Before

***Before needing to know what your children already know before I begin teaching the curriculum, I want to know if they have eaten, if they are comfortable, if they have clean clothes, if they have supplies, if they had a good night’s sleep, if they have someone who reads to them, if they feel wanted and loved… (The list goes on) Then, and only then, knowing these answers and fully understanding, will I be prepared to have your children ready to learn what a school system requires. If a child does not feel well, he or she will not learn well. If a child hasn’t eaten, is scared, fearful, worried, neglected; he or she will not learn well. When the heart is educated, the mind will follow. Not the other way around. Teach the whole child.
Danielle Loor M.Ed, MS, CAS

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

My Boy: Part 61

He stayed home from school again. Still a little congested but thank God a while lot better. We went to Costco then he asked to go to Barnes and Noble . He loves it there. So we went. We had fun and read and played. It was enjoyable. He needed the fresh air and now he's back to being himself.  No medication. I just used honey and lime to clean his throat. That's all. He has been playing and using his activity books. He also checks on the seeds he planted and enjoys being a kid. Autism who? But he did tell me he loves to flap his hands because it makes him very happy.






He borrowed my phone today and took many pics. This was one of them.

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 56

Jorge Juan was very busy today...So here it goes; he just said he wanted to help me with the keys,. So, the following is straight from him.

ghhghhgmtoycar - Here he was figuring out where the letters are and looking to spell words. So, here we have toy and car. He is so excited about this.

jorge loor juan - Here he typed his name all by himself. Cute, first, last, middle but he is quickly learning to locate the keys, which is awesome.

fast cat loor dadgog hog  gungum -He was excited about typing some words here. He already memorized the space bar and backspace keys. He finds this enjoyable and he is learning. It is really awesome to watch him do so. The lap top is very different from his tablet. He likes the feels of the keys. It is a really neat experience that should happen more often especially since we are in a technology mode everywhere we go.

As he was looking and searching the keyboard, he was sounding out the letters. I bet he is going to ask again tomorrow to type some more. That is great thought. He is understanding more now that I am sharing his story and telling you all about him. well in his mind, he is on the internet and I put him on a website : ) Too cute!!!

Yesterday, Jorge Juan went to karate. He did fairly well despite the fact that he did not receive the reward lollipop. I understand that but he did do better than the last several times. We went shopping at a few stores and he only had a mild tantrum because he wanted to go in the dollar store. He lived. He got over that after the fact that my mom took him while I was grocery shopping. All was well in his world because he met up with me with his plastic bag filled with a book, a box of fruit snacks and a fishing game. Well, 5 out of 6 packs of Angry Birds fruit snacks were eaten before we got home and the fishing game is missing in action, unopened. The book, he put the stickers in last night and that was that.

He watched some cartoons today and paled a lot. he also did his own little project with sand and water, he loves sensory and hands on play. He also practiced writing and read 2 short stories. He was active all day but went to bet a few minutes earlier than usual after a nice bath. Sometimes this little dud gives me a run for my money but I would never change him for the world. He is unique. He does not like tags on clothes or on any stuffed animal or toy at all. He stims from excitement and runs back and forth. He is repetitive with his questions. Lately, he has been keeping us on our toes. He has been over stimulated but all in all, he is an empathic, loving child with a heart of gold.He is on the autism spectrum and he is mine. Thank You God.

My Boy: Part 50

Wow!! 50, I can not believe it. I never would have thought to be sharing Jorge Juan's journey in so many parts. I never thought I would have a blog in the first place either. It is amazing for all of the support. Thank you for reading. It really means a lot.

Jorge Juan was so tired this morning and he did not want to go to school. We woke up 20 minutes late but got ready in time for the school bus to pick hi up. All the while he was saying he wanted to sleep and rest. Usually he is sleeping by 8:30 but he stayed up later than that last night. there was supposed to be a huge snow storm, so I thought no school and he could stay up later to pig out on some frozen pops we made at home (shared on www.facebook.com/loorducation) as well as popcorn all while watching The Lion King. Although he fell asleep halfway into the movie, he was sleepy and needed more rest in the morning. He had a long day yesterday playing, moving and shaking the whole day through while having fun. He did not want to go to school but I can say that I am blessed because he is a morning person after all and did not give too much trouble at all getting ready. He cheerfully greeted his bus driver and was excited that the bis monitor was finally back from maternity leave.He got to wear red and white today to honor Dr. Seuss and is excited for tomorrow which is crazy hat day.

