Today is our monthly round table with HYTR. Our guest speaker is Jenn Brockman who after years of wrong diagnois’ found out her daughter is autistic. Jenn is also the radio show host for Special Needs Kids here on Blog Talk Radio. Listen in to Jenn’s story and see what she had to go through to get the correct diagnosis for her daughter.

You can read more about Jen and listen to her show “Special Needs Kids” by going to RADIO SHOW http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Special-Needs-Kids or her site at http://www.specialneedskidstalkradio.com

Heal Yourself Talk Radio held it’s third Autism Round Table this week.

During the show I interviewed Amy Baskin and Heather Fawcett authors of “More Than A Mom-Living A Full and Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs”

More Than A Mom is a lifeline of information and advice for mothers who have children with developemental or physical disabilities, mental health or learning issues, or chronic medical conditions. With the author’s skillful blend of research, personal experience, and feedback from over 500 mothers across the United States and Canada, this book will help you cope, adjust, and find the inspiration to make your daily life easier and more fulfilling.

For more information and great resources visit their website at http://www.morethanamom.net

More about Amy Baskin and Heather Fawcett

Amy Baskin is a writer, teacher and public speaker. She has a Master of Adult Education degree and a teaching degree in Special Education from the University of Toronto. She writes about parenting, women, education and disability issues for magazines across North America.  She lives with her husband and two daughters in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Her youngest child has autism.

Heather Fawcett is a writer who is active in special-needs advocacy. She chairs an Asperger Syndrome parent support group serving 400 family and professional members in her community. She has earned mulitple B.A. degrees in English, Applied Studies, and Psychology from the Univeristy of Waterloo and Carleton University. A mother of two, she resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada wiht her husband and children. Her oldest daughter has Asperger Syndrome.

It’s the greatest day of your life: the moment the life force from the depths of your belly finds way into the vast real world. The moment you have longed for is finally here, to actually hold and hug with your arms the little wonder that the universe has granted into your life. But something is different, something you can’t put your finger on.

This is the journey for all who have experienced Are We There Yet?, a book that gets to the core of what parents experience in situations just like you. It will be months, maybe years before someone can help you put your finger on it: your beautiful wonderful miracle child has autism.

In a way, it can be a relief – to know that your child is not the “bad seed” or a natural troublemaker. It can be a relief to know that it isn’t a lack of love for you that they admonish those hugs you so desperately want to give them. It is because they simply cannot process such strength of emotion and love as they process data. But the relief is lost with the knowledge that your child will face most things alone, in a world that no one else can quite understand. It’s their world and as their mother or father, you will be their greatest protector, most valued teacher and ultimately their greatest student.

In a compelling account of personal experiences, Are We There Yet? helps parents, grandparents and friends understand that different is not bad. There are ways to learn how to cope, not only for parents, but also for your autistic child. Parents are their children’s biggest advocates and with their undying love and compassion, an autistic child can develop well beyond their social stigma.

Yes! Autistic children can do great things, are capable of great love and have insights into the world most of us would never stop to ponder. It’s all about a viewpoint and when you sit down on the ground and take a look at what they see, you begin to understand. Are We There Yet tells the journey of autistic children but doesn’t stop there. It gives you the insight as their parents to take a breath and start to understand and go on the journey with them!

“Are We There Yet? Coming Full Circle with Autism”

Contents

Part I – Diagnosis

Part II – Treatment

Part III – Diet

Part IV – Family

Part V – Social Community

Part VI – Family Stories

Part VII – Additional Resources

What others are saying about “Are We There Yet?”

For more information go to: http://www.autismarewethereyet.com/autism-book.html

Heal Yourself Talk Radio started our first of once a month round table discussions on Autism on Tuesday April 14th.

Before I go into the show and round table discussions with resources, I wanted to share my own personal story the short version, so others know why I decided to start doing this.

