Justin's Happenings

After fighting with the school board, Justin is going to partial school days twice a week.

He has also just recently also started at a place to get more OT and speech therapies.

He is doing very well ! He's putting 2-3 words together to make sentences (when he feels like it.)

He is potty trained (minus number 2.)

He hasn't had a meltdown in at least a year.
#JustinsAutism

Pics

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First Day of Partial School Day

Help, Justin Thinks He's a Monkey

Justin has taken his love for Curious George to a whole new level. He seems to now think that he is a monkey, and acts accordingly.

He hangs upside down from the corner of the dining room table. He'll swing side to side, and hit his stomach while hanging there.

He also will run around all "crazy like" while having Curious George on his tablet.

His swinging from his sensory swing has also taken on a life of its own, he swings hanging by one leg or upside down.

Has anybody else experienced this sort of behavior with their child ?

I'm a little concerned that he doesn't know the difference between reality and tv. I don't want him to think this is "normal" behavior.

Any thoughts ?
#JustinsAutism

Advocate For Justin

The school plight continues for Justin. It is absolutely ridiculous to me that I have been waiting to set up an appointment since November (2015) to re-schedule Justin's annual meeting to schedule his next year.

It gets so frustrating as a parent ! You know, it's hard enough having a special needs child. Than add in everything else (called life,) and it's so easy to just want to give up.

I had, had enough and Justin now has an advocate to assist in anything I need them to. His advocate will be attending the next meeting, whenever that is.

The worst feeling is feeling like your hands are tied, and that's exactly how I feel these days.

It angers me that if I had the money I could just hire therapists to come whenever I want. I don't think a child's progress with such therapies as speech and occupational should be dependant upon how much money you have or don't have.

Justin is making such huge strides, I'm so proud of him !

He is starting to talk, and put sentences together. Hence the urgency to get him more therapies, especially speech.

I would love to hear your struggles and frustrations !
#JustinsAutism

Throwback

I can't believe how fast Justin is growing ! #JustinsAutism

Spanish

Justin is teaching himself spanish. He seems to prefer it to english.

He has several computerized toys, and he alternates from one to another repeating the spanish over and over and repeating what is said.

Justin's sensory swing broke the other day. The ring that held it up broke. I am hoping we are able to fix it.

We are hoping to get a wood fence this spring. Justin loves to take off running, especially outside. Most of the time we can't take him outside if we're not in the play area. Of course, it's quite expensive, to the tune of $5000.
#JustinsAutism

Another Day

Justin is still in love with everything having to do with the alphabet. 

He spells words with his blocks all the time. He spends most of his days doing this, as well as re-organizing the letters he isn't currently using for words. He also loves watching anything having to do with the alphabet. His newest favorite is Super Why. He plays the abc song over and over again. 

His other love is music. He will listen to songs all day long. Most of them coming from Abc Mouse. 

#JustinsAutism

Christmas

We all had a wonderful time during the holiday season ! Justin did great with not touching the Christmas tree or ornaments. This was a big accomplishment as we have not been able to have one for the last two years because of Justin touching it.

We had several other lights and decorations throughout the house, he loved them all.

He would plug in the lights for the christmas tree every morning. He really enjoyed lying or sitting next to the tree with the lights on.

He would say, " Merry Christmas" all the time and sing several Christmas carols. He was playing them on his tablet well before Thanksgiving actually.

Christmas morning was a wonderful time for Justin.

He was so excited seeing and opening his presents from santa.

His favorite toy was an electronic ride on toy that sings loud music as it drives around.
Pics and videos coming soon !
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Justin Did Not Start School

Justin did not start school last Tuesday. After thinking about it, and discussing it with my family. None of us where comfortable with having him go for full day school.

Really, I was caught off guard at the meeting where we discussed it.

You know, I have been jumping through the schools hoops for 4 months now.

I felt blindsided at that meeting. I thought we were all on the same page, and than suddenly I'm feeling like I'm having to defend why I'm not comfortable with throwing Justin into full time schooling. I just wasn't prepared for it.

The other thing that I wasn't prepared for was Justin's behavior, see he was at that meeting. He heard everything we were talking about. After we got home he started acting out and misbehaving.

Doing things he had never done before like hitting his siblings, doing things intentionally wrong, he was angry and would make an angry growling noise, and he would burst out in tears.