He did his homework very well today. I can see that his fine motor skills have developed a lot. His coloring is getting so much better along with his writing. He is doing it with ease now as before it would be frustrating for him. He is showing great interest in homework. He loves to read his take home book and impressed me today after he completed a book. He was able to retell the whole story to me, in his own words using great details. He is enjoying making up his own sentences as he practices his letter board words. This makes me very happy and proud. I love that he is developing such a great love for learning. His vocabulary is expanding and when he speaks, he uses such descriptive language that leaves me in awe. He is a great kid. He loves life so much. We can learn a lot from him. He gives some lessons that are harder than any EDU class. Every step is worth it. With love, hope, dedication and faith, my child is progressing and so can yours. Never, ever give up. Give anything, but up!! You can do it, look at Jorge Juan, he is doing it. Greater days are coming. Thank God for today.

Autism is a journey and not a life sentence. Many, many days I "forget" that Jorge Juan has autism. I see him stim, I smile. the day goes on.

My Boy: Part 49

Yesterday at karate, Jorge Juan did not get a lollipop. Usually he does because he listens well but on a day like yesterday, he did not. He was more focused on looking at himself in the mirror, making funny faces and blowing kisses. Through out the class he was also asking repeatedly for a lollipop, hugging the cones and being a wiggle worm. He did say Yes, ma'am and not Yes, sir as he did  days the other days when Su Ba Nim Khyna was leading class. He seems to focus more when Sa Ba Nim is teaching. Master P. really gets him into it. And, as any child, he gets a little tired and lazy on a Saturday morning. He enjoys going and does well on Tuesdays and Thursdays especially.

Lately he has been running to our room around 5 or 6 in the morning to lay back down until school. He does not wake up crying or anything. He will just run and hop in with out saying a word. I got to get him back on track with staying in his bed. If I was a kid, I would love to be and stay in his room. It is awesome.

He is super excited about being on the internet. It is really cute. I finally told him that I write a blog about his story. I showed him this site and his pics. He was jumping up and down, grinning from ear to ear and could not wait to tell Daddy that he is on the internet. I explained to Jorge Juan that I write about him to share his story and successes in hopes that it will inspire others to never give up hoe and to keep faith. As he has come so far since his diagnosis of PDD-NOS, which is a part of the Autism Spectrum. I am pretty sure that he can feel the difference as well. Thank God that he is healthy and thriving.

I found the above pic somewhere on the internet. I really like it. Jorge Juan is very smart and teaches us every day. Right now he is into his angry birds tattoos and lining up his toys to watch TV. I do not like using the word autistic so much so I will just say that I am very proud of my son. Both my husband and I are very proud of his milestones, achievements and over all love for life and God.

My Boy: Part 47

Jorge Juan finally is back in school after have a super long weekend. The children had no school last Thursday or Friday and also no school Monday or Tuesday. He was happy to be going back although he has enjoyed his lazy days in the house. He played a lot, watched some TV, cared for his pets, colored, worked on projects and played some games. He also had so much fun playing with children at the playground in the mall and at my mother;s house when she was babysitting. He loves the interactions and enjoys the company very much. He brought his Valentine cards to school and is hoping to still have a party seeing that school was canceled due to the snow. Anyway, I hope he does. After school I have some fun in the snow planned for him. Our backyard is covered and untouched, so I am sure he will be thrilled to play outside. He has been doing very well. He has this new thing now with mimicking everything that we are saying. I do not know where that came from. Other than that he has been taking his vitamins and fish oil and has been very calm and relaxed.His symptoms are not visible. I always wonder where has Autism gone? He stims once and a while but NOTHING like before in the previous years or even months. We always keep faith and never give up hope, ever. His report card was super. He is doing very well academically and reaching all points set on his IEP. He is a great kid with a spectacular imagination. Love him to pieces!!!

