It IS You!!!

You can be anything you want to be and more. In fact, you are already something; everything.
Be passionate. Stay creative. Keep your dreams alive. You can be great at all you do; just do it all with love. You can do it all you just have to give it your all. Do your best. Each day, do the best you can and learn something new. Teach someone something without them even knowing. If you have it in your mind, you can hold it in your hand. Life is filled with infinite possibilities. There should be no limit to what you can dream. Just go for it. Reach for what you desire and do not hold back. Do it for your own good and for the benefit of your mind, body, and soul. No one can tell you that you are not capable or you can't do something. Never. You prove them wrong, not by words but with your actions. Your work will be in silence but your success will make the noise. Some people will not be able to handle it: those aren't your people. Look within and you will not be without. There is a great gift inside of you that you are to share with the world. You are doing an excellent job sharing thus far. It is superb what you have created already in only 10 years of life. You are a great professor. I am so happy you are YOU! Together, our family is showing the world that autism is not bad word rather a conversation piece. Turning negatives into positives and breaking every single stereotype out there. You can and you will do it. Forget that, you can and you ARE doing it. Autism IS your super power.

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!!!!

I Forget

And sometimes I forget. I forget that he has autism. It doesn't matter. It is absent. It can not be seen or heard. It is when he fits right in. It is when he is accepted by others. When he's included, I forget. That's what happened today. I forgot my son has autism. It didn't cone to mind. This is especially true as he was socializing with others and as he was greeting people who passed by at the park. A little girl played with him. They dug for worms. They were happy. They were playing and using their imagination. They were being kids. Together. No discrimination. He was even told he was cute. Then he made more friends. Two boys. My husband and I watched him play and interact. It was a game of tag then hide and seek. Whatever it was, he was smiling. He was communicating appropriately. He was with two other boys his age. Autism did not matter then. They liked him. When they had to leave, they told JJ they'll see him later. It was great joy to watch that. We gave him space and observed him. He was super happy and content. Just a regular kid. That is all. He fit right in. Autism didn't matter. At that time, it didn't. Not at all. For that, I'm grateful.

It IS True...

JJ, You are Wanted

March 17, 2015

A healthy child is a happy child and a happy child feels well and a child who feels well will always learn well.
I am so blessed that my son is happy and healthy. He has a lot of energy and is very creative. He loves to learn. He loves to write and read and definitely loves to try new things. I am very proud of him. He amazes me all the time.
He is cherished. He is wanted.
He motivates me to do more and to be more. He is our rock. He teaches us so much. This boy really has a wonderful soul and a heart of gold. I look forward to spending time with him. I often think of activities that we can do together and places that we can explore together. There is no other way I would rather spend my weekends and everyday than with my family. My rock, my inspiration and everything!!!
I want him to have the best childhood he can ever experience. I wish for him to have the fondest memories and to feel the love that both my husband and i have for him. That is so very important. I want him to know and understand that he is our gift. He is wanted. He means so much to us.
He is wanted.
It is awesome now how he is into Loorducation. He knows when I am taking a picture of him and asks questions about what I ma going to say  about the picture and where am I going to put it up. He gives feedback and shares his ideas. that is important. It is vital that his voice is heard and I am so thrilled that he enjoys sharing and expressing himself. We are forever grateful. FOREVER.
He is wanted.
He asks thousands of questions. Repeats hundreds of things. Obsesses over “little” things.
He is wanted.

JJ, You are Wanted

A healthy child is a happy child and a happy child feels well and a child who feels well will always learn well.

I am so blessed that my son is happy and healthy. He has a lot of energy and is very creative. He loves to learn. He loves to write and read and definitely loves to try new things. I am very proud of him. He amazes me all the time.

He is cherished. He is wanted.

He motivates me to do more and to be more. He is our rock. He teaches us so much. This boy really has a wonderful soul and a heart of gold. I look forward to spending time with him. I often think of activities that we can do together and places that we can explore together. There is no other way I would rather spend my weekends and everyday than with my family. My rock, my inspiration and everything!!!

I want him to have the best childhood he can ever experience. I wish for him to have the fondest memories and to feel the love that both my husband and i have for him. That is so very important. I want him to know and understand that he is our gift. He is wanted. He means so much to us.

He is wanted.

It is awesome now how he is into Loorducation. He knows when I am taking a picture of him and asks questions about what I ma going to say  about the picture and where am I going to put it up. He gives feedback and shares his ideas. that is important. It is vital that his voice is heard and I am so thrilled that he enjoys sharing and expressing himself. We are forever grateful. FOREVER.

He is wanted.

He asks thousands of questions. Repeats hundreds of things. Obsesses over "little" things.

He is wanted.

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.

A, B, See...What I'm Saying

So, on August 9, 2011, we take my son to the doctor for his 3 year annual visit. I already had my questions in mind for the doctor. I was there with a diagnosis and did not actually want her to confirm it, but I just knew. I mean he was showing all the signs and symptoms of Autism and I was advancing more in my Teaching the Exceptional Child class – it was all right there in front of me. The stimming, flapping, running, not hearing, not talking. He was still in diapers at the time and was in diapers /pull ups until he was 4.5 years old.

