We have been told Matt has all the basic social skills. It is amazing how he has great leaps in short bursts! Matt is referencing us which is a very important step that children with autism don’t naturally do. When he does something clever (and sometimes knowingly doing something naughty) he looks at us to [...]

 
Nicholas was very excited at Christmas but we could not call it Christmas Day as he had no concept of when it was happening. So it is now “Thursday” until next year when it will become another day of the week! Abit like school starting again on the 5th Feb. He is much happier and [...]

We went to a party Sunday night and Matt did really well. He was hesitant walking in the door but he played with the other kids, used eye contact, gave hugs and kisses, grabbed an adults hand and pulled them over to toys to play with and interacted with the adults. A Mother who has [...]

 
As a mother, my hope for the future is that I succeed in my role as mother, wife and caregiver and that maybe one day I will see my children play together, that Matthew will link the word Mum as being me, that Matt will see me as complete person rather than a hand that [...]

Today I was lying down with my 3 year old son Matthew having some quiet time after his morning session at school. He pointed to my eyes, ears and mouth correctly labeling each feature and I asked him “Did you go on the bus today?” Matt looked up at me and nodded his head slowly. [...]

I’ve started doing some work with a friend on Mondays and Tuesdays and I’ve watched other mums with their kids. Yes you get the odd kid who is naughty and the mums are having a hard time. Mostly you see mums enjoying their kids. Sometimes you do feel a loss of enjoyment. That is what [...]

Had a really bad week last week … or rather a bad Thursday and horrible Friday. Chris had to come home around 2ish as I wasn’t coping very well. Respite care was due at 9.30 and called in sick at 9.20. The break from the routine upset the kids and they were so destructive. This [...]

Not alot has changed for Nicholas except we have been told to expect the label ‘High Functioning Autistic’. So long as he can predict what is coming next and routines are set he is happy and a joyful child. He thinks in black and white and becomes very tunnel vision in his thought processes.
On the [...]

The garage has been segmented with half becoming a playroom for Matt where he spends time with his therapists. We did some rudimentary decorating but it was too distracting so now it is very plain with the toy shelves curtained off and the walls plain. Local companies provided the carpet and the large whiteboards and [...]

Yesterday Matt and I went shopping and he was really taken with the electronic opening doors in a particular shop. He walked towards the door and it opened, Matt clapped his hands yelled “hooray” and did it again and again and again. We would go into other shops and he would run away and I [...]