Autism Phenomenon's

How do you say "Come Play"?
At our house most of us use our words to ask someone to play with us, BUT for the Rock he doesn't have the words accessible yet so he'll hit us on the knee, pull our hand to where he wants to go, growl then run away or bring the play toy to one of us. He's definitely learning by our example of how we play with him, the growling might be my favorite.


Over the years therapists have asked about using pictures for him to show us what he wants to do, but that never seemed to work. This last year, school started signing most of what they say and from there the Rock has learned how to understand a few sign language signs. So now when we sign the words he knows he understands what we want him to say. This is one of the most fascinating things to me. I don't get how he knows what we want him to say, but that the words won't come naturally yet.

The Rock knows where we are at all times!
All we have to do is go somewhere once and it seems the Rock knows where we are at all times. If I make the wrong turn (from where the Rock wants to go) the Rock starts screaming. I have to tell him before we leave where we're going so he knows what to expect but that doesn't always mean I'm going the "right" way.
Last week we were driving home from a water park an hour away from our home (we'd been to this place the week before), when we left I turned a different way than before and boy did I hear it. I couldn't believe that we were an hour from home and he knew which way to go to get home. I hope this comes in handy one day.

One day it clicks
We have been working on the Rock dressing himself for about a year and he never showed much interest in it and I was not sure he had the fine motor skills to do it. Well one morning HeMan goes to get the Rock ready for school and to his surprise there is the Rock fully dressed (shirt backwards) in school clothes. We were both shocked! Nothing different had happened the day before, it just seems that when the Rock wants something he does it and when he doesn't want it he won't do it.

See's more than we know
The Rock likes to stand on top of the AC unit in the backyard while it's running to feel the wind and watch paper/ribbons blow. I hate him on top of the AC unit so I started turning it off. One day the Rock pulled me by the hand out to the AC unit and put my hand on it (I assume asking for it to work), I ignored the gesture and took him to do something else. A few minutes later he went off to do something else and I went to the kitchen. Along comes the Rock to the hallway and climbs on a table and starts pushing the thermostat buttons. I put him on the floor and off he goes outside to the AC unit, as I can only assume as to see if it's on after pushing the buttons. HOW does he understand that? No one showed him that the thermostat inside makes the AC unit outside work. HOW can he understand that and not the simple words and commands?

These are just some of the Autsim Phenomenon's that have happened lately. What ones have you encountered?

9 out of 12

Great News......the Rock has been given a publicly funded spot (free for us) at Carmen Pingree School for children with autism. We are so grateful for this opportunity and feel that it is a great blessing for all of us.

Carmen Pingree's approach is different from what we have been doing so there will be a lot of learning for all of us. I feel that it will give the Rock the ability to reach his potential. He has already come so far and we know that he will continue to succeed.

When you are accepted you go through an evaluation to make sure your child is a good fit. We spent 3hours at the school yesterday for this evaluation. The Rock was evaluated by an ABA trained teacher, the Speech Pathologist and the Psychiatrist. I was evaluated by the Psychiatrist (yes about Hagen, not me, that would have taken more than three hours....right?). I thought I was going to be way more emotional during this evaluation, but when it was over I was still laughing. When the Psychiatrist was done talking to me he handed me a piece of paper that showed me the 9 out of 12 autism characteristics the Rock has.

It was then my turn to ask questions, so I asked him the one that everyone asks me......"How autistic is he? or He doesn't look autistic, he must be high functioning. or Are you sure?" BTW These are all very rude, judgemental and very hurtful. He then said "He has 9 out of 12, he not mild. Mild would be 2 or 3, he has 9, he is right in the big middle." He then explained that the real question is "How is he functioning in four areas, Gross Motor/Fine Motor/Speech/Social?" Right now the Rock is at age level for Gross Motor, 24mo age for Fine Motor, 15mo age (preverbal) for Speech and Social. So..............no he is not at this time high functioning or anything else, just deep in the depths of autism, doing everything he can to succeed.

He is such a sweet loving little boy. That really lights up a room if you let him. It was so fun yesterday because everyone is always all gushy over him. He is doing so well and we are so proud of him and all the children and how well we all are able to work together. Finding PEACE within our pieces of life. PEACE by PIECE it will all fit together.