HAPPY AUTISM AWARENESS DAY!!!
My heart is so full of joy, because my beloved Dylan Michael is officially a 4 year old! I feel like the whole world should celebrate with us! Even before his diagnosis, I always said that our family just wasn't complete without Dylan. When he came to us, we knew he was right where he belonged. It was the closure we needed. Get it? We're done making cute babies :)
As always, don't be shy, reply! Love hearing from you guys. I get alot of messages on FB messenger. Sometimes it takes me a few days to get back to you all. I don't always see the messages right away. It would be better to email me. Here's my social media blurb:
FB- Sharon Maynard-Douglas
IG- Shaymaydoug ....also follow my oldest cocoa prince: darien.douglas
Email: maynard1280@gmail.com
I also have snapchat and twitter, but I don't use them regularly enough
His cousin is always ready to help blow
Let's go back in time to a year ago. Dylan was in a private general education school. He was screaming, throwing himself onto the floor, flipping furniture, throwing food trays across the room, etc... The list goes on and on. Everytime I picked him up from school, it was something new he had done. His teachers loved him dearly, but they looked exhausted everyday. There were times that I would drop him off, get in my car, and cry because I didn't know what to do. I hated leaving him, and knowing what would happen.
By this time, I had already began to suspect he was on the spectrum. However, I wasn't 100% sure because he had so many great skills! However, with the recent events at his school, there was no denying it. After being denied early intervention services a year prior, I was in the middle of getting him evaluated for preschool special education services. The therapists couldn't believe he didn't qualify for E.I. He had significantly regressed within that year.
All I needed was a diagnosis. Why? It makes life easier for when you're demanding services later on. I went to the neurologist, and expected a whole battery of assessments. Instead, she looked at Dylan, requested eye contact (which he didn't give) and confirmed his ASD diagnosis. Felt my world come from beneath me. First off, the bedside manner..seriously! That's not how you tell a parent that their child is on the spectrum.
Of course I had...have all the same concerns as any parent of a child with special needs. What about his quality of life? Will he find love, and have a family? Will he be taken advantage of? Will he get bullied at school? Who will look after him when I'm no longer here? All valid concerns, but I'm trying my best to just take it one day at a time.
The first few months were rocky. Suddenly, I was part of this new community #autismawareness. There isn't any initiation. Your child is diagnosed, and you get to advocating..period! You do whatever you need to do to make sure that your child gets everything he/she is entitled to. 2 weeks after his diagnosis, we were in Autism Awareness Month (April). My head was spinning. Trying to process his diagnosis, and embrace it at the same time. It's an out of body experience. As much as you try to look at your child the same as you did pre diagnosis, it doesn't work that way. I couldn't help but look at him with a sense of hopelessness. Yes, I accept him for who he is. I love him for who he is. However, as parents, we don't go around wishing for special needs babies. Let's be really REAL! We all want neurotypical children. Mostly because the world is a cruel place, and people reject what isn't the norm. We don't want our kids to feel rejected. I take every opportunity to educate those around me about Autism. I even teach my kiddos at work, My hope is to do my part to create a better world for Dylan.
Glows: Dylan has made great strides towards engaging in play with peers his own age. We recently visited a playhouse. Dylan was on a train ride, and spontaneously turned around to face a little girl behind him, and asked " are you having fun?" I nearly fell out! Who knew such a small moment would have such a huge impact on me! I wanted to cry! He even gave semi eye contact. I just can't believe how amazing he is.
Grows: He continues to struggle with regulating his emotions. Still, he has made significant improvement! He still cry/scream/yells when he doesn't get his way. In the past, the outbursts would last 5-10 minutes. These days, it's a brief scream, followed him reminding himself to use his words("use your words, Dylan")! It's so cute!
We're also participating in an open autism study in collaboration with Montefiore Hospital. He's given an enzyme that is supposed to decrease behaviors associated with Autism. I have definitely seen an improvement. However, I don't know if it's because of the enzyme, his therapy (OT, PT, Speech), or a combination of both. All I know is that #teamdilly is really coming through for my baby boy. He is so loved. I especially love when random strangers send me private messages about different programs that would be beneficial to Dylan. Thank you all! It's with these small gestures that I continue to have the courage to share my heart with all of you!
With knowledge comes responsibility. Autism Awareness month is the perfect time to spread some knowledge on Autism to friends/family/coworkers, etc... With 1 in 68 children being diagnosed with Autism, the chances of knowing someone on the spectrum is extremely high. Let's work together to make a better world for individuals on the spectrum!
#autismawareness
#liub
#teamdilly
Sharon
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