Autism Has Taught Me....

For 4 years now I've worked with kids who have Autism.  A total of 7 boys, ranging in age from 2 years to 9 years old. 

I have worked on speech goals, language goals, occupational therapy goals, physical therapy goals, vision therapy goals, academic goals, and behavior goals. 

I have helped with potty training, swim lessons, attending school, eating issues, and sensory issues. 

I have assisted while the kids receive IVs of medication, sat in a hyperbaric chamber, and monitored dietary restrictions. 

I've learned about IV-IG, GFCF diets, oral motor exercises, listening therapy, ABA therapy, the Floortime approach, the RDI perspective, homeopathic medicine, and cranial-sacral therapy.

For 4 years I've worked for amazing parents, played with amazing kids, and learned so much. 

I wanted to share some things I've learned.........

Autism has taught me ...........

1. to be thankful for my babies staring into my eyes.
2. to take delight and find fascination in simple things like bubbles and feathers.
3. that gluten free, dairy free cupcakes are wonderfully yummy.
4. all the names to the Thomas the Train characters (and there's seriously a ga-zillion of them).
5. our bodies, immune systems, and nervous systems are WAY more complex than most people know, and oddly, more than most Doctors admit.
6. the value of body language.
7. how to play with my children, and not just teach and instruct.
8. you have to shake up your routine every once in awhile, or you forget how to deal with change.
9. how valuable hand-eye coordination is.
10. 3 day potty training is possible.
11. kids with special needs want to be invited for play dates too.
12. the brain processes singing and speaking in different locations.
13. poop can tell you a lot of things about your health.
14. dark circles under eyes can be due to more than sleep deprivation.
15. typical development is truly complex. The fact that for most people it is automatic, is miraculous.

And most of all,

Autism has taught me

to be THANKFUL for typical development.

 

Even the annoying, frustrating parts of it;

like when they realize they can be very loud, when they ask a million "why" questions, or when they demand to "do myself."