No Words

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. But, I have no words. 

What can YOU say about this?

Art by JJ

Pic by Dany

Let's Get to Know Each Other; Come Say Hello

Hello Everyone and Welcome!

This post is a reintroduction of me, Dany, the face of Loorducation

My name is Danielle Loor. I founded Loorducation in 2013. It all started as a Capstone Project for grad school and has since evolved and keeps evolving over time. Click on the link below to see the latest on Loorducation on Facebook  I would love to also see you across other platforms of your choice such as Loorducation on Instagram or Loorducation on Twitter . At times I am over in this place sharing ideas and thoughts. I hope you have. look around and share your thoughts, ideas, questions, and comments because they are valued. I am excited to share and for you to get to know me and I am as equally excited to get to know who you re as well. Thats what it is all about!

The handmade necklace I am wearing is from Tanya's Shop

My Shop is currently under construction but you can still check it out and see how others enjoyed my hand made and hand designed items.

I am a proud Autism Mommy. I am a dedicated autism advocate. I want to share our story and journey to help and inspire others and to let them know that there are no limits and anything is possible if we just believe. My Son is proof. In the Beginning there was a lot going on and the journey continues. I would not have it any other way. I would love for you to connect with me if you have any questions or are just looking for advice and someone to talk to.

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Ten Random Facts about me (in no particular order, of course)

1. I love art and science.

2. I am passionate about teaching and learning.

3. I am creative.

4. I love to cook for my family.

5. I have been married for a little over 17 years.

6. I have four tattoos.

7. I went to nursing school. (Thank God, that did not work out)

8. I can speak, read, and write in Spanish.

9. I love to write.

10.I love puns. So, if you come across some good ones, send them my way.

So, Do we have anything in common? What else would you like to know? Let me know and I will add that to an upcoming post.

Happy Mail

My son says I look like Vonellope Von Schweetz. 

Do you agree?

Juanchodoing

You've read about him. You've heard about him. Now, you can see him in action .

The Instagram page dedicated to him is:
www.instagram.com/juanchodoing

#juanchodoing

Stop by. Say hello. Connect.

You'll see there's no difference, yet at the same time, all the difference in the world.

Questions?  Comments?

We are here.

To catch up on JJ's journey, look into the archives of the blog. The posts are entitled My Boy, beginning with Part 1.

Enjoy. Share. Spread the LOVE.
Raise Awareness.
Each One, Teach One

Love and Kindness,

Dany 

Time Has Wings

Time flies and that is for sure. We must savor each moment.

One minute he was a little itty bitty baby and now he is 10 years old. Where has the time gone?

Can someone clip its wings?

He started school at the age of 3 just after he was diagnosed with autism. He did not talk as of yet and he was still in pull ups. Now 7 years later he is in fifth grade and is a non stop yapper! I would not have it any other way. But boy was I worried about sending him to Pre K knowing he could not speak. Need I mention he hated shoes. So having to have shoes on for that time was something else. The very first day my husband and I stood outside the classroom door and two minutes later he was taking his shoes off. So what did we do? We left. They will help him. They got it. I had to let it go as hard as it was. What would they think of him?

We were so blessed. His teachers were so amazing and they loved him very much. They helped feed him and change him and although he was unable to speak I knew he was happy.

He started talking at almost 4 years of age. He started feeding himself a while after that. He was totally potty trained at 4 which was a huge success.

Lots of speech therapy in school and out side of school.Occupational therapy as well. Lots of trips to the ENT and neurologist too. Tubes in ears and let me tell you after they were out the speech was flowing. It was delayed because he was not hearing out of one ear and barely hearing out of the other. That surgery was well worth it. A blessing in disguise.

As I recall calling his name then yelling his name and getting absolutely no response what so ever. I was so frustrated that I shouted out "Are you deaf?" and still he did not look at me. He was fixated on the TV.

To have that time again when he was little oh how I would love it. AndI would not change a thing. Not one.

And time has flown over the years and those days are behind us but the memories still remain. And there are in place for all time. I love my boy and glad he is mine.

