Our lives changed on January 11, 2004 when a chubby-cheeked handsome little man came into the world screaming. Little did we know this was the start of endless hours of hearing this.
I noticed something was different almost from the beginning. At a couple of weeks he started attending his brother's wrestling tournaments where he would scream until I would take him outside. He would do the same thing at family functions and in stores. Family told me, "He is just a momma's boy because you have spoiled him." I have six other children and had been doing everything the same.
In January 2006 I returned to school to get my teaching degree and enrolled him in the preschool on the university campus I chose to attend. We saw the same behaviors in him we saw at home. He was throwing himself on the floor screaming and kicking, or running out to the room. At this point he would only say approximately four words. When I brought this up to our pediatrician, family, and friends they would tell me it was because his older sisters were doing the talking for him, so I believed it. Deep down I knew this wasn't right.
It was when I was sitting in my class learning about teaching Special Needs Children that a light came on and tears of joy trickled down my face. I knew I needed to have him tested for Autism. I talked to his preschool teacher about getting the testing done. He got an IEP written up for Early Child with Developmental Delays which got him speech therapy and help with social skills. At the end of Kindergarten this IEP needed changed and the school district he was in decided he no longer needed services. This wasn't good enough for me so we moved and he is thriving in a district where he gets the help he needs and the teachers are very kind and understanding of his outbursts.
I am truly blessed to call him my son and thank God every day for sending him to me!
Lee's Summit, MO
