So, if you haven't heard it is Autism awareness month, if you didn't know that, where have you been? There is a million commercials on right now, HBO has got tons ON DEMAND programming for it, and Dr. Phil will soon have his annual show on. But, something really frustrates me about how they want people to view Autism on some of these awareness messages. I know first hand the devastation that is Autism, I experience the one ended conversations with Tobey, I pray that they can make it through the day without any major meltdowns and I get frustrated constantly with the strain of insurance companies and schools who just don't seem to get it!
But, here is the thing ..... not everything about Autism is bad or the end of the world. For the most part they don't lie or play mind games, you know where you stand with them. Once you get a routine down that they like you are golden....even if they don't like that activity they will do it because of their routine... kinda handy at times. Some people think that if you are Autistic, you may be slow... far from it! Was Mozart or Einstein slow? Edwin has a insane talent for computers, he has done things with our computer that Ed and I have yet to figure out. And Tobey has the unique talent for sounds, he can impersonate noises and if he hears a tone on the TV, he will walk right over to the piano and play that note! My personal (non medical) opinion is that they are simply wired differently.... not wrong, just different. The key which is so hard to figure out with every Autistic child is to see what works for them. With Edwin it's computers, if he is having any issue I just have to find a way to correlate it with computers. I have told Edwin several times that maybe he needs to reboot or some other lingo, if he is having a problem socially, I just look up social stories online and have him read them. Tobey is into sounds and music, so if I want him to come downstairs I turn on the vacuum, if he needs to put his shoes on I sing a song that he likes concerning shoes. If I need him to settle down, I turn on channel 22's weather channel with that horrible music, and he settles down (most of the time).
So, if you are reading this and just found out that someone you love has Autism, it is not the end, it is a beginning of a AMAZING adventure. Absolutely you need to grieve, there is times that I still cry about it, that's normal. When you find out that you are pregnant you don't say to yourself... I don't want a perfect child, give me one with Autism! Of course your heart is going to break and you are going to start going through this list in your head of everything that they may not be able to do. But, what you get in return is go great, every now and then Edwin let's me step into his world. Where a trip to Martin's grocery store is full of guards and you get to be on the lookout for bad guys, or it is perfectly acceptable to arrest your teachers at Church and a certain Pixar robot is your best friend in life. So, the good far outweighs the bad, so consider yourself blessed and be ready for all the fun you can have!
Well, that is all for today! I hope that you get to enjoy the sun, it's gorgeous out there!
No comments:
Post a Comment