If there’s one thing we parents say more than anything it’s, “WOW my back hurts today.” No matter how spritely we were before building a family, having small humans that need or want carrying and the fact that we are getting older every single day takes its toll on the long, rickety vertebrae puzzle behind […]
One of the coolest perks of entering middle school or high school is getting your own school locker. Not only is it your own secure space to store school supplies, but it’s your own private space to decorate exactly the way you want to. And this goes beyond simple stickers and plain magnets. From stylish […]
When I clicked on Amy Schumer’s response to a fan’s question regarding what she would do if her son had the autism gene I was prepared to go on the defense. I thought for sure the reason her response was making the rounds on social media was for the same reason many things make it […]
Parents really can change the world. Take, for example, Jason Rudge, an autism dad who tried to find a way to make traveling less stressful for his four-year-old son, Presley, who has level three autism. With the help of the Pittsburg International Airport, kids and adults on the spectrum can now find a safe place […]
Enrolling your autistic child in school is so much different than your general education kiddo. You’ll enter a whole new world of teachers, therapist and acronyms. When my daughter started school I felt like I had just entered a foreign county. There were new people and all kinds of terms I had never heard before. […]
Although I still have a house full of young ones, my oldest daughter is about to turn 24. She was among those in the beginning of the rise in autism diagnoses. Those charts of autism cases by year? My daughter was right at the beginning of the uphill climb. She was diagnosed later than kids […]
Strep throat is a normal part of childhood and while it causes discomfort, the symptoms usually clear up after the first few doses of antibiotics. But for a small number of children, the infection triggers unusual behavior changes known as PANDAS syndrome: Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections. When a child has strep […]
Long before my daughter’s autism diagnosis we struggled with her moods. Her tantrums were far more severe than the typical toddler. Her everyday frustrations led to banging her head on the walls. And saying no to any request could result in the requested item being launched across the room. Knowing she would grow bigger, stronger […]
My daughter is now 22. She was diagnosed with autism nearly 18 years ago. As hard as it is for me to believe I’ve been a mom that long, it’s even harder to believe we’ve been working our way through autism for so many years. I wish I could say, “It hasn’t always been easy” […]
Thanks to her, there are so many “big” things that are now insignificant and so many small things that I celebrate with all of my children.
I felt certain that my milestone-missing toddler wasn’t just a “lazy baby,” as one doctor affectionately called her. I knew in my heart that she was autistic.
It’s not an easy conversation to have, but these strategies will help.
