In Autism news...

Yesterday (Monday) the show The View dedicated the entire hour to Autism. Toni Braxton was guest co-host and apparently her son was recently given the diagnosis. I didn't see the entire show (hope to watch a tape soon) but you can see a listing of all the guests and information about them, some video clips from the show and also information on Autism organizations here. Check it out!

It's always emotional for me to watch people dealing with their child getting a diagnosis of Autism. It brings back so many memories. I also have a hard time watching older Autistic kids. I either look at them and think that I'm totally unprepared to deal with what life may bring my way, or I see that they seem "cured" and am extremely skeptical. I try not to analyze my feelings too much and just tell myself that every child is different and we'll just have to see how Lowell's life plays out.

Speaking of Mr. Lowell. After getting over a 10 day cold, he is feeling better and is certainly back in action. He is starting to request a lot and seems to get the gist that when he asks for something, he gets it!!! He is usuing more verbal requesting and just more words in general. He is beginning to understand the power of language. This is very exciting!!!

We have a conference with Lowell's teachers this afternoon for his Autism Day Treatment program. It will be fun to hear about the progress that they are seeing. More on that afterward...

Amazing!!

Multiple people have told me that they saw on Good Morning America this week, Diane Sawyers interview with a 27 year old British man by the name of Daniel Tammet. He is an autistic savant with Asperger's. He is extraordinarily unique because he also experiences synesthesia, an unusual neurological syndrome that enables him to experience numbers and words as "shapes, colors, textures and motions." He is only one of only about 50 people living today with synesthesia and autism. Her interview with him is facinating. He discusses the disconnect with emotions that autistic people have. If he wanted to understand something, he would think of it as a number. He talks about autism as different, but an invisible disability and how that can make life very difficult. He has come to terms with it by not being afraid of being different. He now sees it as a gift. The challenge for everyone is to be yourself, he says.

Go here to listen and watch the interview. Look for Book Excerpts on the left column towards the middle.

He also wrote a book called Born on a Blue Day that was just published this week. I must check it out!!!

On the homefront, Lowell is making some good progress with his requesting. He is beginning to use words for things that he wants, with significant prompting. That is a nice success:)

Here are the kids chillin' on a cold winter evening. Cute.

Notes from Lowell's holiday vacation...

Lowell's back to his Autism Day Treatment program tomorrow after 10 days off for holiday vacation. Here are some snippets of his activities. Overall it went really well. He was sick on Christmas morning, which was unfortunate, but seemed to re-coup and enjoyed his break. Some things that made the break very enjoyable were the new toys (of course!), spending time with his cousins and playing a CD from his music therapist that has familiar songs from class. That really seemed to help sooth him. Thanks, Kathy! Now I think we're all ready to get back into the normal routine:)






Happy New Year!!!