My Project Plan

I just completed my 11 page Capstone Project Plan draft for my EDU 698 class. I spent a whole lot of time on it. I know that it will all be worth it. There was some performance pressure but not so much since I know that it is a draft. With the wonderful professor that I have, I am anticipating great feedback that I can incorporate into the revision of the plan.

I am in now week seven of the module. By the end of next Saturday, this module will be over and the new module will begin that Monday. That module I will be in my last MEd course which is EDU 699. This is where I will develop my plan and put together a product that will be published at the end of the eight weeks. This is a very exciting time. I am passionate about my project and really excited to share it with everyone.

In the beginning,, it was more nerve wracking but as the time passes, it seems to get easier with the understanding and development of everything. It is a lot of work and that can not be stressed enough but you learn to appreciate everything more when you put your heart and soul into it.

My project is going to be awesome. So many ideas. It will all come together and that is something to look forward to. As well graduation this May. Graduate school is not for the weak. Sometimes the work load may make one week but in reality you end up stronger.

I am waiting on my black belt.

 

My Boy: Part 46

Jorge Juan loves doing his homework lately. He is really into it. It is math. He has always loved numbers and been very good at counting. He uses foam blocks and dominos to count. I am really impressed at a wonderful job that he is doing and the improvements that he is making. He is comfortable holding a pencil with the correct tripod grip. His writing, in general, is more controlled and very neat and understandable. He is having fun and enjoying the learning process with less frustration and meltdowns. He is excited when he is doing hand son projects and sensory activities. The point for me is to make a strong connection between fun and learning. I want Jorge Juan to grow up loving to learn. I have been blessed that he really loves school and loves books. I read to him when he was in the womb. I would always go to the library and pick up books to read to him. I really believe in this.From before he could speak as a baby and toddler, he loved to read and look at words from a book. Also, when I was pregnant with Jorge Juan, I did Sudoku puzzles, so many of those Sudoku puzzles every day, in a book and on Nintendo DS. This is also a part why I believe he is good with numbers and enjoys math. I believe that him being on the Autism Spectrum is  a huge blessing. It took a lot to get use to but I would not ever change him for the world. My husband and I are blessed as parents and very proud of the achievements that he has made in his 5 years of life. He started his first year of Pre K without speaking and in diapers. He was in diapers for the whole year of first year Pre K. He went to pull ups and eventually out of diapers towards the middle to end of second year Pre K. The toilet training was a battle in which we overcame. Never give up.

He is loving, caring and empathetic. He is curious and loves to be creative. He loves God. he loves babies, animals and people. He is healthy. He is learning. He can see, walk, talk...why would i ever want to change that? Autism is just a label, that is all. Never give up. If you go back and read the start of Jorge Juan's journey, you will see what he has been through, overcame and made it out the other side. It can happen. Never give up.

 

Jorge Juan's Short Story

Jorge Juan is five years old. He is on the Autism Spectrum.
He was diagnosed at the age of 3. It was at that time, I was taking the class Teaching the Exceptional Child. I noticed some things that were different about my son that coincided what I was studying at the time. I brought him to the doctor. She diagnosed him upon seeing specialists as well. We followed up without stopping. He was not speaking and was not hearing well. I thought he was deaf. His hearing tests came back with results of 20 percent hearing or something close to that, I do not quite remember but his ears seemed plugged. A second hearing test was needed, so we did it and still the same results. It was a little tricky because he was not sitting still and could not communicate. So after a while we found out he had water in his ear.He has had many ear infections. He could not hear well due to this and we ended up getting tube sin his ears and his adenoids taken out a while after.

Then he visits a neurologist. It was a thorough exam and the doctor places him in the middle of the spectrum. At this time, he could not follow directions, stack blocks, wave, or other typical things that 3 year olds do. We left the office, my husband and I. We did not let that discourage us. We kept going and believed that is just the perception of this doctor. Everything will be fine. After this we visited a speech therapist for an evaluation.

And as you guessed he attended speech therapy. At that time he was not speaking. Maybe a few words here and there but he could not communicate well. It was difficult for him. At the every beginning, he would moan, point, hum and act out to get the attention of the therapist.The week after this he started his first year of pre kindergarten. I was nervous because he did not talk and how would they know, etc.

