four people ahead of us and it is the first person to be called since I walked in. He says he needs to use the restroom and I take that moment to go up and talk to the triage nurse.

The triage nurse looks at my daughter for two seconds, says she's alert, seems fine and we'll see her when we get to her. Ok....since when do you know all that from looking at a child for two seconds? She was over a foot away from her. I wasn't expecting for us to by pass everyone there but would it have hurt them to look at her for at least a minute or two just to determine if there was a more immediate need because of it being a head issue?

I sat back down and waited about another 20 minutes and nobody else was called so I just left. I figured at this point if my PGH was going to have anything big happen, it would have happened and she was getting mad at me for holding her because she wanted to go explore the waiting room. I figured she was fine at that point.

This is the second time in that ER that I felt completely neglected. I understand ER's are busy but when someone comes in with a child with possible head trauma they should at least pretend to care because that is nothing to fool around with.

I've been there before waiting to see if I broke my ankle and had nobody even offer me an ice pack after an hour and a half. Finally hobble down to the nurses station and there is like 20 people sitting around talking and laughing. AND NOBODY CAN EVEN COME TO MY ROOM WHERE THEY LEFT ME FOR OVER AN HOUR AND SAY THE DOCTOR IS BUSY BUT WOULD YOU LIKE AN ICE PACK????? That is uncalled for!

I told them I wanted to leave right then and wanted my discharge papers. I left a complaint then and so did my hubby when I got home. He called because he was so angry with them. This ER used to be pretty good. I don't know what happened in the last year but it went down hill fast!

Sorry not a funny post today but right now it's hard to do funny when I want to (as hubby puts it) get out my pitch forks and torches and go storm the place.

By the way, PGH seems fine and we did a whole head injury assessment after we got home and she didn't have anything that would indicate a serious injury at that point. She is resting comfortably and we are checking on her every 30 minutes to be sure she is fine.

Green liquid death in a bottle is my friend

You know the stuff...the liquid that basically says if you aren't near your bed prior to taking it that you better hope wherever you are at is pretty comfortable. The stuff that tells you not to operate machinery or a vehicle and don't even attempt to walk a straight line while taking it. The stuff that warns you not to even try to pick your nose without someone keeping your hand steady so you don't poke an eye out. Your friend and mine....NyQuil!

Yes friends.....BY DOSE IS STUBBED UB! In fact....every human in my house has a head cold. WAHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Little D sounds like a frog and is loving it. He keeps making noises just to hear his own voice. He is having way to much fun with this. Princess Grabby Hands just doesn't have it in her to grab anything. You know she has to be super sick when that happens. I am ready to strap a permanent bucket under each nose to catch the drips. Papa bear is sneezing so hard that he blows the garbage cans across the street. He shouldn't be Papa bear...he should be The Big Bad Wolf who will blow this house down.

And me you ask? I have a nose that weighs approximately the same as a Tyrannosaurus Rex! Where the heck does all this snot come from? I blow my nose and 2 seconds later it is at capacity again! I should take stock in Kleenex if I continue at this rate. >>>Mental Note...see what stock in Kleenex is going for...<<<

Of course LD is just as rambunctious as ever. That child will never wear down. If I could have 1/16th of the energy that boy has I could make millions selling it! It's like living with Ricochet Rabbit! If you know who that is...you are old like me! LOL

PGH is looking pitiful. She even took TWO...count them...TWO NAPS today. One in bed and one on Pops. I've never seen a more pitiful looking child. Either she is really sick or she knows how to play it to the hilt!

Papa is fairing better then the rest of us. He just has a bit of a stuffy nose and some sneezing. How does he rate? Why does he get the minimal amount of icky feeling? Where is my "little" cold? Why don't I have just a "little" cold? NOOOOOOOOOOOO I have to have a sore throat, sneezing, congestion, eyes that feel like someone threw cat litter in them and am ready to pass out if I sit still for more then 10 seconds. NO FAIR!

If this makes any sense at all it will be a miracle since I took my green death friend about 10 minutes ago.

Well, I must find a mattress. If I don't, I will end up falling asleep while writing thizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Bless you mommy! Bless me too!

Just call us the house of sickies! Little D had a raspy voice, runny nose and sneezing yesterday. I've been sniffling all over today. Princess Grabby Hands is teething which is never a happy occasion EVER! Add to that....I think I had a touch of food poisoning, but I won't go into the gory details! Aren't you just so happy about that?

LD was sneezing everywhere yesterday so I kept telling him BLESS YOU SWEETIE! After a while he would say BLESS ME before I even had a chance. I would follow it up with YES, BLESS YOU!

Today it's mommy with the nose 'o' sneezes! I feel like someone strapped a whole container of pepper to my nose. Every time I sneezed, LD would say very loudly BLESS YOU MOMMY! BLESS ME TOO!

Ya gotta laugh at that! I guess he was covering his bases just in case! The kid is REALLY blessed!

The really big kid in my house (the one I call hubby) always tells me to take an ANTI HISSY TAB! I get the generic antihistitabs from Wallyworld (b/c the name brand is just too darn expensive). I get really bad sinus headaches sometimes which makes me crabby. (don't know why...aren't I supposed to be all sunshine and lollypops?) Hubby tells me if I take the anti HISSY tabs that I won't HISS at him so much! Yes....I literally do hiss at him when given the chance and I'm in a crabby mood! I feel it's better then yelling or telling him off! LOL

Hopefully we are all sniffle and sneeze free tomorrow. Probably will be just fine only for the simple fact that the kids have a check up tomorrow so they have to prove me a liar that they were ever sick! It never fails! The kids have some really nasty cold or rash or whatever and the second we get into the doctor, they look like a picture of perfect health! You know they have to do it just to spite me! LOL

PGH has had a horrible rash from teething all week and guess what is almost gone tonight? You guessed it! Of course it won't show up when she is on the way to the doctors! That would make sense! I just know that somehow they are doing this on purpose! I don't know how but they have to be! They are kids, they are capable of ANYTHING!

Don't put anything past a toddler!!!! Not even curing their own illness to make you look like a loony mom!