To JJ with LOVE

He is perfect in my eyes. He is my son.
He is pure and innocent. He is love and affection.
He's an old soul an indigo child; wise beyond his years.
He is sweet and he is kind. He is unique.
This makes him perfect.
I guess you can say he is perfectly imperfect. What is perfection anyhow? Perfect is subjective; with a special meaning or meanings according to whom you may ask. Does it exist? Yes it does but only when we believe.

JJ is not going to be something one day because he IS somebody today. He is an artist, scientist, musician, explorer..and so on. I do not ask him what he wants to be when he grows up. That is a limiting question. What else do you want to do when you get older? That is more like it. He is being taught that you do not just have to be one thing and pick one career and have just one passion and path in life.That limits his potential. His potential is infinite. He can and do whatever he chooses. Life is meant to be lived fully and enjoyed each day. In reality it is all of the little things that add up to make life amazing. It is all about a growth mindset and life long learning.

He is funny. He is a clown. He is kind to others. He loves children and babies. He respects himself and others. He loves science and art. He is an amazing swimmer. He is perfect in my eyes. He is my son.

The grades on his report card do not mean anything; what matters is that he knows it is OK not know but it is not OK to not try. Never give up and make mistakes because mistakes are proof that we are trying. What did you get on that test is not an imperative question but rather how did you feel taking the test? Did you try your best? Yes that is all that counts. In five years we will not remember that grade but we will remember how we felt.

I love you JJ. If you dream it you can do it!

Autism is your super power.

JUST DO IT!!!!

A Super Power

When you hear him say, "Autism is my superpower!", it is amazing. The word autism, in our home, is not a taboo word. It is one of empowerment. It is one to embrace.

He is not lucky; he is blessed. Blessed that he can speak, blessed that he can hear, blessed that he can walk, blessed that he can eat and live a healthy and happy daily life of a child.

Autism does not inhibit him. Rather it inspires him and pushes him beyond limits that society has placed before him.

He did not speak until the age of three and half. He was at doctor appointment after doctor appointment. He saw many specialists. He also went to speech therapy and occupational therapy outside of school. He started Pre Kindergarten, in pull ups and not yet able to verbally communicate. He was placed on the middle of the spectrum and was given a label.

I am thrilled to say that he is high functioning and thriving! With LOVE and dedication, with hard work and determination and with acceptance, his world is one of joy without limits.

I often forget that he has an autism diagnosis. He is like every other typical child yet at the same time, so very unique.

If a parent does not want to admit or accept that their child has autism and does not seek out help, they are doing a disservice to the health and well being of their child. There is nothing to be ashamed of.

To learn of JJ's journey please refer to the archives where I have his stories posted.

Any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

There is still so much to share.

xoxo

Dany

Yearning for Learning

Playing is learning. It is summer time and the children are on vacation. When they are playing, they are learning. They learn about their environment through many variations of play.They need a lot of free time for open ended play but they also need to be reading and practicing academics too. Learning never ends. It begins at home, travels through school then continues onto home and follows us wherever we go. Education is everywhere and it is vital that we strive to be lifelong learners and make our children life long learners as well. It is also very important to make learning fun and enjoyable. The idea is to have children fall in love with learning and be drawn to it. It does not take much to have children become proactive about their learning from an early age. Hand them some paper, writing tools, arts and craft supplies and let them know that they can create whatever it is that they like to. This empowers them. Giving them choices also gives them great opportunities for wonderful self expression. This is what is needed. When children feel well, they will learn well. This is the bottom line.Let's make all the children around us feel that they matter and that they are important  not just in the future when they grow up, but today, when they are little humans.
Stop by loorducation and check out the many great ways we play and learn. I hope you can join us.
Check out LoorduGram to see how much greatness there is in learning everyday and enjoying education everywhere.
Also, look for #loorducation all over social media outlets where you can check out short videos, educational pics, ideas, games, art, handcrafted school supplies and much more.

Yes, He Can

I AM HAPPY THAT MY SON HAS AUTISM

He is healthy. He can see. He can hear. He can walk and he can talk.