I have two autistic sons.  My oldest Alex is 15 years old and he was diagnosed in 2006 after years of being misdiagnosed with ADD and my youngest Adam was diagnosed with Autism in 2007. It has been a long road learning everyday about Autism. I will be the first to say for a long time I didn’t really think to much about Autism meaning, my  boys were the norm for our family. The first few years were very frustrating before we found out the correct diagnosis for Alex, but once we had the diagnosis and with the help from the local schools life was not so complicated.  I realized over the past couple years that I wanted to show the world just how unique my sons really were and to show why while my life may seem complicated and overwhelming at times, my sons have shown me a lot about life that I know I would have missed otherwise.

Next Tuesday April 21, 2009 we will have our 2nd Autism round table please feel free to come on over to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/healyourselftalkradio and participate in the chat room and on the call. If you would like to share your story please be in the chat room and let me know you would like to come on the show.  You will be given  a call in number and can call in and share your families story, ideas and information that you have found helped your family cope with autism. I encourage everyone to feel free to share what you have found works, I am always open to learning new ways to help my children succeed in life.

Once a month starting in May we are going to do the Autism round table where anyone can join in.  It will be the 1st Wednesday of each month at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/healyourselftalkradio from 1:00-2:00 pm est. In the upcoming months we hope to build a great resource site with a social setting, forums and more so that we can all ban together and support each other.

Now for information on our first Autism Round table:

Helen Hipp and Susan Trost were on our first round table discussion.

Helen Hipp is a life coach with Within U Life Coaching and has an adult son with autism. Her son was diagnosed over 20 years ago before autism was really well known around the world. She now has a Life Enhancement Group for adults for those with special needs. Helen has offered to help those who are searching for more information with her phone number at 1-888-240-2250.

Susan Trost talked to us about Cell Phones and Electromagnetic Field/Radiation and how the EMF and cell phones can cause not just children with autism harmful effects but all of us as well. I was very intrigued by all the information that Susan shared with us on EMF and upset as I realized that not only myself but my whole family was being subjected to radiation without my knowledge. Susan’s website is http://www.livinghealthiernow.com

I encourage you to listen to the whole show there is so much information it would be better for you to listen to the show.  Please feel free to post comments or questions below.

Can one book really change your life? We think it can.

Thousands of people around the world have participated in The AIM Program of Energetic Balancing after reading about a powerful and unique spiritual healing technology in the novel Sanctuary.

Stephen Lewis is with us talking about the frequencies and how his program can help those children with Autism. Stephen is offering his program THE AIM Program of Energetic Balancing free to those children who have been diagnosed with Autism.

April is National Autism Awareness Month

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.

http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=life_aspergers

What is autism?

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. Autism is a spectrum disorder and it affects each individual differently and at varying degrees.

What are the most common characteristics of autism?

Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals, has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some individuals mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. They may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Their communication is often described as talking at others instead of to them. (For example, a monologue on a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments).

People with autism also process and respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following traits:

• Insistence on sameness; resistance to change
• Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words
• Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
• Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason; showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
• Preference to being alone; aloof manner
• Tantrums
• Difficulty in mixing with others
• Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled
• Little or no eye contact
• Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
• Sustained odd play
• Spinning objects
• Obsessive attachment to objects
• Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
• No real fears of danger
• Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity
• Uneven gross/fine motor skills
• Non-responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range

What is the difference between autism and PDD?

The term “PDD” is widely used by professionals to refer to children with autism and related disorders; however, there is a great deal of disagreement and confusion among professionals concerning the PDD label. Diagnosis of PDD, including autism or any other developmental disability, is based upon the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC, 1994), and is the main diagnostic reference of mental health professionals in the United States.

According to the DSM-IV, the term “PDD” is not a specific diagnosis, but an umbrella term under which the specific diagnoses are defined.

What is Asperger’s Syndrome?