The teachers were great and they really helped him out. From the first day I told the lead teacher that Jorge has autism and she gave me a number to call for some special education things like evaluations and play group, so we did that.
He received specialized instruction in class along with a speech therapist and occupational therapist from school.He also has an IEP. This was all declared after he has been evaluated by the board of education.

Little by little, he is doing it. The second year of pre kindergarten, he was talking in some words. He could put some words together and before we knew it he was making sentences here and there. He was receiving private speech therapy outside of school and during school time. the social interactions with teachers and peers opened him up. He needed it. It has helped him out tremendously. He was still in pull ups at the time and eventually was fully potty trained at about 4 and a half or a bit earlier. He was not eating independently either. He needed extra help with many basics but that did not stop us.

We kept going and going and today he is 5 and a half years old. He talks non stop. He never wets the bed and he can feed himself. He is writing and drawing now. he loves school and taking the bus. He looks forward to many things.

I almost forgot to mention that before. All the time. He was very figidity. He would hum loudly and pace back and forth, jump in place but most of all flap out of sensory overload.He was even tested for seizures because the neurologist thought something was up as f he stopped breathing or would black out during the time of this great excitement. It was like a blank stare sometimes for thirty seconds as if he was in his own world.

Today he asks a million questions a day and he tells stories. He shares his dreams. He plays and shares. He loves school time and family time. He communicates.

 

 

He is very sympathetic. He is simply amazing.

My Boy: Part 43

Right now he is jogging around the mats in karate class. Getting some exercise and focusing. This morning he decorated more of his wall with a variety of stickers. He loves it. He was making scenes. He is very creative and was expressing himself. This is important for children to do.






He still is sensitive to loud noises because as I see now he was covering his ears during the ten step in karate. After he finished he did say it was too loud. He has gotten better though and so much better with that.He has a lot of energy and is using it in a positive way today. He is really trying to work hard towards a red belt. He also has been doing well in school. The only thing is that he keeps losing mitens, hats and scarves and eventually we get them back days or weeks layer. Spiderman is still missing though and that was the coolest hat.






He really loves this app. He uses it all the time. The colors and sounds enligten him. He really focuses with it too. It helps him with fine motor skills. It is great and is soothing too. It is a go to when a break is needed from homework. By the way he stated taking fish oil yesterday. The liquid kind. We believe it is really going to help him as there are many benefits to it. He has been taking chewable omega 3 and it suits Jim well. I have faith in that. More to come on that at a later time. Right now he will have a day of play and learning in his newly cleaned room. Still has so many toys though. He really likes the tiny ones.






We got rid of so much and donated to BBBS. Tiny toys are:great for tinkering. They're wonderful. Children with autism especially love them. I guess he's typically autistic. That's fine with me.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

For r yr Your Vi

My Boy: Part 42

Little toys everywhere. Tiny. Small. Little. Miniscule. They are everywhere. Jorge Juan loves them. Ever since he was a baby. He always has to hold something in his hands preferably tiny figures, army guys and things of that nature particularly squinkies. I mean everywhere. He puts them in socks, not just his but Daddy's and Mommy's too. I have found them in the couch and in between the seats of the car, in the bathroom and even looking down the drain. Ever since I could remember and even before we knew he had autism, there were little things in his hands and it made him super happy. He never put anything in his mouth either. I remember one time he carried a tiny button around for days and became upset when he lost it. When he falls asleep he always has something small in his hand and sometimes both hands too. In the middle of the night, when he was younger, if he'd drop them or they'd fall..he would cry until they were found. Meaning at whatever hour in the morning we would wake up and have to help him look in his crib/bed. It would really upset him. It gives him comfort and it is not hurting him do I'm okay with that. I would remember what he had in his hands while he was falling asleep so that way if he'd happen to wake up I know what to look for. This was helpful because he was non verbal until after he was 3 and a half years old almost 4. So this is his thing, ya know. It is what he likes. He brings tiny toys in his coat picket on the bus to kindergarten and he used to bring toys when be was in preschool but he had to hand them back to me at the door. When he was a baby one time he had a total of 5 big stuffed animals that he just had to bring in the car. We were going out to eat and he brought them inside. He cried because they would fall be cause it was such a large amount for his hands..I did not understand at the time. I though to myself the behavior wasn't typical though. But typical is boring, right?

