We have a little girl, Kirsten, who is the oldest of triplets who has been diagnosed with having autism. It is unbelievable the response you get from people when they find something like that out about you. I know that they mean well and that their hearts are in the right place, but sometimes you just want to scream!
OK, so I lose my mind on a daily basis trying to figure out what she wants or what she is thinking. Yes, I blow my top once in a while after having the light switch flickered on and off 50 times in a row while trying to cook dinner. And yes, I do have days where I just wish this would go away. BUT.....
Then there are days when she lets me into her world, and everything else seems so unimportant. The little habits she has, the tantrums, the constant battle with sleep deprivation. Every now and then she finds a way to show me things the way she sees them. For example, we've all seen the baby Einsteins barrage of things you can use to teach your kids, right? Well, I was showing her some flash cards of pictures, to see if she is an auditory or a visual learner....VERY IMPORTANT when dealing with a child who has autism.
The card was a black sky with white shiny dots..answer should have been "stars" or "night".....Kirsten says, "it's outer space Mommy. Where rocket lives." I was blown away. It seems minute to some, but really if you've ever dealt with a child who can't seem to communicate clearly with you for a cup of juice...this was big! So we tried another one. It was a red cardinal bird. Her answer, "it's a triangle." Just through this simple little exercise I was able to get a clear glimpse of exactly what she sees....abstracts....nature.....
I know I sound like a crackpot, but really, for her to see something so complex as "outer space" out of something so simple, my other kids all said "stars" to....she sees more than we think. Even the bird. She didn't see the bird, she saw the shapes it made using the outline of it's head and beak. I guess my point is, you just never really know what your kids see until you take the time to really get into their world.
For parent's of children with autism, the smallest things mean the biggest accomplishments.
3 comments:
Amazing. A triangle. I never would have been able to even figure out where she got that and yet you totally know. You are one great mom. Really, Jeannie, I hope people tell you that all the time. You are a really great mom.
I commend you on being such a loving and caring and devoted parent, especially when a child has Autism, it can be one of the hardest things to deal with, but at the same time very easy. You really do need to get into their world and see things they way they do. I am going to school for Special Education and I specialize in Autism. I think that they are some of the most amazing kids in the world. Keep up the good work and give her all the love you humanly can :)
I m struggling with how to teach her. Words like "no, don't, nd stop" don't work. And her tantrums are getting more aggressive...aany suggestions?
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