What distinguishes Asperger’s Syndrome from autism is the severity of the symptoms and the absence of language delays. Children with Asperger’s may be only mildly affected and frequently have good language and cognitive skills. To the untrained observer, a child with Asperger’s may seem just like a normal child behaving differently. They may be socially awkward, not understanding of conventional social rules, or show a lack of empathy. They may make limited eye contact, seem to be unengaged in a conversation, and not understand the use of gestures.

One of the major differences between Asperger’s Syndrome and autism is that, by definition, there is no speech delay in Asperger’s. In fact, children with Asperger’s 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 may not understand the subtleties of language, such as irony and humor, or they may not recognize the give-and-take nature of a conversation.

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

Why is early intervention so important?

Early intervention is defined as services delivered to children from birth to age 3, and research shows that it has a dramatic impact on reducing the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. Studies in early childhood development have shown that the youngest brains are the most flexible. In autism, we see that intensive early intervention yields a tremendous amount of progress in children by the time they enter kindergarten, often reducing the need for intensive supports.

Where is the closest ASA chapter to me?

Please see our interactive map to locate your nearest ASA chapter.

Visit the Autism Info page.

The characteristic behaviors of autism spectrum disorders may or may not be apparent in infancy (18 to 24 months), but usually become obvious during early childhood (24 months to 6 years).

As part of a well-baby/well-child visit, your child’s doctor should do a “developmental screening,” asking specific questions about your baby’s progress. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) lists five behaviors that signal further evaluation is warranted:

• Does not babble or coo by 12 months
• Does not gesture (point, wave, grasp) by 12 months
• Does not say single words by 16 months
• Does not say two-word phrases on his or her own by 24 months
• Has any loss of any language or social skill at any age

Having any of these five “red flags” does not mean your child has autism. But because the characteristics of the disorder vary so much, a child showing these behaviors should have further evaluations by a multidisciplinary team. This team may include a neurologist, psychologist, developmental pediatrician, speech/language therapist, learning consultant, or other professionals knowledgeable about autism.

Autism is a spectrum disorder, and although it is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act completely different from one another and have varying capabilities.

You may hear different terms used to describe children within this spectrum, such as autistic-like, autistic tendencies, autism spectrum, high-functioning or low-functioning autism, more-abled or less-abled, but more important than the term used to describe autism is understanding that whatever the diagnosis, children with autism can learn and function normally and show improvement with appropriate treatment and education.

Every person with autism is an individual, and like all individuals, has a unique personality and combination of characteristics. Some individuals who are mildly affected may exhibit only slight delays in language and greater challenges with social interactions. They may have difficulty initiating and/or maintaining a conversation. Their communication is often described as talking at others instead of to them (e.g., monologue on a favorite subject that continues despite attempts by others to interject comments).

People with autism also process and respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present. Persons with autism may also exhibit some of the following traits:

• Insistence on sameness; resistance to change
• Difficulty in expressing needs; using gestures or pointing instead of words
• Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
• Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason; showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
• Preference to being alone; aloof manner
• Tantrums
• Difficulty in mixing with others
• Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled
• Little or no eye contact
• Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
• Sustained odd play
• Spinning objects
• Obsessive attachment to objects
• Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
• No real fears of danger
• Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity
• Uneven gross/fine motor skills
• Non-responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests are in normal range

For most of us, the integration of our senses helps us to understand what we are experiencing. For example, our sense of touch, smell and taste work together in the experience of eating a ripe peach: the feel of the peach’s skin, its sweet smell, and the juices running down your face. For children with autism, sensory integration problems are common, which may throw their senses off (they may be over- or under-active). The fuzz on the peach may actually be experienced as painful, and the smell may make the child gag. Some children with autism are particularly sensitive to sound, finding even the most ordinary daily noises painful. Many professionals feel that some of the typical behaviors of autism, like the ones listed above, are actually a result of sensory integration difficulties.

There are also many myths and misconceptions about autism. Contrary to popular belief, many children with autism do make eye contact; it just may be less often or different from a neuro-typical child. Many children with autism can develop good functional language and others can develop some type of communication skills, such as sign language or use of pictures. Children do not “outgrow” autism, but symptoms may lessen as the child develops and receives treatment.

