Thank you evryone you have ALL been a great help!!!!
Anthony,
go to www.photobucket.com and register on their site. Then you can upload your little boys photo. Just follow their directions and copy the link they tell you to. Then you can come back here to the "SETTINGS" section at the top of the page. Then click on the first link in the blue box that says "EDIT PROFILE" Next, go down the page abput 2/3 rds of the way and in the box to the right of the word "SIGNATURE" paste in the link you copied from photobucket. Underneath the area where you pasted your link, there is a small link that says "PREVIEW SIGNATURE" Click on that and you can see your sons photo. Then click "UPDATE CHANGES" and when you post your sons photo will show up at the bottom of your post.
Welcome Anthony! I spent the first two month after the diagnosisDear Anthony,
God bless you and your family!
I do know how it feels. My son also just turned 3 and we just found out in May that he has an Autism spectrum disorder (PDD-NOS). I grieve quite a lot over it. This week has been particularly hard. He goes to Head Start with typically developing kids and seeing him in a big room with them has just shown me how really different he is. At home he seems nearly normal to me (except the almost total lack of speech). So everytime I see the reality of his problems, I grieve more.
Anyway, welcome and this is a wonderful place to get hope and advice.
Hi, Anthony. Besides carer's allowance (about a fortnight and 00 bonus every July), you should get in touch with your GP and talk about putting Enhanced Primary Care and Mental Health Care plans (EPC, MHCP) in place through Medicare, if you haven't already done so. You then get substantial rebates on 5 visits on EPC (ST or OT) and 12 visits on MHCP (for psychologist and OT). As you get these visits per calender year, do it rightaway so you can use them all before end of this year.
My son was provisionally diagnosed in June and so its still very new for us too. I was initially very overwhelmed too, expecially when there is no proper quidance. I have read heaps, visted support groups and forums and basically put everything into place without any help from any professional. I am grateful to people on a local forum though, maybe you would like the link to that?
I am in Victoria, let me know if you need more help.
Best of luck!
Mary
Anthony,
This is my first day on this forum....my son was diagnosed in February 2006 at age 2.5. I experienced all of the emotions that you are now feeling. My wife and I were given this diagnosis and were not sure what to do next. My wife was very emotional, while I kept my feelings to myself....like a jerk. I found a book called "The Autism Sourcebook" which I treated as a bible for autism for a while. It is very good and it helped me understand concepts, terms, and processes that we would be soon to experience. The book was helpful and also made me cry.
M son is an extremely picky eater, and only drinks milk. There is very little evidence that the GF/CF diet works, but there are a lot of parents that swear by it. We attempted to introduce it to my son, but he is such a picky eater; he would not eat a lot of the alternate products.
However, we were able to switch him from regular milk to rice milk. He used to have really bad gas; he used to rip off farts anytime he bent over (a real party favorite). The pediatricians never gave us the advice to switch to rice milk, including the gastrointerologist. I only got that tip from the GF/CF diet, so there are things worth trying.
My wife and I saw a lot of improvement once his ABA therapy started. He is still behind his neuro-typical peers, but is a happier child and continues to make progress. Basically, he has to learn how to learn; something most of us take for granted.
I really have no idea if he will ever be one of the lucky few to no longer meet the diagnosis of Autism, but I am slowly learning to accept my son for who he is and still strive to do whatever I can for him.
Keep talking about autism on this forum and people in your inner circle. You'll find that you are not alone and that others will be willing to share their stories with you. It is surprising how cathartic it can be.
Thanks Canuk!!
I have started to read your blog. I realise i have a huge journey infront of me, but it will all be worth i. You are making me smile and cry.
Thanks.............................
THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its great to know about this forum. Its great to know their are people out there that can help and advise!
Now i need to start reading and understanding the links you have given me!!!!!
THANK YOU AGAIN! TODAY IS ANOTHER NEW DAY FOR ME AND MY FAMILY
Here's a great story from a parent who's toddler was dx with autism.
http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/ownwords/intheirownwor ds_fiona.php
Once you get over the shock, the deluge of information and all of the emotions that go with it, you will find your way.
Remember that what works/doesn't work for one family may/may not work for you. So really, it's a trial and error sort of thing. Celebrate the little things. Keep finding the joy. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself or others in your family. First and foremost, you are Joshua's Dad. That doesn't change just because he has autism. You got an early dx and that will only serve to benefit him.
I have a blog that documents our journey with autism and our son. You're welcome to read it.
http://mylittlecanadiancorner.blogspot.com/
JUST PRINTED OUT EVERY LINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOW TO START READING.
THANKS AGAIN NORWAY MUM
Anthony.
my wife is 35, her name is Katrina, my little girl in 5 next week, her name is Shoshanah and my boy Joshua, born 20th June 2004.
