Autism Awareness
When I first started to write about autism on this blog a year or so ago my first post looked at the our son’s diagnosis with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) about seven weeks before his third birthday. You can read the blog here – https://patienttalk.org/how-easy-was-it-to-get-your-child-diagnosed-with-autism/ – it would be really great if you could have a look and maybe share your autism diagnosis story. This will really help others going through an autism diagnostic process!
One of the things that has always interested me is at what age people get diagnosed with different types of autism such as Aspergers, PDD-NOS or in our case of our son classic autism. In fact one of my wife’s cousins started her son’s autistic diagnosis when she saw the first symptom at around 10 months. Constipation interestly enough!
So I though a poll would be handy to give us all an opportunity to pool our knowledge. So please feel free to vote below. If you want to share anything more please use the comments box below to add your thoughts.
Thanks very much in advance!
| RinkjevanderWeij | I was diagnosed at age 12 with ADHD and at age 24 with higher functioning autism.
I’ve had problems fitting in to the world my whole life but my diagnosis has made it easier for me. You could say my life began anew with the diagnosis, because people understand better why I do things the way I do or why I react in a different way. |
| irlam7 | Watching casualty tonight and they tell parents that there son might be on the autistic spectrum and they break down. From my experience of having a child on this spectrum, I must say through all the ups and downs of my experience with my boy it’s been a pleasure. I have a daughter who is on the doesn’t do what she’s told and knows better than anyone spectrum and wouldn’t swap any of them for the world. I would like to say I am a proud father of a boy with aspergers. |
| diamz | i live in Laredo tx and was wondering where can i take my son to be diagnosed or re evaluated , my son is 9 yrs old and was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 4 but we have been having lots of problems with him at home and need help , not sure where to look can anyone pls help us out .. Thanks Diana.. |
| terri fleming | my son was diagnoised at age 11. After years of being told we had just babied him too much, he was the baby in a family of 4,hes lazy. all things I was told. Just read to him over and over like that was all he needed. I learned to respect my mom voice. I knew my child was smart, and I also knew “something ” was different about this little boy. We’ve come along way, home schooling now, hoping to return to a different school next fall. I have learned so much from watching this little guy learn how to live in this noisy, fast paced world. he is so forgiving and loving even when other children are just down right mean to him. If as a parent you sense something about your child and your not getting the answers or help from their school or DR. keep looking! Your child needs you to fight for them, they don’t have a voice unless you speak for them. |
| mikalena | My son was diagnosed with autism at 3 then he had a MRI which diagnosed him with multiple Brain lessions he has difficulty with his balance he falls easily when running cant climb without falling and is being fitted for a wheelchair Please is anyone out experiencing this I’m so lost and scares of the next steps |
We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym Boca Raton
Welcome to the latest in our series of guest post about autism. Today Gail Field shares her inspiring story. While many autistic parents look for suitable activities for their children Field went one further and set up a gym as part of a franchise called “We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym”.
The picture illustrating this blog is her flyer. Please click to enlarge.
Field’s web site can be found at http://www.werockthespectrumbocaraton.com/.
Ms Field shares “My name is Gail Field and when you look at me you would assume that I am a typical Suburban wife, and mother to three beautiful children. However, my life is not typical at all! I have been a West Boca Raton resident for fourteen years raising two children who are now sixteen and eighteen years of age. While raising my children I was on the Parent Teachers Association for 5 years at Waters Edge Elementary, and have been involved with the sports community as well. Four years ago I was blessed with a surprise Pregnancy and had a baby boy at the age of 40, being an older mom made me worry, as most woman would do, yet we embraced what lyed ahead. When my son was six months old I started questioning what and why things he wasn’t doing or was doing, he wasn’t reaching certain milestones that are typical at certain ages. People said I was just being neurotic and the pediatricians kept telling me that there was no cause for concern. Every time I went to the doctor’s office I voiced my opinions with heart-wrenching questions, I knew in my head and my heart something was seriously wrong with my beautiful baby boy. I would lay in my bed and cry because I watched my son deteriorate in front of my eyes. Long story short, my son Jayson was diagnosed at eighteen months with PDD a form of autism. It has been quite a journey the past couple of years, while learning and growing every day, Jayson participates in several different types of therapy, as early intervention can be extremely beneficial to these children who are diagnosed with disorders such as PDD.
One rainy day I wanted to take him somewhere fun, somewhere that wasn’t your typical Monkey Joe’s / Chuckee Cheese, some place where I didn’t have to say I am sorry every five minutes because Jayson was a little different, or not up to par with the other kids, where we felt welcome. With this constant scenario I started googling and couldn’t find anything in South Florida to accommodate my child or any other child with disorders such as this. It disheartened me so I went further and found a place in California. I went on the website and read about We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym for all Kids and thought what an amazing place this is, there motto is A PLACE WHERE YOU NEVER HAVE TO SAY SORRY!!!. My life has centered around my son knowingfully well that I would have be the one to find and seek opportunities to safeguard his future. Every mother of a toddler is tired yet I knew that I could never sit back and accept what limited resources there were. Many phone calls, emails, and texts ensued to WRTS in California. I met an amazing woman named Dian Kimmel, the founder/ owner of WRTS California….after several conversations we decided to bring the gym to Boca Raton, and as of December 26th I bought the franchise. I am not a wealthy woman and we are just a normal family living pay check to paycheck. Deep in my heart, I believe this is what I am suppose to be doing. WRTS/Boca Raton will not just benefit my son Jayson, but all of the children in the South Florida area and for that I am forever grateful!!”
