19-"Yes or No"

 Continuing with our Throwback theme, I began in the last blog, here is some more video of Robbie in school when he was little for those who didn't get enough last time! He's just so darn cute I had to show more. ;-)

     In the last video his teachers focused on having Robbie copy them, match pictures and use the PECS (Picture exchange) to communicate. In today's episode they are teaching him how to shake his head "Yes" or "No" for desired objects.
   Sometimes Robbie seems to do really well with this and really understand, but other times I think he just does what he thinks the teacher wants him to do. I've noticed over the years that his understanding of words seems to float in and out on different days. Sometimes his receptive language is really good, and other days he doesn't seem to understand a word I say. You may have noticed in older episodes he shook his head "yes" to everything, even when I knew he really meant "no". That's why these skills always need to be reinforced every day, or else after a while he seems to lose the skill. It's a never ending journey!

    Here he is in all his blonde haired glory!

    (click the link to watch the video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFvMOhVlB3s

 

    If you're new to our blog and you'd like to learn more about the PECS system, head on back to the older blog about the Behavior Specialist where we show the system and talk a little more about it.

13-Doctor Doctor

    Robbie has been to too many Doctors. When he was little, if he headed toward a medical building and the double doors automatically opened, he turned and ran away, lickity split! He was tired of being poked and prodded. I don't blame him.

     We avoided medications as long as we could. But then, as stories would appear that people found miracle "cures" for their kids with Autism, I felt guilty. So I tried giving him a few things like a vitamin therapy from California, which made him so hyper he was banging off the walls. It wasn't until he had a seizure at 17 that I began to medicate him for the seizures, and the Neurologist also gave him something for his moods. When I look back now at old movies, I can't believe how much he has calmed down. You'll see the difference too.
     In the first video, we go visit two Doctors. I can't really bring the camera into the Doctor's office, but I went as far as the waiting room. Waiting room....waiting...ha ha ha! Autistic kids don't wait! Any Mom of an Autistic child will know that waiting is almost impossible! You wouldn't believe what I have gone through in waiting rooms.  I'll explain in this video.

                                                         Episode 18 "Doctor, Doctor"

 

 

    In this next video, I explain what "stimming" is, for those of you that don't live in the land of Autism like some of us do.  I honestly forgot how bad the stimming was, and I'm so glad I have some old home movies of this.

     This particular day, when Robbie was 15 years old, he was so hyper, he was literally hyperventilating. I'm glad I can show you what he was like before meds. This is for any other parents out there who are afraid to medicate their kids. I was afraid to too. I didn't know what the side effects would be, and Doctors literally admitted to me they didn't know what to do. Reassuring, isn't it? But they really have helped.

 

 Episode 19 "Stimming"

 

   

 

I have other home movies on VHS tapes of when he was much younger. (and soooooo adorable I may add) As soon as I figure out how to get it all transferred onto my computer, I will make YouTube videos and post it to another blog.