Learning To Live And Love Autism

Learning styles of Individuals with Autism - Autism Awareness Month

       

Learning styles of Individuals with Autism - Autism Awareness Month from Karina Barley - M.Ed.

I love quotes and to find this Slideshare full of great quotes was exhilarating and put a fire under me that helps me focus on the big picture which is getting Jacob to the point in his life where he is as happy as he can be as well as independent as possible. As you read each quote, stop for one or two minutes and think deeply about how that quote effects you and your family. Find a place deep in you to use that quote and make it yours, make it your child's; then forge on. FORGE ON!

Autism 101 by ASNV (Last updated June 2015)

     

Autism 101 by ASNV (Last updated June 2015) from AutismNOVA

Tips for Mom, Dad, and Extended Family and Friends

1. The first tip is to accept your child. Love your child. Accept him or her for their differences - not disabilities. They are the same child they were before you heard the "dreaded word Autism". We are ALL different, meaning that your child has the potential to grow over time with proper medical evaluations and the best treatments for him or her.

There are many emotions you will be having at this time. You may need to go through the grieving process straight away. That is NORMAL and OKAY! We all go through it and sometimes as they grow bigger, we will slip back into it for a bit. The stages of the grieving process include shock, sadness, anger, denial, feeling lonely, and ultimately you will be accepting. However, then you need to pull your bootstraps up and get to work. All members of the family and friends will go through the grieving process differently. The most important thing is to realize that each of you are still in mourning and none of you are doing it the "right way". There is NO right way. You have now become your child's biggest advocate, friend, fighter, mom, dad, friends, family, etc. 

Project Heart Touch - Finding Support on Your Autism Journey

      

Project Heart Touch - Finding Support on Your Autism Journey from Jodi Murphy

There are many emotions you will be having at this time. You may need to go through the grieving process straight away. That is NORMAL and OKAY! We all go through it and sometimes as they grow bigger, we will slip back into it for a bit. The stages of the grieving process include shock, sadness, anger, denial, feeling lonely, and ultimately you will be accepting. However, then you need to pull your bootstraps up and get to work. All members of the family and friends will go through the grieving process differently. The most important thing is to realize that each of you are still in mourning and none of you are doing it the "right way". There is NO right way. You have now become your child's biggest advocate, friend, fighter, mom, dad, friends, family, etc.

Autism Linked To Genetics – Who Would Have Thought?

I do not mean to sound cynical or sarcastic in my title (Ok, maybe just a little) but I am so happy about the two significant completed have located over 60 genes that increase the chances of aa child being born with Autism by 90%. I have always known that about my son. Jacob was born with Autism. I never thought he "caught" it from getting vaccinations nor anything in our environment. Like many other syndromes, Autism is in the genes.

I knew from the time Jacob was three months old that he was different. I worked as a pediatric nurse and saw over 150 children a day so it was not difficult for me to notice that my child was not meeting his milestones. That was over 17 years ago and Autism was a term only known by the best specialist doctors in the world. Back then, you sure were not going to have your general doctor realize the diagnosis quickly.

At three  months old, all Jacob wanted to do was sit in his bouncy seat with his blanket and a stuffed lion while watching Toy Story on VHS over and over ALL day long. If I tried to interrupt, this time, he would wail the most awful cry I have ever heard. He was mesmerized by the movie and "saw" nothing else around him.

Now, with two separate studies on over 17,000 DNA samples, researchers have finally found enough to concretely state that Autism is, in fact, a genetic disorder. What makes these studies so unique is that the facts show that the mutations are not present in the blood or brain of the parents but occur during the fertilization of the egg. Instead, the mutations show up in the nerve-cell communication or proteins that are connected to inherited disabilities.

Up until now, Autism has been hard to treat, partly, because of the range of symptoms on the scale but also because the cause of Autism is not fully understood. These studies bring great hope in helping doctors and researchers figure out treatment options that can be tailored to each child.

This, in my opinion, is the most significant find. The spectrum is so huge that I feared that days like today would not happen in my lifetime. I could not be happier about these findings as they back up what I have, for over 15 years explained to family, friends, and even other parents who were still searching for a diagnosis.

Today is a happy day for my family. The closer science and psychology get to finding the cause of Autism, the more the syndrome shows up in the news which means more awareness, advocacy, and treatments.

Regards,

 ~Holley Jacobs