No, you won’t!!! Do not worry, you won’t catch it. Do not back away. Do not put your guard up.Autism is not a disease. It is not even a disability in my eyes, on my end of the spectrum. I can only tell you my from my point of view but I can speak for all autism mommies when I say that autism is not a disability, but rather, a different ability.

He needs room, he needs space. He gets easily overwhelmed. His senses can get overloaded. The lights, sounds, textures sometimes can be a bit much. But he is capable, he can do it, sometimes it will take a little more time and patience but I will never give up on him.

Yes, autism is a different ability. My son is not disabled. He can walk, see, eat, play and do many other things. I know I am not missing anything but that does not constitute as being disabled. He learns in a unique way but he does have that super capability to learn and therefore will be a different abled boy because the world is obsessed with titles. That is my title for him.

He listens at the same time he is in his own world. I wonder what it is like, what goes on his mind. It must be so vivid and colorful, at times to much to handle and process.

Like many others on the spectrum, my son has super abilities. Ability to grow, to shine and to even lead the way. Stop staring at him, you will not cure him. You do not have to be afraid. He may be flapping like that because he is super excited. How great is that? To be a child and to be overcome by joy over something that may seem miniscule to you. That is an outlet, an escape when one is overly stimulated. That may be the body’s way of responding to the outside world. Why would I want your cure anyway and why would a proud mommy want to cure a child who is beyond special. A child who knows how to love. It does not matter what doctors say. No, repeat after me, it does not matter what doctors say. Have faith in your child. That, that unwavering faith and determination will help your child in so many ways. It does not matter what the onlookers say, I know my son and he will be somebody someday. No, wait, let me say that he is somebody today and he matters, his life matters.

Our autism is a blessing in disguise. He is not a brat, he gets over stimulated and hyper focused. He is very sensitive and if you dare to enter a minute in his world, would you be able to handle it? Handle the stares? Handle the talk? He got this, we got this and God got us. That is what matters. He matters and autism does not, it is just a word to call something that people do not yet understand. Cause  ya know, everything needs a label, right? So, don’t worry you won’t catch autism but if it were at all possible, you would see a world of infinite possibilities. And, that is not so bad after all, is it?

Yes, JJ is more than autism.

Autism is not just stim, stim, flap, flap..oh no, it is so much more than that. The joys it brings the doors it opens. Yes, I am happy that my son has autism. I am happy that on paper, at school, it states my son has autism. That is because he gets the one on one attention that he needs and deserves. His needs are being met through an IEP. That is what he needs, an educational plan that is individual to and for him as it should be. Many of his autism symptoms subsided. I have not seen flaps, stim- phew in a while but it may happen and I do not mind at all. He has one last appointment with his neurologist and then he will be dismissed  due to not showing signs of being on the spectrum. This is great news, but I want my son to be autistic forever, especially on paper, in school where his special needs are met through specific educational goals just for him.

Yes, I am happy that my son has autism. He has paras, therapists, teachers, social worker, all for him. All for growing his educational experience and making it valuable. For that, I am grateful. The label is there but for the better good. It gives him the opportunity to have his education catered. To have opportunities that other children do not have, although may need. I like that he gets extra positive attention from school personnel. It is what he deserves as well as all children. It is too bad that classrooms these days are stuffed to the door, with over 25 kids and one teacher. Kids’ needs not being met, simply no time for everyone. Then, they fall behind. They lose desire and feel neglected. That is why I am grateful my son has autism..he gets what is meant to happen for all children, but he gets it and I guess  you could say that is pretty special. He has special needs but all children are pretty special if you ask me. He is just lucky enough to have autism. It can be intense. It can be overwhelming at times – but most, if not all things that are worth it, are. So, yes, I am a proud autism mommy and no I would not change it for the world.

