I don’t suggest reading this if you don’t want your family to change. This will ruffle feathers, they’ll go flying, but this is so important if you want your family to do well, if you want your child to heal and your family thrive. I’ve avoided writing this because I don’t want people to get…
Read Moreseizures and Autism: a visit to Children’s Hospital
Jeremiah’s seizures began when he was a newborn. We adopted him from foster care, so he wasn’t with us then, however he had the “shaking seizures” after he was born and then again a month or two later. He came to us at three months and we didn’t see anything unusual, indicating a seizure until…
Read Moremaking Halloween happier (adoption & foster care)
Originally posted on lovin' adoptin' & autism:
How do we stay sane during Halloween? It can be hard, even with kids who don’t have sensory issues, or attachment issues. The first goal is to make it fun for your child. For children with attachment issues, I don’t agree with the approach of removing everything fun…
what works for your Autistic child: when therapies and programs don’t fit
What does the Autistic child want? I wonder if this question is ever asked. Well it’s asked, but what percentage of the time? And, frankly, there are therapists and parents who never ask this question or acknowledge the child they’re working with or raising has opinions all their own. It’s as if children who have…
Read Morewhat emotion is my adopted/foster child dealing with?
Ruby is acting out in class, her teacher says she doesn’t follow the rules, she gets up from her chair to talk to other kids, is downright disrespectful to her, and has even been physically aggressive toward other kids. She’s a big handful. At home, Conner’s hitting his siblings and parents, hiding under the bed,…
Read More5 things Autism parents are tired of hearing
Autism parents get advice from every which way; parents, friends, family, strangers, and store clerks. While much of it is well-intentioned, it can become redundant and those spouting the “ideas on how to get your child to behave better” don’t have a clue. To preface this list, I would like to say that every person…
Read Morewhat if my Autistic child never says, “I love you”?
*Please be sure to read to the end if you’re offended by the words “grieving process.” When a child is diagnosed with Autism, often times there’s a grieving process for the parents. Their original expectations are drastically altered, sometimes in one moment, sometimes over the course of months or years. Grieving is important, if we…
Read Morecan a hurting child make choices? (adoption & foster care)
Decisions, decisions, decisions. When a child comes from a traumatic past, they consistently need decisions made for them. Even months and years after their adoption or placement in foster care, a hurting child will need others to help guide them more than a typical child would. But sometimes too much control is taken away from…
Read Moreare nurses and doctors familiar with Autism?
Are nurses, doctors, radiologists, and other hospital staff familiar with Autism? I wish the answer was, yes, but sometimes they don’t know enough to make a visit to the hospital or ER a pleasurable experience for our children who have Autism. Wait a minute. Did I say “pleasurable”? Whose visit to the hospital is a…
Read Morewhat a relationship from a movie can teach us about adoption and foster care
In the movie, Blood Diamond, I witnessed a relationship that I thought resembled what should take place in adoptive and foster families. The movie, Blood Diamond, is based in Africa, during the Civil War in Sierra Leone. During the war, Solomon’s young son, Dia, is captured by the rebel army. He’s forced to perform terrible…
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