Hi anthony where in Australia do you live? I am in Victoria. If you are considering changing your sons diet I suggest you get a doctors referral to a dietician and explain to them you want to try a gluten free casein free diet. This way you can get a lot of practical suggestions and know that your son is getting the nutrition he needs.I started just going casen free first( which means no food containing dairy) and saw a significant change in my son. I would also recommend speech therapy for your son, in Australia you have to pay for this yourself unfortunately, but it is very important. Have you applied for the Carers Payment yet through Centre link, it is about a fortnight and you could use it to put towards speech therapy or any other therapy you want for your son. Also you are entitled to respite care through your local Council. There is normally a long waiting list for this, so even if you dont think you needit please put your name down as it may take over a year. Good luck. Its good that your son is getting some early intervention. Liz
My beautiful happy boy, Joshua, aged 3 years 2 months, has just been diagnosed with autisim 5 weeks ago. We are broken. I still cry to myself everyday. I have tears streaming down my face now as i write. However, my Joshua's needs are my only priority. My wife and i are only focus on doing whats best for him and we are dismissing are feelings at the moment. In those weeks we have started him at an early intervension school in Australian 2 days a week and have arranged a teachers aid at a normal preschool 1 day a week. He has gone from all day being distressed in 2 week to just the first 1/2. he even eat his lunch today and had a sleep (he will not eat away from home). He does not talk as such, but can count to 4 on occasions say bye bye and wave and makes lots of "sounds" he does not have eye contact, and will not respond to commands, but occasionally he suprises us, which gives us hope.he is rirual and needs to hold somthing in his hands. he does not flap is hands or turn in circles and never rocks.
We have started to write Johuas book.
But we are lost.
there is so much info out there, what do you believe, what do you do, what diet shoud he have, what treatments, medication etc. HE WILL ONLY EAT A VEGAMITE SANDWICH AND DRINK MILK, BOTH ACCORDING TO MANY WEB SITES ARE A "NO NO". Could some please tell us a detailed diet for my boy. Are we doing enough as parents, should we do more.Joshua has an older sister 5 years old and we also feel she is missing out, but she loves and adores her younger brother.
we have hope but i dont know if hope is wishful thinking................. I DO know that my boy is happy and content at home, but out in public he just runs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! an is not happy, if he cant do what he wants when he wants (like any person or child!!!) he gets distressed. This is the first time a have used a chat room so i dont know if i make sense, but im sure other people in thier ealry day must of felt and had the same concerns.
Thank you
Anthony
There are a lot of things on your mind right now, and I'll take them one by one.
1. Grief: It's important to find an outlet for those feelings. When my son was diagnosed at age 7, I felt there was nobody who had time to talk to me and nobody who could really understand. Heck, I didn't really have time for long, tear-stained conversations myself -- I mean, I had 2 kids (1 with autism), a house to clean and repair, food to cook, meetings to attend, and lots of other obligations. I ended up borderline depressed for a year, until I finally prioritized talking about my feelings by attending a class for parents of special needs kids, with elements of life-coaching and support group. Later I found this forum. This forum and local friends and family may be enough for you. If not, seek out a support group or counselor.
2. General knowledge about autism. A good start is thearticle "10 things every child with autism wishes you knew" -- easy to read and has a positive attitude.
http://www.ellennotbohm.com/ten_things_article.html
3. Self-stimulatory behavior ("stims"). Flapping, spinning and rocking aren't the only stims children with autism have. Identifying your son's stims will help you read his signals and respond to his needs better -- extra important since he's basically nonverbal. Take a look at this chart, which gives examples of stims connected to the various senses, and see if you recognize anything.
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/archive/mannerism.html #Chart
4. Eating issues - Your son has a limited diet and has trouble eating in a social and/or overstimulating setting. These are common issues. Even sitting around the table with his family is a challenge for my son. We used to think he maybe had ADHD because he couldn't sit still at the dinner table. There's a topic on our forum with various resources related to pickiness and other eating issues. Here's the link:
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18317&am p;KW=pickiness
5. GFCF diet - I don't know if you're a conservative, mainstream medicine type or an alternative medicine type. I myself am conservative and haven't tried the diet. The Norwegian government recently came out with guidelines about the GFCF diet, which might be a good place to start if you're a more conservative type. Their official standpoint is that research on this is still in its infancy, but it seems to work for some, and they give some guidelines for those who are considering trying the diet. Here's a link to the forum topic where I summarize these guidelines:
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=19595&am p;PN=1
6. Siblings - Most siblings of autistic children do just fine. A minority become "supersiblings" or end up with mental health issues. In my opinion, the most important thing is to make one-on-one time a part of the routine. It doesn't have to be a lot of time, but it helps her know what to expect and gives her a clear signal that you prioritize her, even though your son's disability demands an extra share of your attention.
If there is anything else on your mind, let us know! I'm sure you'll find lots of support and experience-based advice on this forum.
Good luck with everything.