Please, keep picking my son up right at our door each school morning. No, I do not care that it is a small bus. They cater to my son, door to door service. Blessed he does not have to walk or wait at a cold bus stop or that we do not have to drive him all the way to school, on the other side of town –  He has a bus attendant and also people that wait for him at school to help him off the bus. So now tell me how my son has a disability. It really is a super ability if you ask me. He has OT and ST services. So, please do not feel sorry for my son but rather let me as not only a mommy but a differentiated educator, tell you that I feel sorry for the kids who do not get the attention they so need in school, then fall behind and end up disliking school. I am beyond blessed that my son loves school. Beyond blessed that he has autism. So what, you won’t catch it. I am sure he could teach you a thing or three. So, what is this PDD-NOS you speak of? Maybe, if you really think about it, it is not specified anywhere else because it is not a pervasive developmental disorder. I do not care that my son did not speak until he was almost 4 years old. The important thing is that he does speak and he can and for that we are blessed. So what if he grasped things and hit milestones later that what the world expects him to. What matters is that he CAN and he WILL.

Coloring the World

April 4, 2015 by danyloor

We are coloring the world. Education is everywhere.




We create. We learn. We teach. We create. We create learners. We teach. We create. We create teachers by coloring the world.
Stop by.www.Facebook.com/loorducation to see what we have been up to..and there’s more to come!!!

Vaccine Unseen

I do not know where his autism came from. I do not know why he has autism. I do not know. I just do not and that is OK. Of course there are speculations. But, who really knows?
He has had all of his vaccinations spaced out per our requests. Hmm, it makes you think though. Could that have played a role? I try not to get too deep into that as I would rather have a child on the autism spectrum; who is high functioning as my son is, than a child with a deadly disease. Are vaccines safe? They are said to be. Vaccines have helped so many. What is in them really, who knows? But, I would gladly give my son gluten and a vaccine instead of denying him gluten and exposing him to possible deadly diseases that he can ultimately die from.I get it, We all want to keep our kids healthy but if you are giving your child organic foods but not having them vaccinated, what good are your organic foods if a deadly outbreak hits the area and they are infected? Measles does not discriminate. I can understand not giving your child the flu shot, maybe but polio and these other diseases such as small pox, come on are much bigger disasters.
So what if my son “got autism” from vaccines when he was younger? I do not know. What I do know that his body is safe and has a defense against something deadly and he is not a threat around other children but children that are not vaccinated can be threats to babies and other immune compromised individuals.
Thinking about it, my son said about 6 words before the age of 2. After he got some vaccines, his words disappeared. I never put a lot of thought into it. Could it be related who knows? I do not know. It could be, right? Now, now that I think of it, it could be but what good is it going to do for me now? Nothing. We are moving forward not backwards. He talks, thank God. He was delayed but he got it and that is what counts. He has made awesome strides as well. Once thought to be in the middle of the spectrum, is now high functioning with symptoms that are dormant. The vaccines that he had helped him more than they harmed him if that is the case. Was I a skeptic, maybe but my son is happy, healthy, and a blessing. He can see, hear, walk, and talk. It is all good.
He eats all organic food. He has never eaten from a can. He takes children vitamins and Omega 3 fish oil which have such a positive effect on him. All of it, combined. Instead of being overly anxious about the harm vaccines are doing, parents need to look at the ingredients in the food that they are giving to their children. These ingredients that are in a lot of these processed foods have so many harmful side effects, far more than the effects of supposedly getting autism from a vaccine. The hormones that are in milk and chicken are outrageous, yet some give that to children on a constant basis but yet would not give their child a measles vaccine. It just does not add up to me.
I am not bashing anyone. I am stating some relevant information that can be eye opening to many. For example, we had our son vaccinated and choose not to give him cereals that are loaded with artificial colors and sugar and a lot of garbage that we can not pronounce because that has such a negative effect on his system as with all children. Some will give that to their children but disregard the need for a vaccination against a deadly disease. News flash, that stuff, that junk, that artificial processed junk that is labeled food is doing greater harm. So much so that we can not even believe. But we all must open our eyes. You can choose not to vaccinate but if you are giving your child GMO foods and cow’s milk, you are putting them at an even higher risk of whatever it is that you are scared of in the first place.
To vax or not to vax – check the facts. But if you are opting not to give your child vaccinations because you do not want them to get autism. you are doing a great disservice. Like I have stated in the beginning, I do not know where my son’s autism came from, there can be many speculations. I believe food could have played  a very BIG part. Could it have been the vaccines, maybe, maybe not, who knows? What I do know is how great organic and non GMO natural unprocessed foods have positively affected him and his diagnosis of autism. Will he get his next vaccination. Most likely, yes. We have to keep our children safe. A child with autism can lead a healthy, long fulfilling life while a child with ,measles or polio does not stand a chance. Therefore, my son will sit.