One of the most devastating myths about children with autism is that they cannot show affection. While sensory stimulation is processed differently in some children, they can and do give affection. However, it may require patience on the parents’ part to accept and give love in the child’s terms.

The following information contained on this page is copyrighted © Autism Society of America (ASA).

To view their policy about reproduction of their content please click HERE.

To visit the Autsim Society of America please click HERE.

Defining AutismAutism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. One should keep in mind however, that autism is a spectrum disorder and it affects each individual differently and at varying degrees – this is why early diagnosis is so crucial. By learning the signs, a child can begin benefiting from one of the many specialized intervention programs.

Autism is one of five disorders that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by “severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development.”

The five disorders under PDD are:

 
• Autistic Disorder 
• Asperger’s Disorder 
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) 
• Rett’s Disorder 
• PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)Each of these disorders has specific diagnostic criteria which been outlined in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR).

  Prevalence of AutismAutism is the most common of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders, affecting an estimated 1 in 150 births (Centers for Disease Control Prevention, 2007). Roughly translated, this means as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism. And this number is on the rise.

  Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and other governmental agencies, autism is growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year. At this rate, the ASA estimates that the prevalence of autism could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade.

  Autism knows no racial, ethnic, social boundaries, family income, lifestyle, or educational levels and can affect any family, and any child.

  And although the overall incidence of autism is consistent around the globe, it is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls.

   

  © Autism Society of America – ASA

I Am Autism

You never know how true it is until you have a kid or two with Autism..

Hello. Allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is Autism. Perhaps you know me or know of me. I am a condition, a “disorder” that affects many people. I strike at will, when and where I want. Unlike Downs Syndrome or other birth “defects,” I leave no marks on those I strike. In fact, I pride myself on the ability to infiltrate a childs life, while leaving him or her strikingly handsome. Many people may not even know that I am there. They blame the child for what I cause him or her to do.

I am Autism and I do as I please.

I am Autism. I strike boys and girls, infants and toddlers. I find my best victims to be boys around the age of 2, but any child will do. I like children and they are always the true victims, though I take hostage the others in the child’s family as well. It is a bit like getting two for the price of one. I affect one child and infect the entire family.

I am Autism. I strike rich and poor alike. The rich combat me with education and therapy. The poor shut their children away and cannot afford to fight me. I am able to win in the lives of poor children more than I am of the wealthy, but I will try to take root anywhere.

I am Autism. I am an equal opportunity disorder. I like whites, blacks, Mexicans, Ukrainians, Russians, Poles, Slavs, Japanese, Koreans and Fins. In fact, I strike everywhere on earth. I know no geographical bounds.

I am Autism. I do not discriminate based upon religion either. I strike Jews and Christians, Muslims and Buddhists, Atheists and Agnostics, Hindus and Rastafarians. I do not care what religion a person is or what beliefs he may hold. When I strike, there will be little time for any of that anyway. When they find me, they will question everything the believe in, so why would I strike any one group? I have affected followers of every religion on the planet.

I am Autism and I am strong and getting stronger every year, every month, every day, every minute, and every second. I am concerned that money might be alloted to combat me and my takeover of children, but so far I have little to fear. Some countries, like Kuwait, are spending quite a bit of money to assist those who I have targeted and some, like the United States, would rather spend money on such ludicrous things as discovering the number of American Indians who practice voodoo, as opposed to combating me. In an atmosphere as that, I can flourish and wreck havoc at will. In places such as that, I rub my hands with glee at the problem I can cause to children, families and to the society at large.

I am Autism. When I come, I come to stay. I take the dreams and hopes of every parent and trample them with glee. I see the fear and confusion in the eyes of my victims and I see the formation of wrinkles, worries and ulcers and the pain on the face of their parents. I see the embarrassment their child causes because of me and the parents unsuccessfull attempt to hide their child and, me. I see tears and the parents cry and feel the tears of their child.

