Nutritional Therapy?

Many autism experts have long believed that diet plays a key role in the "cure" for autism.  I've done some research on the subject and after trying to finesse Miller into drinking organic rice milk and eat lactose-gluten free mac n' cheese, I have concluded that this is not the right move for us. I am really fortunate that Miller is such a good eater and I would like to keep that going.
However, I just found this article about a new nutritional therapy that just might be worth looking into.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/05/29/nutritional-therapy-may-be-key-to-stopping-autism/

That Time of Year

Summer is almost upon us and Miller will be out of school soon...that means LOTS of free time that needs to be filled with activities to keep Miller, me and Terry from going completely nuts.
I have a few summer things planned, but I hope to have many more in the coming weeks.  I can't believe that it's almost Memorial Day!
In other news, Miller has been doing wonderful at school.  I am so proud of his constant progress.  He is also going to summer school again this year, but that will only last about a month, so hopefully he won't lose all the stuff he already learned!
Miller has also started to mimic our actions! We can go through the entire "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" song with him following us.  His imagination has also improved.  He is creating games, and looking through books.
I am really looking forward to the coming months!

2 Years

2 years, 24 months, 730 days, 17,520 hours.  The time that has passed since I found out Miller has autism.  I'm still in shock.  I don't think that feeling will ever go away.  We've been through so much, climbed the highest mountains, been through the lowest valleys, and still I would not trade a single moment.  I have the most beautiful little boy.  He is my light and my life.

Someday

I found this very moving. I hope you do too.

"Someday"

From a child's perspective: I am not bad, I am autistic. I know I scream. I do have a good reason. I can not communicate like you do. I will learn how to get the point across in different ways, someday. I know I hit and pinch. I try not too. I feel bad afterward. Sometimes I get what is called 'Sensory Overload' and it makes me feel overwhelmed and afraid. I lash out when this happens because I want the environment around me to calm down. I am learning to handle it and will be able to, someday. I know I wave my arms around. Sometimes it feels like my arms are on fire or have ants crawling on them. It is called the 'Skin Crawls' and waving my arms is soothing. I am learning to get use to it and will learn to rub my arms like my occupational therapist does, someday. I know I rock, shake, fidget, poke, and hum. This is called 'Stimming'. It makes me feel calm when I stim and I do this more often when I have anxiety or I am very worried. I am learning to deal with my anxiety and will be able to, someday. I know I wear the same clothes over and over again. I am not poor or dirty. I like certain types of material and clothes without tags and hard sewn in seams. This is called being 'Sensory Tactile'. I am getting use to different types of clothing slowly and maybe I will try something different, someday. I know I am not looking directly at you. This is very difficult for me because I take pictures of things in my mind. If I am looking at you, I may not be listening because I am busy taking pictures of your face and memorizing it. Know that I can hear you and understand you. I am not lying if I am not making eye contact. People with autism very rarely lie. I have a hard time communicating and I am busy forming ways to talk, I do not have time to think of lies. I may learn to make eye contact, someday. I know I talk different or not at all. I have other ways of communicating like using pictures called Pecs, or an Ipad, or sign language. I do know what is being said to me and I am not stupid. Please do not think because I have difficulty getting my thoughts out in the same way you do, like talking, that I do not understand what is being said to me. I do. Sometimes I need time to think about it and that is called 'Processing'. I know that as I grow, I will get faster at processing and we will learn to communicate with each other, someday. I am not trying to scream, pinch, hit, avoid eye contact, stim, be poor or dirty, to annoy you. I am trying to communicate. I am not bad. I am autistic. I hope we can be friends, someday.

Holiday Seasons

I love the holidays. The time between Halloween and Christmas is my favorite time of year. Some of my most fond childhood memories are from Christmas. Coming down the stairs on Christmas morning, seeing the lights twinkling in the tree, the stockings meticulously stuffed and all the gifts just waiting, having all the family around, and all the traditions built over the years.

I very much looked forward to sharing my holiday cheer with Miller. Awaiting that joy of Christmas morning with him, making cookies, visiting Santa...however, none of those things are happening. Miller has no idea what is going on. It's just another day, another month. He has noticed the Christmas lights, but to him, they are just flashing bulbs. I'm trying not to let all this get me down, but it's hard watching all the other children's excitement. Maybe things will click next year, but you never know.

Happiness Is...

Last year I wrote about all the things that I am thankful for.

This year is no different. So many amazing and wonderful things have happened and Miller has grown into a sweet, gentle, smart little boy.

Just in the last few weeks Miller has learned the sign for "eat/hungry" and "please". And last week he put together his first signed sentence: "More food, please."

This year I thought I would share some of my "Happiness Is..."! My collection of favorite things about Miller.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happiness Is...

Miller's vast collection of artwork from school, most recently a hand print turkey

Miller trying to "sing" along with the Spongebob theme song

The way he runs over for a hug whenever and wherever

High Fives

The "lala, dada, baba, and mamas" he has been working on saying

His first word "baby" He tried so hard to copy me saying it, and it finally came out!

His smile

Watching Miller and Terry play together

Cuddles

Miller's excitement when he sees me

When he just wants to sit and hold your hand while watching a movie

Playing games that he has made up

Jumping at the inflatable gym, one of Miller's favorite places

Swimming at the beach and making seaweed monsters

Splashing in puddles with the tip of his foot

Throwing rocks/pine cones/balls into bushes and chasing after them

His contentment at being himself

Watching him ride the school bus all by himself

Picking out his favorite movies

Watching him actually sit down and look through a book

When he does something bad, but he's so darn cute doing it, that I can't be mad, like when he

took apart an entire roll of paper towels, or pulled off an entire roll of toilet paper

And many, many more....

I LOVE MY KIDDO!

Happiness Is...

Last year I wrote about all the things
I am thankful for.

This year is no different. So many amazing, wonderful things have happened and Miller has grown into a sweet, gentle, smart little boy.

Just in the last few weeks Miller has learned the sign for "eat/hungry" and "please". And last week he put together his first signed sentence: "More food, please."

This year I thought I would share some of my "Happiness Is..."! My collection of favorite things about Miller.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happiness Is...

Miller's vast collection of artwork from school, most recently a hand print turkey

Miller trying to "sing" along with the Spongebob theme song

The way he runs over for a hug whenever and wherever

High Fives

The "lala, dada, baba, and mamas" he has been working on saying

His first word "baby" He tried so hard to copy me saying it, and it finally came out!

His smile

Watching Miller and Terry play together

Cuddles

Miller's excitement when he sees me

When he just wants to sit and hold your hand while watching a movie

Playing games that he has made up

Jumping at the inflatable gym, one of Miller's favorite places

Swimming at the beach and making seaweed monsters

Splashing in puddles with the tip of his foot

Throwing rocks/pine cones/balls into bushes and chasing after them

His contentment at being himself

Watching him ride the school bus all by himself

Picking out his favorite movies

Watching him actually sit down and look through a book

When he does something bad, but he's so darn cute doing it, that I can't be mad, like when he took apart an entire roll of paper towels, or pulled off an entire roll of toilet paper

And many, many more....

I LOVE MY KIDDO!