Why Can't You Hear Me?

Are you deaf? Are you DEAF? I said that at the top of my lungs as loud as I can, right in front of him and still NO response. He stared ahead at the TV, without a twitch. Let's go back, a couple minutes beforehand I was calling out his name and he was not paying attention or so I thought. I finally became so frustrated that I shouted, "Are you deaf?", and still nothing. I could not help it. I did not know what was happening. I did not know what was going on. Why isn't my son responding? Oh my goodness, can he hear me?  Is this why he is not talking? Is this why  he does not babble or ask for things. You see, he was three years old. He has not yet spoken in a complete sentence. He could not tell you his name. He was non verbal. I believe he had said a few words, but that stopped. Then, nothing. It was literally a few words from what I can recall, then absolutely, nothing. He did not wave bye bye, was still in diapers, did not say his name and could not answer what was asked of him. What is going on? My son can not hear me. Fast forward, he has fluids in his ear and has decreased hearing because of it. Only about 20% capacity. We move along. He gets diagnosed with autism, we move along. Fast forward, he gets tubes in his ears and we move along. His speech begins to come and we move along. He hears better and that is why he is beginning to speak because he can now hear what is going on in the world around him. We move along.Blessings in disguise....

If You're Flappy and You Know it....

AUTISM- What is it?  No, really..what IS it? Why does is very so? Where did it come from?  Why is it here?  When will it leave? Will it ever leave?  Who does it affect?  How does it affect and/or interfere with everyday life?  Is it a life sentence?  Do you know someone who has autism? Can autism be “cured” or treated? Is autistic a term you use? What are the autism terms and labels?

I can only answer a few of those questions and from my point of view only. As you know, my son JJ, has autism. Yes, he is an ASD child. He is on the autism spectrum. He was first diagnosed with PDD at the age of 3. He is now 6. I do not tend to labels so there is no need for me to always state that my son is high functioning autistic. I just say, when necessary, that my son is on the autism spectrum and just plainly that he is autistic. I mean, does it matter? Really? I have a son. I do not introduce him as my autistic son. Questions? I welcome them. Comments, yes, those too. Productive ones I keep and destructive ones get thrown out. autism has been a part of our lives for a little over three years now, well more than that but we did not know. And, does that matter? Before my son and studying for my undergraduate degree, I did not know what autism was? Yes, was..It is always changing, right? Yes..I remember seeing billboards about autism 1 in 125..then 1 in 88 and son on. What is this autism> One thing I can tell you is that autism is not the end of the world but the beginning of a whole new one. Yes, my son has autism. Autism does not have him. It is his super power. We are focusing on him using it to his advantage. It will not hinder him but we will make sure it does better him. It is not a disease. My son is NOT disabled, he is different abled. His brain is wired differently. He is unique. He is in his own world and I love entering i with love, compassion and patience. I learn from him everyday. It may not be easy at times but it sure is worth it.

JJ is AUSOME. He is a child. He loves to play, watch TV, read and all that good stuff. He loves school. He loves snacks. He can be crabby. He can be stubborn. But he is worth it. He matters. Social skills are an everyday learning experience for all of us. He just needs a little extra help in the right direction.
Flapping. Stimming. Buzzing, what have you - does not matter.
What really matters, what truly matters, what IS important is that he is healthy. He can see, walk, move, play, learn and is CAPABLE of becoming more awesome each and every day!!!

Now, would you know if you saw him?

Yeah, Why?!?

Why are Oranges Orange?

