Guest guest Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Thank you so much for sharing this, it really helped me feel better about my daughter... she is 6... and still in the echoalia phase... thank you sooo very much! Blessed Be Scarbrough ________________________________ To: Autism_in_Girls_and_Women Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 5:11:42 PM Subject: About Daughter (Please read even though it is long, well worth it.) My daughter Marcy was first diagnosed with autism at the age of 5, 22 years ago. This was back when not much was known about autism and most people never even heard of it. There were no programs available, no support groups in our area, nothing. The doctors told us that since she was diagnosed with moderate high functioning autism she would never go on to college, never make friends, never hold a job and we would have to put her away some place once she became old enough. Despite the constant bullying at school, despite a rape, despite being blamed for everything from teachers because she was different she ended up proving them all wrong. Today when you first meet her you would never know she was autistic. Today she makes eye contact, she has several friends, she even has her own business where she sells her incredible art (see photos for some of her drawings) and she even speaks at autism conferences about being autistic. How did this all happen? Several things occurred. First her father (he is Asperger's) and I wouldn't listen to the doctors and instead followed our own hearts. I knew she had problems with change so I let her rearrange the house and her room all the time. Granted sometimes it was weird but she became used to change because of it. Secondly we would play games acting out how to act and how not to act during certain situations. But perhaps the most important thing was we got a dog. She was fixating on the movie Lady and the Tramp to the point we worn out a tape and had to replace it. She had echolalia and would say word for word of what was in the movie. We had 4 dogs at the time but she ignored them. Then one day we were in a pet store where I usually complained to management about their care of birds when Marcy started screaming at the top of her lungs, " Lady, Lady! " She saw this black mutt that she insisted was Lady. Fortunately the dog was female otherwise this might have caused some confusion for the poor dog later in life. I figured what's one more dog and ended up getting Lady. The next day Marcy got on the school bus and instead of going to the back of the bus and not letting anyone sit next to her (she would scream if someone did) she sat down next to one little girl in the front of the bus and said her first real sentence ever, " Marcy got dog, Lady " She would refer to herself in third person all the time. Lady was a miracle dog. She was unbelievably patient with her. She would allow Marcy to put her face right into hers, she would listen when Marcy would make up words to talk to her, and she was always gentle with her. Because of Lady Marcy learned to start making eye contact with people. She also started talking more. She was 7 at the time, almost 8. It wasn't until she was 10 that she stopped referring to herself in third person and really started using more complete sentences. When she was raped on school grounds at the age of 11 she slipped a little bit more back into her autistic behaviors, but through therapy and her family it didn't last very long. Unfortunately when she was in middle school she went through hell with the bullying and uncaring, unfeeling teachers who blamed her because she was different, telling her she deserved being bullied because she made herself a target. We finally got the school to put her in a private school (after bringing up lawsuit with each and every violation of her rights) and there she thrived, both socially and academically. She did have a mental breakdown before being put in the private school because of severe anxiety, depression and stress. It was in this school that we learned that she had a special talent, art. A school wide art project resulted in the school calling us telling us they had never seen an 11 year old draw like she did. Art lessons followed. She eventually went on to college where she learned to fly planes (though she won't drive a car) and right before she was to get her license (she had to solo) she decided to go for her AA. She graduated with honors. She continued with her drawing and started her own business where she sells art online and at shows. Today she speaks at autism and mental health conferences on what it is like being autistic. Unfortunately because of her past she has developed PTSD and schizoaffective disorder. Despite these awful problems she continues her life, working on her art, and going to these conferences to help others. She is an incredible young woman, intelligent, caring, and now is extremely talkative. She stays on her meds, works on her art and even helping her brother develop software to help autistics learn social and life skills. She is proof that despite what doctors predicted would be a terrible outcome that with support of a loving family anything is possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 You are welcome. I know how important it is to bring hope to others. Back when she was diagnosed the hurtful comment stung, even my own mother thought I should just put her away someplace. So glad I could help. > > Thank you so much for sharing this, it really helped me feel better about my daughter... she is 6... and still in the echoalia phase... thank you sooo very much! > > > > > > > > Blessed Be > Scarbrough > > > > > ________________________________ > > To: Autism_in_Girls_and_Women > Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 5:11:42 PM > Subject: About Daughter > > > (Please read even though it is long, well worth it.) My daughter Marcy was first diagnosed with autism at the age of 5, 22 years ago. This was back when not much was known about autism and most people never even heard of it. There were no programs available, no support groups in our area, nothing. The doctors told us that since she was diagnosed with moderate high functioning autism she would never go on to college, never make friends, never hold a job and we would have to put her away some place once she became old enough. > > Despite the constant bullying at school, despite a rape, despite being blamed for everything from teachers because she was different she ended up proving them all wrong. > > Today when you first meet her you would never know she was autistic. Today she makes eye contact, she has several friends, she even has her own business where she sells her incredible art (see photos for some of her drawings) and she even speaks at autism conferences about being autistic. > > How did this all happen? Several things occurred. First her father (he is Asperger's) and I wouldn't listen to the doctors and instead followed our own hearts. I knew she had problems with change so I let her rearrange