From the New York Times: More and More Autism Cases, Yet Causes Are Much Debated
* Tommy nervous as all get out about going back to school tomorrow. I feel like I’m sending a green gung-ho soldier into a mined rice paddy and telling him “go for a swim, the water’s fine”. His archenemy is going to be in his class. His bus driver and therapist have both said these two should never be in the same room together. This is going to be a disaster!
Spent 30 minutes having what the school system can say was an IEP mtg as in “Well, we had an IEP and you agreed to the goals we have on this piece of paper.” All hogwash. One woman spent the mtg speaking through clenched teeth and glaring. She wants us to shut up and stay away so they can properly train these children to survive in an institution. I hate her. I hate putting Tommy back in this messed up system.
Dad reports:
Once I put the baby down and got in the tub, Tommy intentionally turned his guitar loud and when I spoke firmly to him about using headphones forced himself to start crying. I know him well enough to say beyond a doubt that the crying was on purpose and that the loud playing was very likely on purpose. He really enjoys getting people roused. I wish so badly we could turn this into a positive. How could we take “the desire to get people aggitated” and turn it into a positive? An “activist”? Sounds good but he wouldn’t put the work into the cause. A “debate team”? He wouldn’t do the research and he would make stuff up that was absolutely false and he would honestly believe them to be true. This is tough.
* boy reading
Dad reports:
Tommy wanted to do the stretching exercises with me and I could find neither of the 2 stretching books in the house.
This has got to be one of the best books on stretching I’ve ever looked at. Doctors and chiropractors always photocopy from this book.
He is now playing Gameboy SP.
Dad reports this morning:
* Tommy was wide awake at 6:10 when I came upstairs to awaken his siblings. Beyond that, he asked “Can I do some schoolwork?” (Who is this child?) Is this his last minute attempt to prove he doesn’t need to be put back in the school system?
Dad reports last night:
* Tommy put himself to sleep around 9pm (strange considering lately he’s been trying to keep himself up and snacking heavily)
Asperger's Disorder is a milder variant of Autistic Disorder.
... In Asperger's Disorder, individuals are characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood.
...Clumsiness is prominent both in their articulation and gross motor behavior.
... leaves no space for age appropriate, common interests. ...
We will document our trials, tribulations, good times and efforts to give our son a normal life and perhaps help other Asperger parents in the process.