December 10, 2014

I only have one son but I know children pretty well considering my Bachelor of Science degree in Child Studies.So I know that children ask tons of questions each and every day. I also found that out when I was a lead pre kindergarten teacher at a private early childhood learning center. Anyhow, JJ asks questions from the moment he wakes up until he is in bed for the night. He wants to know everything. Many times I can not even answer his questions. His questions have depth and are very detail oriented and elaborate. A child may ask,” what shape is that?” and JJ will keep going from there. Not only does he want to know the shape of the object but the reasoning behind it. He needs to know it all. He likes to know the steps of the things we are doing and he always seems to be thinking ahead because he will ask how many more steps and what the next step will be. Jorge will ask about words in Spanish but also have the need to know why they sound the way they do and things of that nature. Where are we going? Why are we going? Are we there yet? What are we getting there? Why are we getting it? Where are we going next? What are we going to do later? Yes, that is all typical of him and he does question in that order and manner all of the time. He is wise beyond his years and oh so curious that he really does teach me a lot about life and more. I learn patience as well. I never thought he would talk this much and I thank God because he never talked until he was after 3 years of  age and beyond. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and I have to let it soak in. But how can I answer , why are are oranges orange? Hmm..many times I can be stumped. He is very intelligent and must know details to many things. When he asks me something!, whatever it may be, he will ask my husband the same question just to get some kind of reassurance. Today was , how long is an hour mommy? It is a long time JJ just  go upstairs and grab your book or toy. I can easily say 60 minutes and that can turn into what is sixty minutes? And so on and so forth. It can get challenging but I learn everyday and I try my best to apply new knowledge in every situation. My indigo child of the new world….. We need to give children more credit. They are important and they matter. Not only is JJ the future, he is the present and making his footprints as all children have the right to do. I still do not know how to answer why oranges are orange..do you?

All in One Place

Danielle Loor M Ed

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Here We Go..Again

http://loorducation.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/its-like-groundhog-day/

Wake up, grab the toys…the same toys that he fell asleep with. He will take no substitutes. Do not change that stuff around. Do, go, repeat.. Or shall I say, Do, Stim, repeat…

I remember when JJ would watch Toy Story 3 over and over again. Not just in one day, but day after day and week after week. That was his obsession for a while. I remember when he likes to wear the same pajamas night after night and watch the same cartoons. We have Hulu Plus and each day he will pick the same kind of shows with the exact episodes that he has recently viewed. He remembers the names of the episodes and asks to play each one. He likes the tags ripped off all of his stuffed animals and clothes. He likes to use the green crayon most often. If he falls asleep with a  certain T shirt on, he will want to wear it in the morning. He became obsessed with Ninja Turtles after giving up Buzz Lightyear which I never thought he would. He used to be extremely scared of flushing toilets and the sound of the hand dryer in public restrooms. The bright lights and strong sun are not his favorite things. Even though it is cold, he insists on waiting for the school bus outside. He switches between right and left hand when he does his homework and art work. He is becoming a karate master and insists that we “box”. He talks. Yes, we waited years to hear his voice but he talks and he read..He loves to read. He loves books and he reads a lot. He has been reading for a very long time now. I am so proud of him. When he was three years old, he was said to be in the middle of the Autism Spectrum but from then and until forever he is in my heart.

He is high functioning. I thank God everyday for the blessings. Just because he was once in the middle does not mean that is where he was bound to stay. It is a spectrum for a reason. He has improved and continues to improve each day. It is important to keep going forward. Never giving up. Where there is Faith, there are great things. Dedication is a key factor. I am not trying to change my son at all. I do not wish Autism away. It is his super ability. I just work with him all the time to ensure that he will lead the best life possible with all the capabilities necessary. Going from non verbal to non stop talking in a couple years is a great window of opportunity of hope, that with Love and first and foremost God..All things are possible.

AuSomeness!!!

He is so awesome. He is an amazing, little human being. He is compassionate and loving. Yes, and wise beyond his years. He teaches us everyday. Sometimes there are meltdowns and sometimes there are sensory overloads. But, all the time, yes ALL the time – even in the midst of defying, screaming, crying – etc. – there is a boy, My Boy. A child who I love very much so. A child who deserves every great thing in the world that is beneficial for his being. A child destined for success and greatness while helping others reach their full potential. A child who is noble and string willed. A child who is unique and yet the “same” as the typical children in his age group. A child who is learning respect and the fine way to treat others- as well as all living things. A child who will defy all odds stacked against him. A child on the Autism Spectrum, my child.
It is not about awareness, it is about acceptance. Autism acceptance. That what it IS about. We are aware that autism exists – but we have to accept our children and all others on the spectrum. Give them the benefit of the doubt and never let a diagnosis define who they are. The world is a puzzle and my son is a piece that belongs to it just like every other child.

