AutismsChild

Hello, my name is Grace and my son Zyan is Autistic. My daughter Irene was just diagnosed on May 2, 2008 Zyan was diagnosed on his third birthday. Before the diagnosis, I didn't know anything about Autism but I knew that there was something wrong my son. Zyan was born a healthy 10 lb 14 oz baby with no problems at delivery. He had sat up, crawled and walked on time. It wasn't until he was around 15-18 months old that I knew something wasn't right with his development. Zyan's speech wasn't clear and he wasn't talking as much. He wasn't able to look at me directly, started having bad tantrums and seemed to be withdrawn. He would only eat certain foods. I do have other children and never experienced this behavior before. When I had asked his doctor, family members and friends if they knew what could be wrong, some of them told me it was because boys developed slower than girls. I thought that his hearing was effecting his speech. He was seen at the Eye and Ear Clinic and was tested three times, two were inconclusive and one passing, so his hearing was ruled out. A friend had told me about the Alliance for Infants and Toddlers, a early intervention program. I signed up with them to see if they could help me with Zyan. Even then with all the services they provided, like monitoring services in movement, language and communication, social and play skills, we still didn't know what was going on with Zyan It wasn't until a routine checkup with his pediatrician that he wanted Zyan evaluated. The evaluation was at the Children's Developmental Unit. It consisted of a series of questions and tests. I had to wait a couple of weeks before getting the report that Zyan had Autism. The staff was so supportive and gave me tons of information and resources, but all I wanted to know is how, what, when and why. I cried so hard for him. My only son wasn't suppose to be this way. My heart was so drained. I was eager to find out why. I had to find out so I would know how to tell my family. I went online and to our local library. I was able to get literature, videos and books that were suitable for each of my children. With the videos my children were able to see how Autism effects children. This way they could understand why Zyan behaved certain ways. As we watched the videos, we cried, laughed and at times would say that's Zyan. Also early intervention has been successful for Zyan. * Irene at the age of 3 had gotten lead posioning from a apartment I was renting from. All through school she had speech and learning support. Not her doctor, schol or SSI said that anything was wrong with her. I was always told she is like that due to the"lead". I took her to Childrens Hospital for a evaluation on May 2, 2008 and they told me what I suspected since Zyan's diagnosis, she has Autism/PDD Parents, go by your gut, don't let anyone tell you just anything, it is your child(ren). She has been like this for 14 years and will be a adult in 4 years. I really feel that the system let me down. I was given the wrong diagnosis for years. I am going to take all of this hurt and do the positive. I want to educate, get eduacated and help other families. What is Early Intervention? Early Intervention is a variety of supports and services designed to build and enhance the natural learning that occurs in the early years. Supports and services are provided in the home, child care site and other community settings identified by the family. Any child, age birth to three years, living in Allegheny County is eligible for a developmental screen through Early Intervention. He currently receives Wrap Around Services and now goes to public school. He still has his days but he is trying to do his best. I love my little angel and pray that whatever the future becomes that he will be alright. Zyan can count up to five and say some of the alphabets. Alot of his words are still hard to understand. Speech and safety are his biggest barriers. What are Wrap Around Services? Wrap Around Services, children can receive a home-based program using 10 to 40 hours of therapy each week. For school aged children, interventions may include Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) in school, where the autism specialists can provide educational consultation and assist with the Individualized Education Plan. In addition, home-based therapy in behavior and social skills with family members may also be included. Lastly, for other individuals with autism who are educationally competent but who struggle with social awareness, they will assist with the development of complex social understanding. More on Autism? Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe. Autism was first identified in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner of Johns Hopkins Hospital. At the same time, a German scientist, Dr. Hans Asperger, described a milder form of the disorder that is now known as Asperger Syndrome (read more). These two disorders are listed in the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as two of the five developmental disorders that fall under the autism spectrum disorders. The others are Rett Syndrome, PDD NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder), and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. All of these disorders are characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social abilities, and also by repetitive behaviors. Autism spectrum disorders can usually be reliably diagnosed by age 3, although new research is pushing back the age of diagnosis to as early as 6 months. Parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child or their child's failure to reach appropriate developmental milestones. Some parents describe a child that seemed different from birth, while others describe a child who was developing normally and then lost skills. Pediatricians may initially dismiss signs of autism, thinking a child will "catch up," and may advise parents to "wait and see." New research shows that when parents suspect something is wrong with their child, they are usually correct. If you have concerns about your child's development, don't wait: speak to your pediatrician about getting your child screened for autism. If your child is diagnosed with autism, early intervention is critical to gain maximum benefit from existing therapies. Although parents may have concerns about labeling a toddler as "autistic," the earlier the diagnosis is made, the earlier interventions can begin. Currently, there are no effective means to prevent autism, no fully effective treatments, and no cure. Research indicates, however, that early intervention in an appropriate educational setting for at least two years during the preschool years can result in significant improvements for many young children with autism spectrum disorders. As soon as autism is diagnosed, early intervention instruction should begin. Effective programs focus on developing communication, social, and cognitive skills. Facts about Autism Did you know… 1 in 150 children is diagnosed with autism. 