Okay, so we enter the office and you know the doctor asks how your child has been in the last year. And there I go, “Dr. Small, my son has autism, I mean I think,  you know, this is what he does and this is what is happening…..”

As she takes out that white note pad, she is jotting down something as I am telling her all of the ASD signs…so then she hands me the note and it says Autism Spectrum Disorder- pending other evaluations such as audiologist, neurologist etc. She told me and was just nodding her head as I was telling her that I think my son is deaf and so on…

Clarification but still at that moment my heart was broken for my son and I went home to call my husband..and he came home from work. I cried for a day but we searched and kept moving forward looking for answers.

Okay so he has a speech delay and the audiologist says he was not hearing at the right decibels but he was not deaf but only hearing 20 percent..I do not exactly remember but anyway as a baby he had many ear infections. So after that we took him to an ENT maybe about a week later, he had water in his ears and was not hearing well and that is part of the reason he was not speaking- part..you see as he was showing all signs of ASD.

It was going on the end of August and my son was about to start his first year of pre kindergarten..I was worried because he could not talk. He could not tell you his name but we kept our faith as early childhood education is vital. Also his primary doctor said because of his diagnosis he would be eligible for therapies provided by the Board of Education. Okay so that is great.

We moved fast, we took him to a neurologist, and after intense screening, this doctor said he has Autism Spectrum Disorder and is in the middle range of the scale. At that time my son could not stack blocks or follow the directions from the doctor…

The neurologist was saying that maybe he could be having seizures because the way that my son would stop things and intensely focus for about 20 to 30 seconds at a time and also because of the movements he would make due to excitement etc. So from there we were sent to have EKG and MRI done…all of this within a few weeks before he was about to enter school. Exciting, school- pre K- I love it!!! And going through of all of this deepened my passion as I just knew that education is my field.

No one was going to stop us. Our son needs advocates. If he could not talk at the time, we indeed are going to be his voice.So what are we to do with all of this???

Comments and Questions are always welcome ; )

Thank you!!!

Dany,

Are You Ignoring Me?

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....

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?

Why are Oranges Orange?

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. JJ 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?



 

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,

Or..If you are JUST seeing this HERE for the FIRST time
Visit www.loorducation.wordpress.com
Where we are well on our way with Jorge's Autism Journey

Enjoy,
Danielle Loor -M.Ed

My Boy: Part 90

AUTISM- What is it?  No, really..what IS it? Why does is vary 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?

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?

AWWWWtism

My Boy: Part 88

Posted on September 19, 2014 by danyloor

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!!

My Boy: Part 87

JJ is still at school. He should be getting home in about an hour. I got some things done today but I miss him. I missed his presence when I went to the store and ran my errands. When he got on the bus this morning, I already wanted him back home. I know that I am fortunate and blessed when he gets off the school bus in the afternoon. I am blessed that he is home with me and Daddy. It the days, sometimes when you start thinking, many children never make it home to their parents. There are many stories where you hear that children never made it home. It is heart breaking, it is sad. You put them on the bus in the morning....... (I cannot continue with that) FAITH, that is what we have to keep. The unwavering faith. I thank God every day for my husband and son. Each day, we let each other know we are loved, by words and by manners. It is such a blessing. He is a super kid. He is a great boy to mommy and daddy. He is super special. He has something in him that is awesome, too awesome for words. I am happy that he is my son. Let's see what he has to say about school today..Sometimes he says it is a secret..Hey, but at least he is happy and can vocalize his emotions. He is a talker. Sometimes at a million miles per hour. In the end, I thank god for that. What a huge difference/improvement from when my husband and I first sent him to school. He could not even talk. He was still in diapers. He was just diagnosed with ASD. But it is OK. Here we are 3 years later and what a turn around it has been. Like I always say, he may have autism but autism doe snot have him.

Numbers Matter!!!

Jorge Juan loves numbers and math. Every morning when he wakes up lately, he has been asking how many hours he has slept. He asks how many places we are going to and how many things we need to get. Numbers in his brain. He also asked today how long will the receipt be when we buy our items and what will we be doing after we get the items. He was also obsessed with me measuring his height and muscles and asking each time how much he has grown. I wish I go get to experience life with his brain even if it was for only one hour. He likes counting things in general among asking numerous questions about quantities and measures. That is my number ONE boy!!!

My Au-Some Boy!!!!

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

My Boy: Part 84

It is JJ's second day of first grade and he loves it. Actually, he could not wait to go back to school. I do not blame him. He really missed it - the bus, his friends and his teachers. He has been thrilled. Waking up very happy. He brought a few little things to school today in a brown paper bag. It is called a "Me Bag". It was a cute homework assignment that he teacher sent home for the kids to put 4 things in the bag that the kids can show and talk about. I think that is a fabulous idea and I am going to have to do something similar.

I am proud of him. He is such a sweet boy. He is my heart. I thank God for him every single day. Even though he can speak, I will always be his voice and advocate. Always and all ways. Yes, the boy can talk. Sometimes I even forget that he was non verbal until the age of 4. Lots and Lots of questions. He wants to know specific details, numbers etc. He needs to know what we are doing, when, where, what time and exactly what we are going to do after that. He needs to know what and how many things we need to get on our shopping lists and from which stores. And, that IS OK. I love him.