It is JUST a label. Labels are not good all the time. What happens when we do not like labels on our clothes, for example? We RIP them off!!!

JJ

Meet Jorge Juan

This was my FaceBook status a few days ago (NOW about 8 months ago)....2 years ago, the neurologist placed my son in the middle of the autism spectrum and yesterday, the same neurologist, said if he did not know any better he would say that my son does not have ASD as his symptoms are going away....I received 30 likes and over 20 comments on this. I am so grateful that people took the time out to say some nice encouraging words for my son. It means a lot and is very much appreciated. For everyone that wished us well, a few seconds out of your day sending words of encouragement gives people more hope. We realize that we are all in this together.
My son was diagnosed with autism on August 9, 2011. This was a few weeks after his third birthday. He was going in for his yearly check up but this time I just knew something....You see, at the time I was taking my Teaching the Exceptional Child course for my B.S. and we were focusing on Autism Spectrum Disorders. As I was learning the signs and symptoms I realized that my son was a match for nearly all of them. He was not talking. He may have said a few words here and there but that was it. He would have to hold onto toys and would get anxiety if one happened to fall out of his hands. He was afraid of loud noises and would cover his ears. Actually, my husband and I used to think he was deaf because he would not respond to us calling his name. I would literally scream out his name and he would not even budge. He would line up toys and other objects...I thought this was so cute being this was our first child and we just had no idea. He would play with toys but in some sort of way that did not seem natural, but yet again I just thought that was okay. He never really waved bye bye and when he did he would have his hands towards himself, as if he was saying bye bye to himself. I loved that so much, my baby saying bye bye. I did not know but as I was studying, I gained the knowledge I needed to bring my questions and diagnosis to the doctor.
Oh yeah, this too - he would run back and forth and would not stop, at the same time he was flapping his hands. I still did not know but all of this was coming back to me when I was studying ASD and it triggered my memory. I love my son so much and everyone would ask why he did not talk and that he should be talking and I just thought it is because he is bilingual and it just takes longer for children with two languages to process the information. In the back of my mind I would ask myself why isn't my son talking. Here I see children younger than he is talking in complete sentences. That is my baby boy and I love him, he will talk.
So my son is not talking yet and when he wants something he will just point- only sometimes. Usually, he would just grab my hand and utter some sounds as I would see what he needed. Usually it was a snack, kids love snacks and boy did I know he wanted that cookie because that smile was worth a thousand words even though he could not tell me. He would grasp little things and hold onto them with intensity. I just looked at him in awe. I love my son and look how engrossed he is with a tiny button, pen cap, a part to a toy- whatever it was, no matter how tiny, he was focused and wanted it. He had to hold it. That thing needed to be in his hands and if he lost it, he would have anxiety that was until we could find it again..So, he was not hitting benchmarks and he could not hold a fork or spoon properly to feed himself but that is my son and I so love him. By the way, he said birthday cake after seeing a decoration at his party, I was amazed. That cute little pause between those words..amazing. I felt so proud of my boy. He would hum really loudly for more than 30 seconds at a time sometimes and he would run and spin in circles. He was not afraid of danger or falling.Going back to August 9, 2011, my father in law and I brought him to the doctor and that is when......(please stay tuned for part 2..Ok so let me say this,

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Where we are well on our way with Jorge's Autism Journey

Enjoy,
Danielle Loor -M.Ed

What?!? Can You Tell Me?

