Stories of Hope

Fighting for Nikki.

My daughter Nikki is 10 yrs old now at 7 yrs old she was diagnosed with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder since she is our only child it devastated us when they told us to mourn for the daughter we thought we had, Back then I've never even heard of this thing they called Autism so after how many days of testing and after how many different doctors we walked out of the doctors office looking at the world different, And started educating ourself's to get a better understanding of what this thing my daughter has so we did that they told us how our future was gonna be like especially her so i told them i refuse to mourn for the daughter i thought i had cause i have her so i promised my daughter that i would change the way society looked at her and just except her for the way she is cause she is no less no different just born special to open peoples eyes she may not fit in the eyes of society but she is perfect in our eyes Nikki is non verbal but can sing loves listening to music she is currently attending school now just baby steps for the time being, I believe my daughter is destined for great things so today i fight the big fight for her to be treated with respect not just a kid who is special i look at the world different now as i did before i see beauty and greatness in every person i meet,I never give up hope that one day she is going to start talking and that i will have my mother daughter talk with my daughter and i will keep fighting for her cause i am her voice.

Lily
Fort Vermilion, Canada

My Nicky

I knew almost immediately that my youngest son who is almost 11 had Autism. I have 4 boys on the spectrum, but it is my youngest Nicky who is effected the worst. He is Non-verbal and has lots of sensory issues and behavioral issues as well. He is more like a 15 month old trap in a 10 year old body. And even with all the struggles we have that Autism has given him we wouldn't change him for anything. He is a very loving and Happy Boy. I love him to the Moon and Back.

Joy Kranz
Blaine, MN

Never say never

My boy was born healthy and strong and very bull headed or so I thought , his father and I divorced when he was only 6 months old , and Harry was always struggling with aggression from a very early age and he felt the need to always be touching me , at first I believed it was the seperation of going to his dads every other weekend . But as he grew he became violent with others not just myself , no one wanted to watch him or be around , my elders always told me that it was my parenting and that he just needed a good kick in the butt to straighten him out , but I knew him and knew that wasnt the case , when it was just us life was simple in between our four walls . So I made sure that for 8 years I was the only person in our home , there was no dating no nothing to make him happy . He wasnt potty trained until the age of 4 , and pretty much non verbal until the age of 5 he had his own words he used and I learned them so we could communicate . Pre school was horrific as was jk and sk and grade one . It wasnt until grade 2 when the teacher pulled me aside and told me SHE got me an appt to see an specialist . Turns out that Harry had Aspergers Syndrome as well as some other sensory issues . They told me he would never play organized sports would never make friends easily and wouldnt be verbal as much as others.
Today I am the proudest mom of a 15 year old who plays every sport possible and excels to the top of them , he plays on a AAA hockey team and with draft year next year fingers are crossed and he has an 82% average in his grade 9 courses , and went out and got himself a part time job with out prompting him to ......

Anonymous
Muskoka, Canada

Rodeo's Story

When my son was diagnosed with Autism and an extreme sensory disorder at 16 months, they told me many things to be aware of in the future — things like, "Don't expect him to start speaking til' maybe 6 or 7 years old at the earliest" and "He may never want to hug or kiss you." They also told me that he does not know what danger is, and he has a high threshold for pain, so he may injure himself badly and not know it. These are things that would break any parent's heart and scare them half to death at the same time.

After a few weeks of testing, they shared with me his saving grace: They said my son was one of the most stubborn and headstrong little boys they had ever worked with. When his mind was set, there was NO changing it. He has worked very hard and has struggled through adversities that I can only see from the outside. He is now six years old and can speak full sentences. He spends half his day in regular ed 1st grade and has been in a horsemanship program for three years now. He begins each and every day with hugs and kisses, and is one of the most lovable kids you could ever meet. He has deified what all the doctors, therapists, and teachers said he would be capable of over and over again.

He has taught me so much about not letting others expectations of you define your abilities, but it's not only me he teaches. Many parents of children like Rodeo have approached us and asked if his story is true — if the happy boy in front of them was really previously known as one of the hardest children in school. When I say yes, they say Rodeo gives them hope for the future of their little one.

Trixie Denis
Halualoa, HI

How I use my Autism as motivation!

Hi my name is Sean Sullivan.

I am a 27 year old Autistic. Who is trying and succeeding at improving my mind to the point where I can get a masters in what ever area I choose. In the past I have had mental, physical, and psychiatric, pain and trauma done to me by others. In short that motivated me to improve myself, which includes my intellect, demeanor, and me as a whole. I also like public speaking and sharing my experiences among other things. I know I have a long way to go, but I will never give up!

Sean Sullivan
Laguna Beach, CA

My 2 little blessings

There are several important dates in my life that I will never forget. One of those dates is December 17,2010- this was the day I was told that my oldest son had ASD. I blamed myself for a while then I woke up and realized my child was going to be okay. We had already gotten him in an early intervention program. Marcus had to learn to talk again, had been talking since he was 8 months old and then stopped around 14 months old. He had reverted to making baby noises/babbling. In the next 9 months brought much progress. At 3 he began in the Autism preschool program and was making even more progress. Just as I thought things were going good in my little family, life smacked me in the face again. In April of 2012, I realized that my youngest son had stopped talking just as his brother had done. Little things started making sense about things he did( toe walking, repetitive sounds)so I made the evaluation appt for him. August 17, 2012 is another date I will never forget. That is the day we were told that Ben also had ASD. Ben's ASD was/is much more severe then his brother. He unfortunately didn't get the same amount of the early intervention that his brother had gotten. Ben started in the same preschool program his brother is in and has come a long way though from where he was.