As a mother, I could not ignore those signs. After we talked with him about it, we told him if he didn't want to go he didn't have to, he said "Good." Later that day his older brother asked him," Justin, do you want to go to school" to which he replied "No."

Because nothing can just be a simple adjustment, now we must set another meeting.
Oh the endless meetings.
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My Heart Is Broken

This is the most heart wrenching decision I had to make.

I felt like I really had no other option.

What I wanted for Justin was to be able to have him home, and get the treatment he needs. But because I don't have the money to do that. I had to rely on the public school system. That's all his insurance will pay for.

He is calm and relaxed when he's home, he's in a loving and caring environment .To me, that is the most important thing. He far beyond kindergarten academically, which is what he's going into.

No, I don't want to send him to school but I really don't have a choice...
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Jumping Through The Hoops

The meeting to find out if the school will do partial day/week schooling for Justin is Friday. I hope we come to some sort of conclusion with this whole ordeal. It becomes quite frustrating with half the year already over.

It's a constant jumping through hoops.

Justin is doing very well. He has discovered Christmas music, which he plays over and over on his tablet. He sings and hums non-stop.

Over the last couple weeks he started doing things he knew were a no-no. Like climbing onto the fish tank to play in the water. Or, hopping the kitchen gate and flooding out the kitchen. He has also been climbing and getting in to things he knows he's not supposed to.

We are hoping we'll be able to put up a Christmas tree this year.
#JustinsAutism

It's Not Easy Raising an Autistic Child

No one knows what it's like having an autistic child, unless you are the parent or caregiver. It's not easy, for me it has been especially hard lately with Justin.

It seems as though he's regressed in some areas. Things I thought were long handled, like hopping the gate to get into the water in the kitchen. Yeah, that's back full force.

Frustration levels don't ever really go away. Sure, they may ease up a bit but they're still there.

I wish I could afford to have someone come in daily, or 3-4 days a week and do his therapies with him. His one occupational therapist is wonderful, Justin really likes her I can tell. She doesn't let him get away with things, and he listens to her.  It's hard to get him out. People who don't have autistic children will never understand this !

A few other regressions:
 * Getting into laundry room, dumping whole box of soap in.
 * Opening the hall closet, and pulling out tools and batteries and scattering them around his room.
 * Taking things off shelves.
 * Not listening.
 * Climbing onto the computer table, and jumping off (over and over again.)

Learning Languages

Justin just recited the alphabet in another language. It sounded like French or Spanish.

Out and About

We took Justin out with us for the first time in a long time. We went to our favorite chinese restaurant, Target, and home. He did so great ! (Pic's to follow soon.)

At Target he got to see his occupational therapist, who we ran into.

Than we got into the car, and the meltdown started. It lasted all the way home, all 45 minutes of it.

He ended the ordeal with a super bubble bath. Which made him feel all better.

Back to Therapy

Justin started back at his speech and occupational therapy today. I didn't tell him until right before it was time to go. This is because there are to many times where I would tell him we were going. Then, I would get a call saying one of the therapists were out. So then we would have to wait an extra half an hour, which lets just say he was less than thrilled about.

He did really good, a little excited and wanting to get into everything being this is his first day back.

We than picked up his big sister from high school, and headed home. Apparently, he wanted french fries from McDonald's and I didn't know this. So once we got home, he had a meltdown. I felt so bad, I wish I had known !

Read Arietta Rose's answer to I am autistic, how can I make myself feel good about myself? on Quora

Five Little Monkey's Jumping on the Bed

Justin along with his 4 siblings, were all jumping on our bed. I could hear Justin's laughter above everybody elses. That moment made me so happy !

I am so glad that all of our kids get along so well ! There love for each other shows daily.
#justinsautism #autism #aspergers

Fall Leaves

The high today is 83 degrees. It's so nice to be able to go outside, and it be cooler. Justin absolutely loves it ! The leaves are changing color, and are starting to fall.

Justin picked up a leaf today, and held it up to the sky with both hands. He had huge smiles !

He is getting more attached to his Ipad. He cries when the battery dies. I'd like to be able to get him another one.

I think I'll check into cheap tablets instead.

I've found there to be very little difference between the two. The main difference I found to be was the speed and memory. I would recommend getting the one with the highest memory you can afford.

The reason for this is if you get several apps, a smaller tablet will only hold 4-5 at the most. In Justin's case, this was no where near enough. He has a minimum of 10 that he has to have.

#autism #aspergers #justinsautism