About That Boy

JJ loves to read and draw. He loves to play and swim. He loves to create and imagine.

JJ loves his family and all babies. He loves his friends and school. 

He's just like everyone else yet he is like no other. He's unique. He's the same but he's different too. JJ is on a whole other level.

He's predictable but spontaneous. He's shy yet he's talkative.  He's full of energy and positive vibes. Beginning and ending each day with gratitude, he got this!

He surprises us each day and he will surprise you too!

www.instgram.com/juanchodoing

He is kind.

This is what matters.

 

 

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,

Featuring Guest Blogger from Words and Dexterity

http://www.wordsanddexterity.com/

Bio - My name is T L Holliday. I have a huge mind that can sometimes get me in trouble, but I mostly use it to educate ignorance.

I totally recommend this awesome page. It speaks volumes. The words, the art, the photos. It is all there. This is the kind of stuff that needs to be spread around the internet like wildfire. It is food for the soul. Have a good time reading this guest blog post and when you have the chance, I recommend that you go on over to her website and experience the amazingness that is unleashed from a super creative soul. One who I love very much and am very proud of. Even if she was not my niece, I would say all of this because I totally mean it.

xo Namaste, Dany

Photo taken by Holliday (it is my son's hand and a puzzle piece he was playing with outside a few summers ago)

 

#CONTINUETOEDUCATE2015

Something that never fails to astound me is the lack of humanity in the world. Everyone is worried about who's doing what, who's doing who, who's getting what and how much of it. What does any of what other people do have to do with your life? Why do you care about how someone else identifies? They're not doing it to personally hurt you or to make you feel uncomfortable. SURPRISE! The reason they do anything has absolutely nothing to do with you. Stop judging people based on their race, sexual orientation, gender, religious beliefs, just stop judging people period.

There is no race except the human race. We are a species. We only have different skin tones to better suit the geographical areas we live in. Take animals for example; there are many different species and breeds of animals depending on where you are in the world. Some can survive easier in parts of the world that others cannot because they are born with the traits necessary for life in those regions. But they don't kill each other because of it, they use it to survive. So when someone is racist and violent towards another person that is literally telling you that they have more basic human rights than that person because their skin color differs.

I also don't understand the need to label everything. Why do you need to put me in a category? And then get upset if I tell you that I don't fit in that category? Everyone needs to understand that sexuality and gender is fluid. Being born with certain sexual organs does not determine what your gender is. Each individual person decides for themselves what gender they feel they are, not the gender roles forced upon them by society. Same thing with sexuality. As a human you are attracted or not attracted to someone based on the person they are, not about what's between their legs. Society teaches you to assume everyone is a cisgender heterosexual until told otherwise. We need to teach our kids to not assuming anyone is anything and to accept people for who they are.

Religion is another touchy subject, but I'll shed a little light on it. I have no problem with religion, the problem I have is, again, with the people who "practice" it. I say "practice" because religion is supposed to be personal, not displayed for the world to see and shoved down everyone's throat. And just like gender and sexuality, it is something you yourself decide what best fits how you feel. Religion is your personal relationship with whatever god(s) you believe in, not a love triangle between you, your god, and the rest of the world. There are many different religions and spiritual practices in the world, so it makes absolutely no sense when people try to enforce their religion onto other people as if their religion is the only religion. It also has no business being in law enforcement, but I'll save that for another day.

Being a human is like being an animal; we all look different, have different sets of skills, and were put on this earth unwillingly without a hand book. But for some reason animals have a better understanding of how to live, and they're so simple yet complex to us. How can the very things we call wild and unpredictable be more human and understanding of how life works than actual humans? How can they co-exist with so many other species and manage not to destroy each other or the earth? They stay in their lane, that's how! They take care of each other and their habitats, they don't shit where they sleep.

Just take a second and sit down. Zoom out of your own life right now and picture the world as a whole. All the different countries on different continents spread out in a big ball of ocean. Now zoom out of that image and picture all the planets in our solar system. Now zoom out of that. What do you see? Some people know what that actually looks like and others never even thought to imagine that such a thing exists. It does, and even beyond that exists. There are billions of other solar systems in billions of other galaxies. Just imagine what could be out there. How small does that make your life seem? Small enough to realize all the bullshit in your life? And that most of the things you do, say, and think are pointless because now you see that you were only doing those things because you're a product of society? If it did then you're one of the lucky ones who has the ability to broaden and take their minds to the next level. And if it didn't then hopefully one day it will.

So to end this post I'll just say,

Love yourself, love your neighbor, love your earth and you'll be happier for it I promise.

- T L Holliday

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?



 

So True

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.