My Boy: Part 41 (Special)

I my eyes, my son is perfect. Although he did not start talking until he was 3 and a half. Although he was not fully potty trained until he was 4 and a half, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he is on the autism spectrum, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he is very sensitive to loud noises and sounds and covers his ears,in my eyes he is perfect. Although he always has to have a little toy in his hand and never wore shoes for the first year of his life, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he has speech therapy and occupational therapy, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he asks many questions multiple times for reassurance, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he has an IEP and is in specialized instruction Kindergarten, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he did not start eating independently until the age of 5, he is perfect in my eyes. Although he watches the same shows, same episodes in the same order when he gets to watch TV, he is perfect in my eyes. He can see. He can hear. He can walk. He can play. He is perfect in my eyes. He can do things for himself. He goes to school, interacts and has friends. He even told me yesterday that his school i snot new anymore because when he started he did not know anybody and know he has a lot of friends. Although he has obsessions, he is perfect in my eyes. Although he has to sleep with toys and I find small toys hidden in socks all the time, he is perfect in my eyes. Autism is his super power. He is unique. He loves to read, to play, to discover and most of all he loves God. He is a strong willed young boy who is wise beyond his years. A true gift from up above. I would not change him for the world. He is just awesome.

In 2008 God blessed us with Jorge Juan.My husband and I waited a long time for him. We have been married since 2001. Many times I have heard that I will not be able to have children or it would be very difficult to have children. That I can share with you all at another time. For now, enjoy life.
As always comments are always welcome.
Join us on Facebook- www.facebook.com/loorducation
Come say hello!!! Lots of awesome things going on. Share with me. What would you like to see next?

My Boy: Part 37

Happy New Year from Jorge Juan!!! He is very exciting. He tells everyone, Happy Old Year because he knows it makes them laugh. He was a really good boy for the holiday. We went to family's house very late last night and he cooperated very well. He did not take a nap all day and was up until 3 am. We got home around 4am and he stayed sleeping through the taking off coat, hat, etc. He woke up very happy. He has been playing with his new toys and watching some TV today. He also took care of his guinea pigs whom he loves so much. He is very sweet and each day he learns more manners and things that really matter. Pleases and thank yous all day. He always prays and is very thankful that God has given him a great family, pets, friends and all that good stuff. He is really over powering this Autism. He took many pictures of himself yesterday. He loves to make all different faces and take pics of them then he likes to go back and check them out. He really misses school and is super excited to return tomorrow. He is doing very well and I know this year is going to be even better for him and many other children who are on the spectrum. It is all about faith, hope and love. I know Jorge will achieve many things. He has already overcome so much. I hope that he inspires others. He knows it is 2014 and is becoming more aware of his surroundings. He asks any inquisitive questions and tries really hard with discipline and self control.

For a five year old boy, he is wise beyond his years and I am so proud to be his mommy.

All questions and comments are welcome.

www.facebook.com/loorducation

Come check us out!!!!

www.twitter.com/loorducation

Questions about Autism? Children in general? I will be more than happy to help you!!

Cheers-

Dany, B.S. Child Studies, MEd candidate 2014

My Boy: Part 35

We had a great Christmas. Jorge Juan really had a blast and enjoyed himself. I am so proud of him because he knows the true meaning of Christmas. He is learning so much. He uncovered Baby Jesus from the manger and before we could remind him he said, "Happy Birthday Jesus". That made us so proud. That in itself is such a great Christmas present. This year Jorge is into Star Wars, Angry Birds and Angry Birds Star Wars. Santa brought him any things that he can play with and learn from. He was so excited to even open his underwear and pajama sets..Does it have anything to do with them being Angry Birds Star Wars? lol He cleaned up all of the wrapping paper mess when he was finished. He is learning to play with one set of toys at a time. He is starting to put things back in the box before he goes and open something else. This is great. It is a big step. It was a very nice family day. Jorge was well behaved and appreciate everything.

