All About Autism

[schweppes]

specialboymum:

I think the temple grandin movie is a HBO TV movie and it wasn't shown in local cinema right?

I wonder if we can get it from video shop or download for free??

yes, it was a HBO TV movie. Not sure if can get it at video rentals. Maybe can check it out.

specialboymum:

Some interesting stuff to read to start off the day. Latest US findings show that 1:88 kids are diagnose with autism.. don't think we will be that far off... Who knows, at the rate we are going, our special kids will become new norms... hahaha
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/CountingAutism/

oh my... that sounds like an alarming figure.

Actually i tend to think that we are all on the spectrum.. just at different points on it. Think that as we grow older, these \"deficiencies\" becomes less obvious? Either that, or adults learn to be more tolerant of each other's \"deficiencies\" and just see those behavior as \"weird\" without really ostracizing the other party.

I mean, sometimes, we see adults behaving differently and these are well educated people. In fact, used to think that my ex-boss, a director, was on the spectrum too.

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nugget:

schweppes:

A few years ago, when dd was 13yo, our family went on a faith journey to the Holy Land. One agenda on the itinerary was to climb Mt Sinai, Egypt which is 2,285m high.


Was very proud of dd. She conquered most parts of the mountain, except for the last 500 metre where the guide advised us parents that she should not climb. By then, she had hiked and trekked uphill for almost 2,000 (it was a 3 hr climb up) and by then, she was physically tired.

For safety reason, we were advised that she did not climb the final stretch to the peak. To have done what she did was really amazing as we found out that she was one of the youngest foreigner/ tourist to achieve this feat.

dh carried on the journey to the top. In the meantime, dd and myself stayed at the rest stop, almost 2,000m from the ground and watched the sunrise together. It was a spectacular and beautiful moment.

When dd gave her testimony at the end of the trip, she reflected that climbing Mt Sinai was like overcoming her challenges in life. Later, she privately shared with dh and I that conquering the mountain is conquering her ASD.

Oh dear... tearing now as I'm typing this.

Oh mine. U also made me tear reading this..

I am looking forward to that day where my son share with me his thoughts about his condition and how he determine to overcome it.

So happy for you that your dd is doing fine now

:snuggles: :hugs: :hugs:

[nugget]

[quote]oh my... that sounds like an alarming figure.


Actually i tend to think that we are all on the spectrum.. just at different points on it. Think that as we grow older, these \"deficiencies\" becomes less obvious? Either that, or adults learn to be more tolerant of each other's \"deficiencies\" and just see those behavior as \"weird\" without really ostracizing the other party.

I mean, sometimes, we see adults behaving differently and these are well educated people. In fact, used to think that my ex-boss, a director, was on the spectrum too.[/quote]Yes I agree wth you on that. I think all of us have traits of ASD and I do things as our kids grow up, the traits seems to be better as they are better under controlled. That's why early intervention is important.

Does your daughter still attend any therapy now? Was she in EIPIC or seeing any therapist last time? I think 10 years ago, the awareness of ASD is not there yet right? Also not much EIPIC centre.

[helplessmum3]

so glad most of you at least have one normal child. for me this is my first. And i duno i have the courage to have another one… worried will have ASD too…

[chibi]

i just teared reading all the posts.

for me, i received a call from my daughter's kindy principal to advise me to bring her to KK hospital for evaluation as she feels that my daughter is abit different from the rest of the kids in her class. that happen during K1, 2 yrs ago. and it was when i just found out that i was preggie with my 2nd kid. imagine from my happines of being newly preggie, and the shattering pain i felt when i heard what her principal says. it was denial at first, saying nothing is wrong , she will be ok, until self reproach, why why me?? why her?? then picking myself up and saying\" if me as her mother don't help her, who will ?\"
i remember going with her to therapies even at my last month of pregnancy , and telling the therapist,\" oh can we stop her for a mth cause i am due to give birth next week\"
it was a long journey for all of us here. but it will get better.
every day my daughter seems to be improving too.

2 days ago, i bought some cute stationery for my daughter's buddies. and i told her to pass it to her buddies to show her appreciation. she actually took the intiative to write a small note and paste it on the pressies, saying thank you for helping me .
my mummy when picking my daughter up during dismissal time was asking her buddy, did my daughter pass the gift to her? then her buddy was smiling and saying yes, auntie! thank you!
i was so glad when my mum told me, cause my gal did remember that she has the gifts inside her school bag and pass it to her buddies :rahrah:
it is a big step for her in my opinion.
but , haha the only rant is , she actually told me \" mummy, u bought for my buddies, but how about me? can i have one too? \" :stupid:

[schweppes]

chibi:

i just teared reading all the posts.

oh dear... sorry, didn't mean to make you all tear with me. :snuggles: :hugs:

chibi:

for me, i received a call from my daughter's kindy principal to advise me to bring her to KK hospital for evaluation as she feels that my daughter is abit different from the rest of the kids in her class. that happen during K1, 2 yrs ago. and it was when i just found out that i was preggie with my 2nd kid. imagine from my happines of being newly preggie, and the shattering pain i felt when i heard what her principal says. it was denial at first, saying nothing is wrong , she will be ok, until self reproach, why why me?? why her?? then picking myself up and saying\" if me as her mother don't help her, who will ?\"
i remember going with her to therapies even at my last month of pregnancy , and telling the therapist,\" oh can we stop her for a mth cause i am due to give birth next week\"
it was a long journey for all of us here. but it will get better.
every day my daughter seems to be improving too.

