Madelynn was my first child so I never noticed that she was "different" until I took her to her 3 year well child appointment. Her doctor noticed that she didn't maintain eye contact and that she repeated single words over and over. The Dr. told me that Maddy showed signs of Autism. Autism? I had never even heard of it if you can believe it. When I googled autism I couldn't stop crying. I felt overwhelmed and thought how the heck am I'm going to be able to afford to give her what she needed.
Maddy started Pre. K at 3 years old and they labeled her at school as having a developmental delay. By her second year in Pre K they moved her to general ED. I was thrilled and thought maybe she wasn't autistic as she was thriving! When she started Kindergarten things took a turn. She was sent home with the days work everyday to be worked on at home because she wasn't participating in class and wetting her pants at least 3 times a week. We saw the school Psychiatrist and she suggested that we move Maddy to the autistic classroom. It was a smaller class with 10 children, 1 teacher and 4 aides.
Fast forward 11 months and she is doing sooooo much better! She is saying aloud the sound letters make, actually drawing pictures, coloring IN the lines and even writing her name!. Her vocabulary has improved but still talks in "scripts" and in the 3rd person. Her developmental pediatrician did in fact diagnose her with Autism spectrum disorder. Now she will be protected and get all the therapies needed.
Its been a journey and we have a long road ahead, but I know she is capable of so much just from how much growth she's had in just 11 months. I'm no longer saddened by the label "Autistic". She has made me grow as a person and teaches me so much on a daily basis. She's my perfect, beautiful, amazing, intelligent daughter Madelynn who just happens to be autistic.
Phoenix, AZ
