Autism

Star · 11-02-2005, 08:17 AM

My niece is autistic. she's 5 years old and doing very well actually. she was diagnosed very early, earlier then most in fact which is the reason I think she's doing good in learning the basics. She is very close to my heart.

We have wonderful programs and resources here when I live for kids like my niece. She goes to a regular school and in a regular classroom and has her own special helper to help guide her through her day.

People don't understand autism and some don't even know what it is. with as many autistic people out there today, I think it's important for people to know about it and what it is. These kids are very loving amaizing kids.

Here are some links to some informative resources:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer - autism society of america

http://www.nas.org.uk/ - national autistic society

http://www.autism-pdd.net/ - autism and PDD support network

Duke · 11-02-2005, 08:19 AM

Thanks star, some of the info from these sites may find there way to the news page here as well as seperate content pages.

Merika · 11-02-2005, 09:29 AM

I watched a special on TLC awhile back about a family who had 3 autistic children. It was amazing how far the boys had come from where they started out. I hope with enough research....one day they will figure out what causes autism. It's such an odd situation where a totally bright child is locked within their own minds. I wonder if they feel lonely?

Star · 11-02-2005, 09:51 AM

I don't think they could feel lonely. they seem to be in their own little world and emotions aren['t a big part of that at all. an autistic kid can't fake liking someone or love for that matter. this is what makes my niece so special to me. i KNOW she loves me because there's no faking that. everyime she sees me pulling up her driveway, she greets me at the door with a big smile, all excited and yells, aunt sylvie!! then gives me a hug and says i love you aunt sylvie just out of the blue, whenever.

autistic kids all have their different quarks (if we can call it that). my niece's thing is to dance and sing. she'll do that all day long. when she gets upset, she bites her hands or hits the side of her head with both fists closed. calming her down when she's "in a mood" is really really hard to do.

I had no idea what autism was nor did i ever had to deal with that until she was diagnosed with it. she'd had seizures since she was a tiny baby also. that's another disability on it's own.

Stone · 11-02-2005, 09:56 AM

Seizures are very scary Noah has had his fair share, one MYTH that EVERYONE should know that it is NOT APPROIPRATE!! to stick ANYTHING in the mouth of a seizing person. years ago people thought that a seizure would make you swallow your toung so people stuck fingers and objects in there mouths.

Actually if a person/ child is seizing you should lay them on there side so the fluid drains out to prevent chokeing.

Star · 11-02-2005, 10:08 AM

kate puts her hands in front of her mouth when she has a seizure. she's been getting more and more of them lately because the medicine she was on isn't working anymore so they're switching it. she was seizure free for a couple years. that was nice. It's so heartbreaking to see a child having a seizure.

she drew a picture of herself one day and told my brother that the picture was her having a seizure. the head was flat and the mouth was zig zagged on her picture. that gave us an idea of how she feels when she's having one.

Stone · 11-02-2005, 11:09 AM

Depakot is a great anti seizure for us, and it is alos a mood stabilizer

Star · 03-12-2006, 01:22 AM

well, she's apparently had all the medicine she can for her seizures and none of them really helped so, the next step is brain surgery.

We don't know when this will happen; my sister in law thinks that it'll be at least a year before she gets it done.

I don't know much aobut this type of surgery so it's scary for me right now. I'll have to do some searching on the net to see what i can learn about this. hopefully what i research can put my mind at ease.

Vautrin · 03-12-2006, 03:32 AM

What are the alternatives? That is a serious question to ponder.

Star, as hard as it may sound focus on recent research. Knowledge of what to do has increased so dramatically the past few years, that all older research is almost useless.

Do you have an idea which area of the brain is affected?

Star · 03-12-2006, 06:58 AM

they don't know that yet. they have to do tests to find that out before they perform the surgery.

Merika · 03-13-2006, 10:50 AM

I can't imagine being a parent and having to deal with all that. Rasing kids is hard enough without those sort of complications.