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Amazed at the Progress

My autistic angel is in Kindergarten this year. It is something that I had dreaded for a long time but this year is going rather smoothly. My child has only come home with a single injury; another special needs child bit her while she riding on the school bus. Everything else so far is going well with only a few things that had not been anticipated occuring.

There was the incident with the fire alarm, and the drill that she thought was a game other than that she is cooperating fully with the teachers and almost fully with me to get ready for school. Hair brushing has become an argument but it is one that I am familiar with. Her favorite past time is computer time, and flash cards.


She would spend all her time on it if she could. This only creates a problem when you need her to do something else. The computer reinforces her lessons from the school day, and she has reached the point of interactions with the screen. The verbal comprehension that she has is increasing a great deal due to the verbal instructions coming from the machine without benefit of written instructions for her.

The fact that she can ask for the websites by name is amazing. You see it still seems as if it wasn't that long ago she was basically mute and completely unaware of the world around her. September of 2009 we recieved the confirming diagnosis of autism. It was the start of what has been a long and painful journey, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

The diagnosis was not a surprise; she had spent months having tantrums that seemed to last forever. She was almost completely non-verbal at nearly three years of age, the only words came from commercials. She was placed in therapy and in a public preschool. This year she began Kindergarten with three years of therapy and two and a half years of school already under her little belt. The preschool began at age three and ended at the age of five.

There is still a long way to go, but we are well on our way to the end goal for my beautiful baby girl.

Comments

Red said…
How wonderful. When the gates open, the flood begins.

Happy Christmas to you all, Laurie. This year is going to be fabulous.

Thank you for all you have done for me this year. You are one of my blessings.
xxx
Laurie said…
Happy Christmas to you too. Funny, I am among your blessings, you are among mine as well.
xxx

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