I am Autism. I leave sorrow in my wake.

I am Autism. I taketh and give nothing but bewilderment and loathing in return. I take speech and learning, I take socialization and understanding. I take away “common sense” and if I am allowed to flourish, I take away all but their physical life. What I leave behind, is almost worse than death.

I am Autism. I fear nothing except courage, which I thankfully see little of. I fear those who take a stand against me and attempt to fight me and bring others into the fight as well. I fear those who try to make it safe and easier for my victims in the community, and their families. I fear those who push ahead, despite the fact that I am in tow. I fear the day that I will be eradicated from the planet. Yet, I do not fear too much right now. There is no need.

I am Autism and I bet you know me or know of me. If you don’t, you probably will soon. I am marching forward faster than I ever have before. I am looking for new children all the time. I dread the day I will be looked on with pity, or worse yet, understanding, for that day, is the day I will begin to die. But, I don’t think that will happen for a long long time though, do you? In the meantime, I prowl onward, looking to cause pain and suffering wherever I go. I have so much work to do and thankfully, no one is stopping me.

Hello my name is Austim. Perhaps you know me or know of me……………………………

written by: © Marty Murphy

Marty Murphy is an adult with Autism Spectrum Disorder who was born and raised in central Illinois. With her personal insite and presentations on autism across Illinois, Marty has made a tremendous impact on how parent, teachers and administrators look at our children’s futures.

Sticks and Stones and words.

My youngest, who has autism, brought home a note from her teacher that said my daughter had called her stupid. This is my child’s favorite word lately though I do not use it and have had numerous chats with my kids about not using it, ever.

I spent the weekend quietly with my boyfriend who seems to have come down with the flu again. We had a minor tiff over something that I’m researching in order to stay home and bring an income. He said only one sentence but those words had many implications and hurt me.

When my kids came home today from their dad’s house, they were actually being fairly polite but couldn’t seem to get along with my mom who lives with us. She can raise her voice when she’s upset and it’s scary even to me at this age.

So, when my oldest daughter came and helped me with making some of the products I sell. I made sure to tell her that I appreciated her and her help.

I’ve found several groups of people online lately who offer such supportive and helpful words in the form of written chat rooms and typed posts.

Words can carry so much weight and no matter what the old saying says, I can not ignore that.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Words are how we as humans communicate. We don’t wag our tales or rub up against others as our dogs and cat’s do.

We talk or yell or scream.

How have you used your words today?

Jenn Brockman

www.paintedlaydies.com
www.mamabags.com

Today’s special show is about autism.

Autism covers a wide range of “categories”, Rebecca White will be talking about Asperger’s Syndrome and Melody Ravert author of Silent Angel will be one of several guest speakers who will be talking about their life as parents of autistic children.

Join us as we talk about the daily challenges, the joys and the way our children look at daily life with a new aspect that makes us appreciate the world around us more each day. 

Show sponsored by:

I was going to write something poignant and meaningful and timely today.

The idea came to me while on the massage table yesterday while the masseuse tried to beat my body into submission. I spoke to Rebekah about it last night briefly stating that I had an idea and would post again tomorrow.

Several things happened before I got to this point, right now in time. My daughter had a couple of breakdowns and it overwhelmed me. I packed up some orders that needed to get out. I wallowed in the misery of my monthly hormones and feeling of utter helplessness with my child and finally gave up after sending a giant and urgent request to the universe for some karmic retribution to the drunk driver who sent my body into the downward spiral it has been in for the last 4 years.

Then I slept.

 Got the kids off to school after watching Clifford the big red Dog with them first.

 Then I slept some more.

After all that, and dinner and family therapy, I don’t remember what I wanted to write about today.