Yeah!!!

My Boy: Part 84

Posted on August 29, 2014 by danyloor

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It is Jorge Juan’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.

Filed under Autism, Jorge Juan and tagged 24/7/365, acceptance, advocate, asd, Autism, autism mommy, Autism spectrum, autism spectrum disorder, autistic, autistic son, gifted, HF, high functioning, indigo

One Word

The UNI-VERSE

Posted on August 16, 2014 by danyloor

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The Universe. The Uni-Verse, the “One Word” – Uni- Verse. It is magnificent and amazing. We are in the universe and the universe is within us. The universe always was and always will be. The universe responds to the nature of our being. The universe is impeccable. It is far more than what we see with our eyes. It is about what we feel. The universe gives us all that we need and desire. The universe listens to us even when we do not speak. The universe is for us. It is only “one word” – God.  All that has been, all that is and all that will ever be. The universe s powerful and flawless. The universe was made for us and we were made for the universe. The universe gave me my son. Thank You God. My beautiful, autistic son. A gift from the universe, a true treasure. The universe did not just give me my son because I could handle it but the universe gave me my son so I could learn about life. The universe’s gift to me is one to share with all. To teach that autism is a blessing in disguise. To live to embrace differences. Autism is not a bad word. Autism is a uniqueness – a view from the indigo side. When we are ready, we learn.The universe listened to me even when I did not say a word. The universe if perfect. To show me that autism is a super ability. To answer questions that were only in my heart. Blessings of abundance, the universe will never run out. There is enough for all of us.
I thought I would have to teach my son about the world but it turns out to be that I have to teach the world about my son. My indigo. My blessing and gift from the universe. Never questioning, the universe put peace in my heart long before my son could speak, I never asked why but God knew, I just needed to hear my son’s voice. He knew, and the universe gave it to me. Prayers of thanks and an attitude of gratitude because as I always say Believing IS Seeing and not the other way around. In order to see you must believe. Faith. Whatever we put in, we get out, ten fold. To me,there are only two speeds in life – give BACK and pay it FORWARD. How can I not when the universe has given me so much. Before my son could speak, he was able to communicate, in his own way – but he did. He was able to read. I thanked God everyday that my son has eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to LOVE. It is not just about the law of attraction, it is about knowing that the universe is on our side – to make us realize that their are blessings all around us and some are just wrapped up waiting to be discovered. Autism is a gift because the universe allowed me to see it as a super ability and all the right people were put in our pathway to help us along the journey- teachers, doctors, therapists. Autism was put in our lives to meet people, educate, help families, share stories, vent and to know we are not alone. We are never alone. And, there it was my son was reaching milestones and began to excel. Never, ever give up. NEVER. Give anything but up. We have all the tools. The universe equips us. So, yes when I learned my son had autism, I cried, I felt weak – but the universe gave me strength. Even more so because my son needs me. Then we looked at autism from a different point of view- the better side. Autism does not need a cure but understanding, entrancement and a positive light. Why does a child who is happy and is capable of all things- because nothing is impossible for the universe- need a cure? LOVE is the answer. You put out LOVE you will get LOVE.  And when we have those “autism” days, remember that it does not rain forever and the universe needs water so flowers can grow. Thank You God <3

NAMASTE
xxoo
Dany

My Boy: Part 82

Field Day happened on Sunday. He really enjoyed it. JJ got to be with all of his karate friends. It was a blast despite a few mini meltdowns of wanting to go in a bouncy house and play games as well as waiting in line for registration. It was sunny and hot so the behavior was more understandable today. That day JJ ate a hamburger and a hotdog. I was so surprised because he has never eaten a hamburger from a cook out before. Ya know, it is the little things. Yeah and it was with organic ketchup. : )

We are working on going all organic for JJ. We have been seeing a difference especially when he takes his omega 3 supplements, multi - vitamins and his fish oil liquid. Going organic costs a lot more than traditional foods but it is so worth it especially when consuming organics helps calm and soothe the symptoms of ASD such as hand flapping and verbal stimming.

JJ participated in a few games and had fun throughout the time we were there playing with other children. It was great because he needed the social interactions with others as he has not been in school, Yes, he misses it. He has been telling me that lately. That is a great sign. I am proud of him. As a desire of mine is to have my son to love learning and embrace it.

Go Fourth! a must read...

My Boy: Part 75

Posted on July 4, 2014 by danyloor

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Happy Independence Day from Jorge Juan and family!! Since it was rainy all day today, we went to the mall. At the mall, Jorge Juan played in the arcade. He was getting tickets and was so excited to score some candy from a grab machine. He knocked down some ducks and did a few other things but most of all he wanted to go into Target. He had a mini meltdown but then he was able to calm himself. We walked around a lot and when it was time to come home, he did not fuss too much. Over all, it was a cool time. It was good to get him out of the house and some fresh air. He had a good time when he woke up this morning and was singing in the mini van to and from, a bunch of silly made up songs. He was feeling good. Before we left, he played with Daddy and had a lot of fun. He read, he ate a lot and we were off.

He was not over stimulated in the mall but he was flapping quite a bit before we went on the escalator. He was happy. Tomorrow we are going to the YMCA and hopefully we can get him into soccer. That is what he would like to do. Long weekend, picnic tomorrow and back to ESY on Monday. No Fireworks. Loud noises bother him, a lot. He is not interested. He covers his ears when he flushes the toilet and also when I start his bath water, he will cover his ears. My baby, love him so very much!! A spectrum of HOPE awaits him. My piece to the puzzle.

My Boy: Part 74

First day of ESY, extended school year.JJ woke up well and in good spirits until....we could not find his Pokemon toy. I helped him look in the pool and his room, nowhere, could not find THAT toy and that was the only thing he wanted. Back and forth for a while, looking and looking. He had a mini meltdown. He wanted that Pokemon toy and nothing else would do. He settled on a toy snake and a mini ladybug. He was OK. My husband and I put him on the bus. We drove to the school and waited for him, He got off the bus and looked a little sad and told us he felt that way. If I was feeling a little anxious, I was thinking so much about his feelings. I was worried he would become overstimulated. Wow, Lots of NEW things. New bus and bus driver, new bus monitor, new school, new teachers..for JJ this is a whole lot to take in all at once. All in all he did well. We waited for his teacher to come inside the gym and we walked with them up to the classroom. We stayed for a bit. He made his name tag and drew the three of us. He seemed well but I did not want to leave him. The school was huge. everything was different. I was thinking and I have to trust that everything would be OK. There were 5 kids in the class and the teacher has two aides, so I really love that ratio. Anyhow, the teacher is a young vibrant male, nice personality.I wanted to stay in the room with them, I know I know. I am thinking too. Who has ASD here, is it me or JJ?

He gets off the bus in the afternoon. He was happy as can be. He says he loves Mr. A and that Mr. A is a cool guy. He just could not wait to go back to school again today just to see Mr. A. That was my relief. That made me feel comfortable. I really enjoyed my son saying that. He woke up bright and happy today. He was excited to go see Mr A again. He slept in his bed all night and was so happy to tell me that this morning. He got dressed and was so happy to wear his Phineas and Ferb shirt with lobster shorts. He picked it out. I went with it, it is cool. He loves that he does not have to wear a uniform, woohoo!! I know, huh. He brushed his teeth, got ready and ate and was excited to wait for the bus. Today, he too a small Buzz Lightyear phone in his pocket. Oh and by the way, I found his Pokemon toy yesterday, while he was at school. It was floating in the pool. I do not know how we did not see it in the morning. Needless to say he was thrilled when I gave it to him and had a great day swimming and playing. Oh yeah, and he loves sun block now, who would have thought? He keeps wanting to apply it. This is a sensory kid here, so we are making advances. I love my piece to the puzzle.



 

My Boy: The Ultimate Special

You see him. He's the child wearing Superman sneakers and a Spiderman book bag. He also carries  Star Wars lunch bag after switching from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles earlier in the school year. He sleeps on Sponge Bob sheets and uses an Angry Birds blanket. He washes with Cars body wash and loves to wear his Phineas and Ferb T shirt to bed. He got a new Mario Brothers Toothbrush and loves Marvel Heroes band aids when he gets a boo boo. He loves his Angry Bird Star Wars underwear and has a ton of Star Wars stickers on his bedroom wall. He is always carrying something in his hand. He loves animals. He carries around books, usually about animals. He is a green belt in Tiny Tiger Tang Soo Do karate and wants to play soccer. He plays the guitar with his left hand and is eager to continue to learn Spanish. He believes in God and likes to pray at night. In his room, he has a framed picture of Jesus on his wall. Beautiful and it was per his request. He was reading long before he could speak. He loves to play and learn. You mention Dollar Tree and he's right there. He chases girls on the playground and kisses them. He lines up his toys and flaps his hands. Sometimes  he has vocal stims. He loves to swim and has no fear of the ocean. He is sensitive and kind. He is sympathetic as well as empathetic. He is sensitive to bright lights and loud sounds. He asks repetitive questions and wants detailed answers. He has OT and Speech therapy. He has specialized instruction and an IEP. He's unique. His super power is Autism. He's my piece to the puzzle and he's perfect to me.

My Boy: Part 72

JJs last day of kindergarten. I'm glad he went to school happy. It will keep him busy to vet his mind off of the loss of his two precious guinea pigs in which he lived so much. They were part of the family. His first pets ever. They brought joy to everyone. To explain the death of his piggies has been difficult. It is a hard task. Kids, especially JJ, ask a lot of questions. Like way more than the typical child. He wants to know why, and how and when.. When are they coming back mommy? Daddy, I do not want my guinea pigs to go to Heaven. What does one do or say to their child? My husband buried them in a nice And safe spot on our property. My husband was digging the dirt and JJ would pop out  few times to see and ask questions. At this time we had both the piggies outside in a cage together resting peacefully. My husband placed new bedding on the bottom of the hole. Then he placed fresh hay and then  the piggies on top of them to lie together.JJ saw the hole dug up. We as a family sat by it and we prayed. Jorgito cried and I could not help to cry as well. He wanted them out and asked when will they be alive again. Then he got up and went in the house to watch TV . He is very emotional. He feels and thinks deeply. He's connected to the universe. Being on the autism spectrum, JJ is unique and what he feels must be valued. It must be respected and given proper attention. He is our piece to the puzzle. His inquiring mind is a blessing from God. I wish I could take away his hurt.



Loorducation

My Boy: Part 70

"Is there school today, Mommy?" Yes, there is!!! Rainy day, but there is school today. Only a few days left, so enjoy the last days of Kindergarten. It just seems like yesterday that he started Kindergarten at a new school and with a school bus. This school year has gone by so fast. It was a great year and my son has been blessed with great teachers, therapists and principal. The team really works together for the benefit of JJ. They know him very well. What they have to say at the PPT meeting is right on. I just sit back and smile because I know that they pay close attention to my son giving what they have to say about his personality, characteristics, obsessions etc.

A quick rundown - Jorge is 5 years old and will turn 6 on July 21st. He was diagnosed with autism after his 3rd birthday. At that time, he was in the middle of the spectrum - Non verbal among other delays. He loves animals, insects and tiny toys. He has been reading since before he could speak and now is reading well beyond the benchmarks fro Kinder. He is kind and lovable. He loves babies and kids. He is an orange belt in Tiny Tiger Tang Soo Do karate. He loves nature. He flaps and shakes his hands when he is excited but not as often as he use to do when he was younger. He used to run back and forth humming super loud. He loves books and riding the school bus. That is just part of him in a small nutshell. there is so much beyond this. SO MUCH : )

Autism will never stop him. He is on a roll. He is improving all the time. His autism does not need a CURE. Who would want to cure a child that is full of LOVE, happiness, affection, peace.....and has so much to TEACH the world? JJ just may be the CURE for the typical world.



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A Little Bit...

My Boy: Part 70

Posted on June 19, 2014 by danyloor

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“Is there school today, Mommy?” Yes, there is!!! Rainy day, but there is school today. Only a few days left, so enjoy the last days of Kindergarten. It just seems like yesterday that he started Kindergarten at a new school and with a school bus. This school year has gone by so fast. It was a great year and my son has been blessed with great teachers, therapists and principal. The team really works together for the benefit of Jorge Juan. They know him very well. What they have to say at the PPT meeting is right on. I just sit back and smile because I know that they pay close attention to my son giving what they have to say about his personality, characteristics, obsessions etc.

A quick rundown – Jorge is 5 years old and will turn 6 on July 21st. He was diagnosed with autism after his 3rd birthday. At that time, he was in the middle of the spectrum – Non verbal among other delays. He loves animals, insects and tiny toys. He has been reading since before he could speak and now is reading well beyond the benchmarks fro Kinder. He is kind and lovable. He loves babies and kids. He is an orange belt in Tiny Tiger Tang Soo Do karate. He loves nature. He flaps and shakes his hands when he is excited but not as often as he use to do when he was younger. He used to run back and forth humming super loud. He loves books and riding the school bus. That is just part of him in a small nutshell. there is so much beyond this. SO MUCH : )

Autism will never stop him. He is on a roll. He is improving all the time. His autism does not need a CURE. Who would want to cure a child that is full of LOVE, happiness, affection, peace…..and has so much to TEACH the world? Jorge Juan just may be the CURE for the typical world. 

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Gimme a Kiss...

My Boy: Part 66

Posted on May 20, 2014 by danyloor

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We had to talk to Jorge Juan again about kissing girls at school. His teacher sent another note home about him chasing girls at recess. He was said to be running after them trying to get some kisses. He was in timeout but once that was over he would go back and do it all over again. he told us the girls asked him to marry them so he said yes and when he wanted a kiss, they ran from him. Second time this year this has happened. We talked to him. He understands. He is a lovable, affectionate child. We had to be careful with our words as we did not want to discourage him being able to express himself and show care towards others especially since he is sensitive and takes things literally. And so “they” say children with autism lack empathy and so on. I say BLAH BLAH BLAH. One does not know autism unless and until you live with it everyday. 

He said I am his best mommy in the world. He writes love notes to me and my husband. He is sweet and thoughtful. He is kind and generous. He is on the spectrum, that is his autism. Unique, but still part of the puzzle. He has been busy planting seeds, taking care of his pets, reading and homework. Lately he has been putting his small toys into plastic baggies. He has put them in socks and other places before. I find little things hidden in strange places but i see ore often now little plastic figures in Ziploc bags, zippered pouches etc. He likes to carry his stuff sometimes in a plastic shopping bag, collecting items along the way.Lining things up. Very eclectic. The obsessions vary from time to time. He woke up this morning and I found him on his bedroom floor reading Transformers. then he became fixated and wanted to have his transformer toy and searched for it in his room emptying his toy box and probably moving his bed , again. Yes he does that. He has a million and went seven toys but when a specific “thing” enters his mind, there is no stopping him.

As written on www.loorducation.wordpress.com

For more about Jorge Juan, go check it out!!!

Thank you

Dany

Awww...right?

I picked Jorge Juan up early from school yesterday because he was not feeling well. He ended up having a fever, therefore staying home from school today. Despite being sick, Jorge Juan was very pleasant and in a great mood, as usual or even more so. I was very impressed with that behavior.

It was report card conference yesterday so my husband went to the school while I stayed home. He has improved in school and is doing very well.. He is reaching goals and achieving many great things. His report card was very good and his effort marks have improved as well. The one thing that the teacher told my husband was that Jorge Juan throws himself on the floor almost every morning when the principal goes into the classroom to say hello and greet the kids. Yes, he throws himself on the floor and spreads out his arms and legs. Well, we asked Jorge about this yesterday and he told us he used to do that only because he was little but he will not do that anymore because he is a big boy now. OK, we will take that. At home he really doe snot throw himself on the floor but once in a while at karate he will throw himself on the floor after he kicks really hard: he thinks it is funny I guess. But we all tell him not to do that. Also he has been sucking his thumb and putting his fingers in his mouth lately. A lot. In karate an d at home and yes, they told my husband that it happens in school too. We gotta figure out some kind of way to get him to stop. I am thinking it is  a learned behavior from a peer but Jorge Jorge said no one in his class does that, but you never know.

So, he is feeling better today. Still warm but way better than last night. He kept asking if his friends would miss him and he kept saying that he was sick. When he was praying before sleep he just asked God to make him feel better..(insert AWWW, right? I know : )

So today, he has been chilling, reading his books, playing a bit but mostly taking it slow and staying clear of the TV.

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???

(stay tuned for part 3)

Comments and Questions are always welcome ; )

Thank you!!!

Dany,

B.S. Child Studies

M.Ed

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 58

I always say my son or when it is "needed" I say my son has autism or is autistic. Many times I do not have to or need to and just at sometimes I feel the need to specify that my son is indeed on the spectrum. I am very thankful that he is high functioning but when I use the term autism I do not have the need or desire to specify that he is high functioning. I just thank God everyday that Jorge Juan has made so many advances as well he continues to strive and shows progress in many areas. Other than being on the spectrum, he is a "typical" five year old. He loves to play in the dirt, ride his bike, watch cartoons, go to the park and do many things as any child would do. Sometimes, he just does it in a special way, in his own way. That is OK by me. I believe in him. I believe in his abilities in which no label will ever stop him from achieving his dreams and goals. I am proud that he is on the spectrum and proud that he advanced along the spectrum considering when he was initially diagnosed - he did not speak, and was "somewhere towards the middle or beyond" on the scale. He surprised the exact neurologist that defined him at three years old. Last year, he stated Jorge Juan was not showing many symptoms at all of autism and if he did not know any better he would say no to autism. Where did it go? Where did the autism go? Does not matter because my son is happy and healthy and I thank God all the time that we never subjected to medicating him by any means (as once suggested by the neuro due to a melt down in his office). So here I am with a  5 year old Kindergarten boy who loves taking the bus to school and making new friends, a boy who loves to eat snacks and do projects, a boy who shows an appreciation and love for learning and oh yeah, he happens to have autism. No need to specify that he is HF, none at all. Parents of typical children do not state that their children are typical or low functioning typical or whatever- too many labels.