AUTISM- What is it?  No, really..what IS it? Why does is very so? Where did it come from?  Why is it here?  When will it leave? Will it ever leave?  Who does it affect?  How does it affect and/or interfere with everyday life?  Is it a life sentence?  Do you know someone who has autism? Can autism be “cured” or treated? Is autistic a term you use? What are the autism terms and labels?
I can only answer a few of those questions and from my point of view only. As you know, my son JJ, has autism. Yes, he is an ASD child. He is on the autism spectrum. He was first diagnosed with PDD at the age of 3. He is now 6. I do not tend to labels so there is no need for me to always state that my son is high functioning autistic. I just say, when necessary, that my son is on the autism spectrum and just plainly that he is autistic. I mean, does it matter? Really? I have a son. I do not introduce him as my autistic son. Questions? I welcome them. Comments, yes, those too. Productive ones I keep and destructive ones get thrown out. autism has been a part of our lives for a little over three years now, well more than that but we did not know. And, does that matter? Before my son and studying for my undergraduate degree, I did not know what autism was? Yes, was..It is always changing, right? Yes..I remember seeing billboards about autism 1 in 125..then 1 in 88 and son on. What is this autism> One thing I can tell you is that autism is not the end of the world but the beginning of a whole new one. Yes, my son has autism. Autism does not have him. It is his super power. We are focusing on him using it to his advantage. It will not hinder him but we will make sure it does better him. It is not a disease. My son is NOT disabled, he is different abled. His brain is wired differently. He is unique. He is in his own world and I love entering i with love, compassion and patience. I learn from him everyday. It may not be easy at times but it sure is worth it.
JJ is AUSOME. He is a child. He loves to play, watch TV, read and all that good stuff. He loves school. He loves snacks. He can be crabby. He can be stubborn. But he is worth it. He matters. Social skills are an everyday learning experience for all of us. He just needs a little extra help in the right direction.

Now, would you know if you saw him?

Namaste

My Boy: Part 85

Posted on August 31, 2014

Jorge Juan was in a great, energetic mood today. I am exhausted but he was super happy and that made me happy. His energy was non stop. He helped out cooking, putting groceries away and he even ate all of his dinner – by himself. I am so proud of that. After each and every spoon, literally, he told me that was the best food he has ever eaten. Every time I wash his hair, which, by the way he loves now; he tells me that I am the best mom ever. I love him so much and I do not know what I would do without him. He is such a blessing.

He had a good time at karate class, although he was dancing in line. He loves music just like Daddy. What matters is that he was happy. He is healthy and I am so grateful for that. Days like this, autism seems like a great blessing in disguise. It really does. I am one blessed mommy. I do not like labels but being that my son is high functioning is inspiring, to me and to many others. Like I always say, it has not always been that way. A lot of patience, love, hope, prayers and faith went into it among time but the biggest one of all is knowing that my son will succeed, with unwavering FAITH. I am here to say, do not give up. Now, I would never want a cure for my son’s autism but that is just me and our autism journey. Every journey is unique and I can understand parents who desire a cure for autism because of the severity of it. I can not relate but I can understand them wanting to have a cure for their child, I get it. Autism is a wide spectrum but we are all in this together.

Namaste,
Dany

WOW!!!

My Boy: Part 88

Posted on September 19, 2014

First grade has been going really well. We are blessed that Jorge Juan loves going to school. This school year he is becoming more open and sharing with us what he does at school. He likes to state things in order such as first, second, third and next. He loves bringing his own lunch bag and so far this year has not tried to sneak any toys in his book bag. He has been handling his homework time very well and is learning to cooperate and handle himself in a better manner.
I have not seen him flap his hands in a while now, come to think of it. He still has his little quirks but the flapping has greatly decreased. When he was non verbal, the stimming was out of control. Humming, flapping, you name it- it was there. He is good. He is healthy. That is what matters. Autism, well it is just the icing on the cake and sometimes the cake may have too much icing. Sweetness overload? Or, something like that..
He is making strides, everyday. It is all the little things that count. It is about the journey because once we reach our destination, we must create another destination. The journey is what lasts. Making it valuable and worth while.
I work with Jorge Juan everyday. Projects, activities, day trips..It is all therapy. It is all good. Come share in our experiences over at
http://www.facebook.com/loorducation
We create, learn, play and more. Stop on by!!