He truly loves Christmas.
He wrote his own Christmas list and his writing is getting really good. He was excited to do so. Apparently Santa received his list and delivered. He is a true believer.
Last week Jorge performed in a Christmas concert at school. He had been practicing his song all week at home. He was angel number eight. He wore a halo and was a natural on stage. As we were watching him, we saw how very calm he was with his peers sitting down, watching and clapping as others sang and performed. He sang Ten Little Angels with his class. He loved it. He got on the stage like a pro. He waited his turn and did what he had been practicing. He listened for cues and followed along. It was very nice. So proud of him. We took video and many pictures. After he was done, he followed his class off the stage and sat down to enjoy the rest of the show. He never even covered his ears when everyone clapped. He never use to like all that noise and it did not seem to bother him that day. The lights did not bother him either and usually he is sensitive to lights and sounds.
Jorge also was able to enjoy Polar Express Day at school where he got to wear his Spider man pajamas. It was a special treat. He watched Polar Express movie, drank hot cocoa, had some treats and chilled out with his teachers and classmates. These are all great accomplishments for Jorge Juan. they are big steps in the right direction. Like I always say Autism will not stop him. It is his super ability. He is a great gift from God.Since today is my birthday, I am feeling exceptionally blessed because I received and keep on receiving the best gifts that money can never buy. Thank You God.

My Boy: Part 25

"I love to do this Mommy (shaking/flapping hands vigorously), it makes me happy." That is what my son says to me sometimes. When he actually does flap his hands, he let us know it is because he is excited and happy abouit something.

Well, yesterday at karate, he had a wonderful class. He did a complete split and was able to put his head down on the mat at the same time. He was the only Tiny Tiger who was able to do it. He is super flexible and always has been.

He has been doing well at school. He really enjoys it from the bus ride to and from to all the specials that they have. He is always busy. Next week is report conferences and I will be there with my husband.I can not wait to hear of the successes and improvements of our son. He is such a a blessing.

I never thought I would be on a part 25 story about my son. Just to think it all started with one post after a visit from the neurologist. We are determined to assist our son reaching his full potential. He has come a long way and we are proud of him. Autism does not stop him. What a huge difference dedication and faith make. I would not have it any other way. It was a blessing in disguise. A super ability. The point is to improve and not to stay on that same level of the spectrum as the doctor stated. That is a starting point awaiting enhancement and betterment.

If no one knows where Autism came from the no one can tell me that it does not have a cure. If Autism is a life long happening, so be it, I will take that as well because I do not see my son any different from a typical child.

God bless.

Thank you,

Dany

My Boy: Part 23

I remember when Jorge 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.

Thank you.

Comments and Questions are always welcome here.

Dany <3

My Boy: part 13

Ok, so he likes to make faces and pose in the mirror during karate class and he likes to pretend he's a crab-snapping hands and all, but he is participating for the most part. He jogs, he kicks, blocks and all that other crazy karate jazz. He just needs a lot of redirection at times but they all think he is so cute. I find that karate is a good therapy. He goes three times a week for about 40 minutes each time.

He goes to Occupational Therapy once every other week and Speech therapy every other week. The schedule rotates. So it end up being one week OT then the next speech. But that day he has speech is a long day for him because right after that he has karate class after being in school for the entire day which is over 7 hours with the bus ride. Woah and he does it all. i am so proud of him. He is doing so well in OT that it looks like the sessions are coming to an end. Although he still will be reviving OT in school as part of the IEP.

In the beginning he was doing speech 2x a week. then it went down to 1x a week after a while and now we are at every other week. Also, OT was every week as well. So this neurologist is onto something. Just last month he said his Autism symptoms were "disappearing" and that he doe snot even seem like he was on the spectrum. He gave him a full in depth check up and was shocked and even said he did not need any more OT. Just to think, this is the same DOCTOR THAT WANTED TO GIVE HIM MEDICATION AT ONE POINT. THIS WAS THE SAME DOCTOR WHO PLACED HIM ON THE MIDDLE OF THE SPECTRUM AND THOUGHT THAT HE COULD HAVE BEEN HAVING MINI SEIZURES DUE TO BLANK STARES...and after time after prayers and dedication and never losing hope and faith- he is improving and that is an understatement.

And once the caterpillar thought it was over..

Hew emerged as a butterfly........

(stay tuned for part 14)