2 days ago, i bought some cute stationery for my daughter's buddies. and i told her to pass it to her buddies to show her appreciation. she actually took the intiative to write a small note and paste it on the pressies, saying thank you for helping me .
my mummy when picking my daughter up during dismissal time was asking her buddy, did my daughter pass the gift to her? then her buddy was smiling and saying yes, auntie! thank you!
i was so glad when my mum told me, cause my gal did remember that she has the gifts inside her school bag and pass it to her buddies :rahrah:
it is a big step for her in my opinion.

such a wonderful feeling, right? these are the little steps of victories

chibi:

but , haha the only rant is , she actually told me \" mummy, u bought for my buddies, but how about me? can i have one too? \" :stupid:

:love:

[nugget]

helplessmum3:

so glad most of you at least have one normal child. for me this is my first. And i duno i have the courage to have another one... worried will have ASD too..

Actually I am now expecting my no 3. Yes there is a tendency getting another ASD child again, however the odds are lower. Doc say its abt 5% of getting ASD and 25% of other developmental issue (like ADHD etc).

However its because of our love of my ASD boy and my no 2, we decided to try no 3. Firstly my ASD will have 1 more companion. Secondly, we dont want our no 2 too feel too burden when he grows up, imagine he has a ASD elder brother and aging parents?

If heaven were really to give me another ASD child, I am also willing to take up the challenges as I know what to expect and how to help the child as well.

Nothing will take away the love I have for my children. Motherhood is the most wonderful thing and its really the only time you experience unconditional love.

[nugget]

chibi:

it is a big step for her in my opinion.
but , haha the only rant is , she actually told me \" mummy, u bought for my buddies, but how about me? can i have one too? \" :stupid:

This is sooo sweet and cute. I am really looking forward to my turn of having such experiences.

Actually I feel my ASD kid is very sensible and lovable boy and very sensitive to how we feel. Although he doesn't show much affection but I can tell he loves us very much.

I think its a barrier around his mind that disallow him to express himself and that is the barrier that he need to overcome.

[chibi]

congrats nugget :congrats:

hehe .
i was contemplating having # 3 too, but my ds2 is only slightly over 1 yr old. then my hubby was telling me when i told him i want a 3rd one \" oh you must be in love with looking like a panda??\" :spank:
guess that has to wait .

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nugget:

Does your daughter still attend any therapy now? Was she in EIPIC or seeing any therapist last time? I think 10 years ago, the awareness of ASD is not there yet right? Also not much EIPIC centre.

She does not go for regular therapy sessions now. It is quite difficult to arrange as her secondary school schedule is irregular and hectic. Also, think she has been to more than enough therapy sessions when she was younger, so don't want to subject her to anymore.

Instead, I will arrange for her to meet her educational psychologist, whom she has seen for the past 4 years, during the school hols.. Maybe only 2-3 sessions a year, just to touch base. Occasionally, there can be group sessions with her other asd friends, who are of similar age group for social skills. We call it friendship class. This is important, as it is a support group for them to let out steam, and to assure each other that they are not alone in their struggles. It's also a support system for us moms too.

That's why I mentioned earlier that social skills class is important when they are slightly older, like in their early teens. This the stage they get all hormonal, moody and full of angst. The social skills class helps them to decipher and decode the social dynamics amongst teens. That was another headache to survive from.

The last time she attended regular therapy was OT during PSLE year. That was to help her to manage the stress level. And my stress level too. I remembered that it took me 6 months to recover from the stress, even tho psle ended in early Oct. After that, it was the stress worrying about the results. To cope, I was into retail therapy. Nothing expensive, mind u. Cannot afford too. Ended up going to the supermarket buying all these inane household stuff, can food. And for clothes, I have so many white tees and other smaller priced items - like undies.... :oops: It was my way of dealing with the stress.

Don't think we had eipic before. More than a decade back, asd was unheard of. So.... was even more scary and emotionally draining as didn't know what to expect. I had to buy books from amazon.com to read up more and also books on intervention skills - like social skills and aba to help my child. Was also working full-time back then. So it was insane!! Think i was a monster mommy on most days :oops: