Autism Involves Me (AIM) Walk and 5k

I walk for my little man, Harvie! Preschool
started off great. Harvie was smart beyond our dreams, but started having
behavior problems in school. He was very curt, aggressive, and hostile. There
was an owner of the preschool, who happened to be a counselor too, who worked
with him using his communication skills as a base. Nothing was getting through
to him. It would take a minimum of thirty minutes to calm him down. Speech
therapists, Occupational therapists and Behavioral therapists were all on staff,
but I refused any of it. As a parent, I could not bear the idea of my child
needing therapy. I had high hopes for him: doctor, lawyer, president! In a
manner of seconds, those dreams had come crashing down. His behavior was
putting not only him, but children around him in danger. As a last resort, we
made the decision to pull Harvie out of preschool and give him time off. We
told ourselves he was bored and that was the reason for him acting out.  

Kindergarten started in August. The
first two weeks were great! Harvie loved kindergarten and everything looked
like it was falling into place. Boy were we wrong! For the next two months,
Harvie was sent home daily as a result of his behavior. Working with his
counselor, the vice principal, his teacher and pediatrician, I was pulled and
pushed into so many different directions. They were all directing me towards
ADD/ADHD and wanted me to medicate him. I did not want a zombie or a robot for
a child. I did not want the teachers to get their “model student” out of my
child. Therefore I researched every book, website, anything I could find on the
disorder. Only a few of the symptoms seemed remotely familiar. My gut told me
this could not be right. My child was heartbroken because he felt awful and he
simply could not figure out why his teacher called him a “bad child.” I was
heartbroken because I felt helpless for my little man. At this point, I had no
other choice but to remove him from this school. I found an alternative
learning environment at another elementary school. I immediately got Harvie
enrolled in this program. What a relief! He did fantastic, graduated from the
program, into a regular classroom, until he had an accident. Harvie fell and
busted his chin open, requiring seven stiches and pain medicines. This brought
up the sad behavior again. Seeing the situation from the schools’ points of
view, medicine and/or therapy would be the best thing for Harvie. My husband
and I had already discussed that we did not want to use medication as a crutch
for Harvie and opted not to give him medication. After careful consideration, I
reluctantly set up a therapy program in the school. This seemed to be working
at first, but did not get us very far. Kindergarten ended with us again having
to remove him from school.

            First
grade started off good. Harvie was getting along with everyone, he loved his
classmates, loved his teacher. Then the newness of the new year wore off.
Behavior became an issue yet again. He was getting sent home for hitting his
friends, not cooperating with his peers, refusal of authority. We immediately
pushed more therapy his way, changed pediatricians and got an individual
education plan in place. His therapist was wonderful, helping him daily to cope
with his outbursts. It got to the point, though, that Harvie needed more. At
this point, we decided to get some neurological testing done to see what the
underlying problem was. On May 25, 2011, we saw a psychologist, going through
four hours of testing. A week later, we had it! Harvie had been diagnosed with
Asperger’s Disorder. FINALLY! I had read up on Asperger’s, noting that more and
more of the signs pointed at our little man. With this diagnosis in pocket, I
took it back to the school counselor and a list of things I just knew would
help Harvie out! Unfortunately, the recommendation was that Harvie be put on
some sort of medication to help him focus better in school. This was our last
resort, so I gave in and put him on medication. With the medication and
aggressive therapy combined, things started to fall into place.

            Harvie
started second grade this year. It started off a little rocky, but things were
definitely much easier and less dramatic all the time. He still had outbursts,
but not as severe. He has not been sent home once! His principal had a
brilliant idea to make Harvie his own little “office”, placing a cubicle board
around his desk and separating him from the rest of the class. All the while,
giving him the opportunity to continue to join the group activities his teacher
told him he had to. So here we are: medication in place, therapy in place and a
safe area for Harvie to focus on his work.

Looking
back, the original recommendations from the preschool counselor could not have
been more dead on. She knew exactly what she was talking about and had Harvie’s
best interest at heart. She knew what would work for him and how desperately we
needed to get him started with therapy. This conflict was very big for me and
overcoming it, has made me, my husband, Harvie very strong. Our lives are so
much easier having the official diagnosis and all the proper pieces in this
puzzle in place. Now I will probably get an Albert Einstein or something of the
matter!

 

I am excited about walking for those of us who are on the Autism Spectrum, for those Aspies keep calling yourself Aspies. If you want to strive for college get with Dr. Aleza Spalter Greene about the Autism Support Program and you will be on the road to success with help of a mother with a son that has Autism as well. Being on Autism Spectrum has encouraged me to pursue education; on the one hand, I am still currently on the job hunt. Use your talents and what you have to go forward in life. 

I walk for my son Alec who will be 3years old on april 22nd! I believe birth dates say alot. My Name Is april I was born on Veterans Day and I am a veteran. I became pregnant with my son 6 months after returning home. When I refused an abortion I went from engaged snd expecting a family to single, scared, and 10 weeks pregnant. My son arrived on april 22 (4/22) at 4:22 pm ironically autism awareness month and earth day and that kid loves being outdoors. His original due date of april 19th was the anniversary of my enlistment. It was all meant to be for this special and amazing child to be in my life. Since he was 2 weeks old he’s been poked and prodded and tested and been to a new appointment every week. Yet he just smiled through it. At 15 months old he was diagnosed with PDD NOS. he does not speak but we now have “no no” “momma” and “Mimi” down. He also likes to imitate the geico commercial with the little piggy say weeee we we weee he has learned very quickly a few signs and is getting less frustrated with communication. My parents have set aside their lives and my little sister to help with him. They watch him when I’m at work and get him everything suggested To us that he needs for his learning and sensory. We wouldn’t be anywhere with out him. The only cure Is to educate and we will gladly be waking on the 20th!!!