This coming school year Marcus will begin general education kindergarten, he has made amazing strides. Ben has made so much progress as well. We are proud of both of them and can't wait to see what the future holds for them. They are our 2 little blessings and we wouldn't trade them for the world. <3

REBECCA RODABAUGH
MODESTO, CA

Hunter

My son was two when we started to see signs of major tantrums. I asked the dr time after time what is goin on with him. He would smash his head into random objects including the floors, he could pick up the kitchen chairs and actually throw them, and he ripped my moms bedroom door off the hinges. These "fits" would start over anything, even the feeling of his pants, to the sounds around him. Going to the grocery store was a big challange, he would just start screaming and want me to hold him, or not allow me to even come close. I was embarrassed at first, but now i know that it isnt something he can help, and i spread the word, when people want to start i let them know it is spd. I knew something wasnt right and since his dr. wouldnt help i decided to take it upon my self. I got him into an occupational therapy program and took him to the childrens developmental center to be screened. I was told he has Sensory processing disorder. It has only been a year and he has improved so much. He has less "fits" then he used to, and when he does i now know how to try to help soothe him. He is, thanks to my family and his big sister, expanding his vocabulary and getting better with the sounds of the letters.

Jennifer
Sheridan, WY

The Guy I Met In Math Class

When I was 16, I met a guy in math class. He was intelligent, caring, funny, but a little "off" somehow. We talked every day and hung out as often as we could. With him, I could talk about anything. He didn't judge. He was very logical. I liked that about him.

We got to know each other very well and eventually I gave him my phone number, and we talked every night. Then, a couple months later, while talking on the phone one night, he just randomly declared his love for me! I literally sat there in my bedroom, no idea what to say! Haha. But, as awkward as it was at first, I kinda started to realize... maybe I love him too.... So we started dating.

I'd go over to his house after school and one day, I was chatting with his mom and she mentioned him having "Asperger's Syndrome." I had no idea what it was. She explained that it's a form of Autism! You never would've known by the way he was acting. He didn't have repetitive movements of any kind, he talked to everyone. But, he was very logical, didn't like certain feelings or touches on his skin, and hated being dirty! Apparently his mom had seen signs of it when he was just a year or two old. She tried to put him in grass and he freaked out and started crying!

She took him to therapy for years to help develop his skills. Because of what she did for him, he is now 20 years old, fully functioning, a great guy... married AND a father! (Yes, married to me and it's our baby!) He has a great job and works hard for us. His Asperger's can still make things difficult at times and I have to be patient with him, but it's so worth it. I'll say this: people with Autism can be the most loving, caring, wonderful people you will ever meet. I love being with him. It's been four years, married for almost two. I wouldn't change him for the world.

Mickie McLaughlin
Battle Creek, MI

Hold Your Head Up And Be Proud

I was born with Autism, and could not speak until I was 8 years old. This was very frustrating, as there were many things that I wanted to say but I could not connect my brain to my lips. My first and second grade teachers were concerned that I may have been deaf, as all I could do was mumble or make noises.

When I was 7 years old my Dad came home with a tape recorder. He turned it on, gave me the mike and told me to make whatever sounds I wanted. I suddenly got the brilliant idea to turn on the TV. Eyewitness News was on, and I slowly began to imitate the announcers, though in a monotone voice. One day I went up to my Mom and said, "Hi, Mom - what's for dinner?". She almost fell on the floor when she heard me speak.

By the time I got to the third grade, the teacher was complaining that she couldn't shut me up! I had so much to say, and went from one extreme to the other. I eventually graduated high school, went on to college and then landed a job on a local radio station as a disc jockey. Today you still can't shut me up LOL.

Michael Cedeno
Bay Shore, NY

My Son Jack

My four-year-old son Jack is autistic.

We didn't notice anything while he was a baby. It wasn't until he started "bum shuffling" instead of walking and we went to a busy, loud party where he screamed and cried the entire time that we started to think something wasn't quite right. He didn't talk, didn't try to make words, and was - and still is - obsessed with certain toys and things. His nursery suggested he may be autistic when he was two and a half, and they have been the most helpful and caring people since. They helped us find a special needs school for him and educated themselves in order to help Jack as much as possible.

He now walks... well, runs! And his speech has come on leaps and bounds since attending his new school! Starting to put words together! It is a struggle for us sometimes as Jack has two older sisters who, while they understand better than most kids, still sometimes become frustrated with Jack's ways and needs.

He is AMAZING and has a knack of pulling you into his world, normally of Angry Birds or cars. He shows us love and even sometimes looks us in the eye! We wouldn't change him for the world because if we did, he wouldn't be Jack and we have every confidence he will enjoy his life as much as any other person! X

Jon Hutson
Sevenoaks, United Kingdom