1 in 94 boys is on the autism spectrum. 67 children are diagnosed per day. A new case is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes. More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined. Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. Autism costs the nation over $90 billion per year, a figure expected to double in the next decade Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism There is no medical detection or cure for autism. Thimerosal and Vaccines Despite wide spread rumors in the medical community that Thimerosal is no longer used in vaccines; research scientists report that vaccines still contain Thimerosal. Find out what your doctor may have never told you regarding the dangers of Thimerosal. Read the material safety data sheet here and ask yourself why would anyone allow this substance to be injected into infants and children. Preservative-Free does not necessarily mean a Thimerosal-Free product. This World Health Organization document states that products using Thimerosal as part of the manufacturing process do not have to label the product as Thimerosal containing. In the last 20 years there has been an increase in the diagnosis of autism in pockets around the world, which cannot be explained by genetics alone, nor can this increase be secondary to only increased awareness. A California review completed in 1999 showed that autism (all categories) increased 210.43 percent, while other categories such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation and epilepsy increased 42.84 percent, 48.74 percent, and 30.69 percent respectively. In comparing autism with other pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), autism (CDER level) increased 272.93 percent, while other PDD types increased 1,965.79 percent. Read the study that most doctors rely on to validate their notion that mercury in vaccines causes no harm. The study, of course was co-authored by an employee of GlaxoSmithKline, one of the largest makers of vaccines in the world. A Short Story Nobody Can See..... Nobody can see my disability. I look just like every other kid-attractive, walking, making sounds. They can't see how my neurons are scrabbled in my brain. They can't see the misconceptions between the left and right brain. Nobody can see I have autism. Nobody can see that my body is sick. No one can see that my stomach is in knots from my digestive system not working. No one can that my body and mind are starving because my cells don't make the right enzymes to digest food. No one see that I suffer from low blood sugar because I can't properly metabolize nourishment. No one can see that my body is attacking its own nerve cells from auto-immune dysfunctions. No one can see that mercury lead and arsenic cannot be excreted from my body, so it keeps building up in my brain. No one understands that my body cannot tolerate normal enjoyments for children, like bright, vivid colors and loud noises. I desperately want to be a kid and enjoy these things, but my body just won't let me. But everyone can see how inappropriate my behavior can be when I am out in public. Everyone can see how immature I can be compared to other kids my age. Everyone sees the 2-year old tantrums when things have been too overwhelming for me. Everyone sees my frustration from trying to cope. Everyone sees my screaming and fighting. Everyone just assumes I'm being bad, not that my body hurts, my eyes are in pain from colors, my ears ring with loud noises not heard by others. Everyone sees my tantrums when I don't get my way. No one sees that I can't explain my fear when I think I'm not being understood. Everyone may see my screams when my mom takes something away from me. No one can see that having something of comfort can keep my fears under control for me, and taking it away makes my nerves explodes in anxiety. No one understands how hard I have to work to keep my behaviors from reacting to the chemical imbalances in my body that makes me feel horrible. No one can see that, no matter how hard I try, sometimes I cannot control it. No one can see the shame I feel after I've had a meltdown from my body's problems. What they don't see is I am a person. I have feelings and want to be loved and accepted like everyone else. What they don't see is that, when they look at me like I need a good spanking, I understand that I'm not capable of controlling my body. What they don't see is that I scream because I don't know how to say "HELP ME" . What they don't see is that I hear every ugly word they say, but for the life of me, I can't make my mouth say what I'm feeling. But they don't see that as a disability. They say I am unmanageable. They say I am a problem. But I am not a problem. I HAVE AUTISM. My mom has taken me to more doctors and specialist than you can ever imagine. She's read more books and done more research on my disease than a parent would ever want. She has tried special diet, supplements, drugs and various metabolic therapies. She has PRAYED for GUIDANCE and asked for discernment on how to help my body. And behaviors, OH YES, has she tried everything to help my behavior. Stop telling her all I need is a spanking. If spanking would stop all this, my mom would gladly exchange my disability for a spanking. She knows better than all of you what I need to help me, and what we both need is your understanding, not ignorance. I just want to be accepted and understood. No blamed and ashamed, I want to be appreciated for my gifts. I do have some if you look more closely. I want to be cared for as a person. I want you to care, even when I act like I don't. I want to be respected, just like you do. I want you to respect my mom and dad for all the hard work they have done to help me try to lead a normal a life as possible. I want you to respect my family and all the struggles we have to endure because of our love for each other. I want to be LOVED like any other child. And need you to role model respectful behavior for me so I can be respectful too. I want you to love me just like JESUS would.