My Very Special Grandson

If you or a loved one has an autistic child, you are likely

 very educated on all sorts of theories about this terrible 

disease. You've been to dozens of doctors, read endless 

reports and researched until your brain hurts.

Receiving a diagnosis of autism can be devastating to some parents, but for others it can be a relief to actually know what the diagnosis is for their child's symptoms. Many parents can be overwhelmed by fear and grief for the loss of the future they had hoped for their child. No one expects to have a child with a developmental disability. A diagnosis of autism can be very upsetting. Fortunately for my lovely grandson, when we heard the diagnosis my beautiful daughter and I already knew.

I had a supported living home for individuals with disabilities in my home for over 10 years. My children grew up around nontypical individuals including autistic children. Wow, how we learned to love them and cherish them. We found it very easy to focus on their abilities rather than the disability. The love we received from these children was unconditional and they certainly taught us alot about the world.

I was often questioned and scorned for having these children in my home. Many of my friends and family members included questioned if this was a positive atmosphere for my own 3 children. The answer is an overwhellming YES. These individuals opened our minds they challenged us to try to see the world from their perspective. It was certainly a time of relearning and awakening for myself and my children.

As my daughter and I recognized at about 11/2 years that Colten's speech was lessening and he often spent hours playing with one toy and not interacting with his brother like he did we became suspicious and cautious. Although many doctors told us he was to young to diagnosis or we were being overly cautious due to our background with children with autism; my daughter and I knew better. We immediately begin trying and testing different things to see if there was any difference or changes in his behavior. By the age of 2, my daughter and I were certain that our precious Colten was one of those very special children.

After finally convincing one of his doctors to go ahead and have him tested, the results came back probable but inconclusive for the diagnosis of autism. Well my tiny strong willed daughter wouldn't give up. She immediately searched for resources to assist him and empower him. Colten needed to be in an environment which would accept and work with his abilities and help him learn social skills appropriate to our society. The correct therapy and services would be necessary to increase Colten's chances of maintaining a "normal" life. My daughter was very aware that if Colten was left untreated, he most likely would not develop effective social skills and may not learn to talk or behave appropriately. Very few individuals recover completely from autism without any intervention.

The most important point we want to make is that autistic individuals have the potential to grow and improve. Contrary to what you may hear autism is treatable. It is important to find effective services, treatments and education for autistic children as soon as possible. The earlier these children receive appropriate treatment, the better their prognosis. Their progress though life will likely be slower than others, but they can still live happy and productive lives. The good news is that there are a wide variety of treatment options which can be very helpful. Some treatments may lead to great improvement, whereas other treatments may have little or no effect. No treatment helps everyone.

Even though many people do not realize when they first meet Colten he has autism, there are still the pointers in his life. He is very structured and likes routine, he is very neat and orderly, he never forgets a thing you say to him and he never stops asking about something till he gets an answer. These are the types of behaviors you would expect to see with a child with autism. My daughter is wonderful about exposing him in small forms to items and events that are not within Colten's "norm". For example, she may have to hurry out the door without his bed being made. Knowing full well that she will be explaining that it is okay and why it's okay to "goof" off sometimes and not get everything done before you play. She makes a game out of it so it isn't emotionally harmful but rather emotionally healing. She is a wonderful mother and daughter. I bless God everday for her.

Today, Colten is thriving, he is extremely inquisitive and bright. He has numerous friends and loves school. He participates in regular classes. By the time Colten started Kindergarden last years, he could read, count to 100, knew all his colors and shapes and is exceptional in math. Even though Colten is thriving and excelling in school, his life is no different than mine or yours, it's a work in progress. But I am certain Colten will be a productive, proud individual. Colten is proud of himself and has a great deal of self-esteem, he is loving and kind and he sees all people as one. In Colten's eyes and from his beautiful mind he says to me--"we are as "whole as a hand, yet separate as fingers and that's what makes the world a fun place to live in." I can't help but reach out and give him a big hug and kiss. His world is innocent of any biases or preconeived notions. His mind is open to new and exciting opportunities and he's like a sponge soaking it all in as fast as he can.