Good thing I have such an interesting life or there really wouldn’t be anything to post about!  :lol: 

This week I interviewed Rebekah White about her two sons with Aspergers syndrome. Our 2 youngest at the ages of 6 have been diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum so we had a lot in common.  If you aren’t familiar with Autism, I suggest you look into it, or better yet listen to our show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Special-Needs-Kids and to Rebekah’s show  thttp://www.blogtalkradio.com/healyourselftalkradio which airs today and will focus on autism as well.  

There are so many challenges when you have a child with autism but there are so many great things as well. For instance, though my child is very stubborn and gets “stuck” on an idea that has to be told or acted out before she can move on, she has one of the brightest minds I’ve ever seen. She is so intelligent and funny when she can get around the bumps in her road!  Rebekah and I both have high functioning autistic children which can cause even more issues. They seem normal and so their symptoms and behaviors can be easily brushed off as being a bad apple, or lazy, or any one of the negative things associated with difficult children.  

It is simply not true of these kids though. They process the same information that you and I do, but they do it in a different way and so they may have to do things in a different pattern than we do in order for them to get to the same end result. These patterns may look out of the ordinary to others and may not fit in with a structured situation like school or work.  

Social situations can cause problems, because while the autistic child looks to be interacting with their peers, they might not be really connecting. They often times have a story in their head already and they cannot play along well if their peers don’t follow that story line.  Do you have an autistic child?

 Please share your thoughts with me. We all need support.

  Jenn Brockmanwww.paintedlaydies.comwww.mamabags.com 

Just Breathe

I went to my weekly massage appointment today. Now, keep in mind that this is not the fluffy, soft and fuzzy, make you feel good type of massage. This is down and dirty, work out the kinks, and get rid of the junk. Painful massage. My lower arms and legs were very tight and painful today and I kept telling myself “just breathe” every time it hurt.

My oldest daughter has asthma and can have coughing fits that nearly choke her and do make her vomit sometimes. She will get to going during her martial arts class and I can see a fit coming on so I tell her “just breathe”.

My youngest daughter has rages. She gets bent out of shape over seemingly nothing and then can’t calm down. I am talking about screaming at the top of her lungs, inconsolable crying, and not being able to talk or get even half a grip rages! We always tell her “just breathe.”

So, I was watching a webinar last night that Oprah and Mr. Tolle had. It was about a book that was written to help humans find their consciousness and basic humanity without ego. The author was explaining live, via video camera,  that one of the best ways to practice being in the moment is to breathe. The simple awareness of taking in and exhaling air is the best way to find your center and be in the moment.

So, I’ve found that no matter what is going on, Just Breathe.

Jenn Brockman

www.paintedlaydies.com

www.mamabags.com

http://www.specialneedskidstalkradio.com

Mine is 6 and still is not using the bathroom on her own all the time. It really is much better than it was but it took going to school almost all year long before she even got this far!  You see, my child is autistic, or so we think.

There could be some other issues stacked on top of it, or with it. If you aren’t familiar with Autism, then you need to read up. It is becoming so very predominant here in America.  No matter what you may or may not think about the diagnosis, the behavior is a real issue for many people all over the world. 

As a parent of a child with special behaviors, are you embarrassed to tell people that your 6 year old doesn’t even “get it” about going to the bathroom on her own? I am sometimes. For that reason alone, it’s easier to have a label. I hate labels though! Labels can confine a person and limit them to what another understands of that label alone.  So many minds are closed when it comes to another person’s behavior and that is so sad. There are always reasons, whether right or wrong, for that behavior but many people don’t care about the why and are quick to judge.  I hope you are not this way. I hope that you can open your heart and mind to what these children go through, and in turn, what we parents go through.

 Often I feel helpless in helping my child. She obviously sometimes cannot express her emotions or thoughts to me in a way that I can understand. She becomes frustrated and angry and so do I, but not at her. I only want to help but it is not easy to know how.  

Do you have a child like mine? Continue to love them as that is all that matters in the end and sometimes all we can do. 

Jenn Brockman  

www.paintedlaydies.com

www.mamabags.com