After three nights of waking up at 3am or earlier, Jackson slept from 9pm to 7am this morning. That’s truly beautiful. No middle of the night arm-scratching for Jason, no flipping and flopping out on the couch with mom listening to his favorite Chris Tomlin music set for the tenth time. But still…we’ve come a long way. Continue reading “Sleepless in Oregon”
The Big Blood Draw
Bringing any 4-year old into the lab for a blood draw is enough to cause a hike in your blood pressure. Jackson is no exception. Hearing the lab technician call for two co-workers “to help hold him down” gave me heart palpitations. I felt my chest tighten as I attempted to calm my quivering nerves and place a cheery smile on my face before I pulled Jackson onto my lap, wrapping my arms and legs around him. Continue reading “The Big Blood Draw”
Following his lead, building bridges in the world of autism
“Following his lead” I shook my head as I stared at the page in front of me. I was sitting in a parent training class at Jackson’s school desperately looking for a new way to progress with Jackson at home. I had thought, “I’m a great parent and a natural teacher, I can do this.” But after months of frustrating non-interactions, I realized I needed a new strategy. So here I was, hoping to gain some new secret insights on how to convince Jackson that words are valuable for getting what you want, and interacting with your family is way more fun than flipping around your sister’s matching Valentine’s socks. Continue reading “Following his lead, building bridges in the world of autism”
Month of breakthroughs: communication trumps autism
A pudgy index finger jabs his chest, then Jackson looks carefully down at his hands as they form a triangle and finally his eyes connect with mine as he rubs his chest signing please. “I want….chips….please.” This phrase thrills me as it falls from Jackson’s lips. It makes me want to stock my pantry with 10 bags of tortilla chips in order to reward this communication! Continue reading “Month of breakthroughs: communication trumps autism”