the house and her room all the time. Granted sometimes it was weird but she became used to change because of it. Secondly we would play games acting out how to act and how not to act during certain situations. But perhaps the most important thing was we got a dog. She was fixating on the movie Lady and the Tramp to the point we worn out a tape and had to replace it. She had echolalia and would say word for word of what was in the movie. We had 4 dogs at the time but she ignored them. Then one day we were in a pet store where I usually complained to management about their care of birds when Marcy started screaming at the top of her lungs, " Lady, Lady! " She saw this black mutt that she insisted was Lady. Fortunately the dog was female > otherwise this might have caused some confusion for the poor dog later in life. I figured what's one more dog and ended up getting Lady. The next day Marcy got on the school bus and instead of going to the back of the bus and not letting anyone sit next to her (she would scream if someone did) she sat down next to one little girl in the front of the bus and said her first real sentence ever, " Marcy got dog, Lady " She would refer to herself in third person all the time. Lady was a miracle dog. She was unbelievably patient with her. She would allow Marcy to put her face right into hers, she would listen when Marcy would make up words to talk to her, and she was always gentle with her. Because of Lady Marcy learned to start making eye contact with people. She also started talking more. She was 7 at the time, almost 8. It wasn't until she was 10 that she stopped referring to herself in third person and really started using more complete sentences. > > When she was raped on school grounds at the age of 11 she slipped a little bit more back into her autistic behaviors, but through therapy and her family it didn't last very long. > > Unfortunately when she was in middle school she went through hell with the bullying and uncaring, unfeeling teachers who blamed her because she was different, telling her she deserved being bullied because she made herself a target. We finally got the school to put her in a private school (after bringing up lawsuit with each and every violation of her rights) and there she thrived, both socially and academically. > > She did have a mental breakdown before being put in the private school because of severe anxiety, depression and stress. > > It was in this school that we learned that she had a special talent, art. A school wide art project resulted in the school calling us telling us they had never seen an 11 year old draw like she did. Art lessons followed. > > She eventually went on to college where she learned to fly planes (though she won't drive a car) and right before she was to get her license (she had to solo) she decided to go for her AA. She graduated with honors. > > She continued with her drawing and started her own business where she sells art online and at shows. Today she speaks at autism and mental health conferences on what it is like being autistic. > > Unfortunately because of her past she has developed PTSD and schizoaffective disorder. Despite these awful problems she continues her life, working on her art, and going to these conferences to help others. She is an incredible young woman, intelligent, caring, and now is extremely talkative. She stays on her meds, works on her art and even helping her brother develop software to help autistics learn social and life skills. She is proof that despite what doctors predicted would be a terrible outcome that with support of a loving family anything is possible. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Thank you for posting this. Your daughter sounds quite amazing. > > (Please read even though it is long, well worth it.) My daughter Marcy was first diagnosed with autism at the age of 5, 22 years ago. This was back when not much was known about autism and most people never even heard of it. There were no programs available, no support groups in our area, nothing. The doctors told us that since she was diagnosed with moderate high functioning autism she would never go on to college, never make friends, never hold a job and we would have to put her away some place once she became old enough. > > Despite the constant bullying at school, despite a rape, despite being blamed for everything from teachers because she was different she ended up proving them all wrong. > > Today when you first meet her you would never know she was autistic. Today she makes eye contact, she has several friends, she even has her own business where she sells her incredible art (see photos for some of her drawings) and she even speaks at autism conferences about being autistic. > > How did this all happen? Several things occurred. First her father (he is Asperger's) and I wouldn't listen to the doctors and instead followed our own hearts. I knew she had problems with change so I let her rearrange the house and her room all the time. Granted sometimes it was weird but she became used to change because of it. Secondly we would play games acting out how to act and how not to act during certain situations. But perhaps the most important thing was we got a dog. She was fixating on the movie Lady and the Tramp to the point we worn out a tape and had to replace it. She had echolalia and would say word for word of what was in the movie. We had 4 dogs at the time but she ignored them. Then one day we were in a pet store where I usually complained to management about their care of birds when Marcy started screaming at the top of her lungs, " Lady, Lady! " She saw this black mutt that she insisted was Lady. Fortunately the dog was female otherwise this might have caused some confusion for the poor dog later in life. I figured what's one more dog and ended up getting Lady. The next day Marcy got on the school bus and instead of going to the back of the bus and not letting anyone sit next to her (she would scream if someone did) she sat down next to one little girl in the front of the bus and said her first real sentence ever, " Marcy got dog, Lady " She would refer to herself in third person all the time. Lady was a miracle dog. She was unbelievably patient with her. She would allow Marcy to put her face right into hers, she would listen when Marcy would make up words to talk to her, and she was always gentle with her. Because of Lady Marcy learned to start making eye contact with people. She also started talking more. She was 7 at the time, almost 8. It wasn't until she was 10 that she stopped referring to herself in third person and really started using more complete sentences. > > When she was raped on school grounds at the age of 11 she slipped a little bit more back into her autistic behaviors, but through therapy and her family it didn't last very long. > > Unfortunately when she was in middle school she went through hell with the bullying and uncaring, unfeeling teachers who blamed her because she was different, telling her she deserved being bullied because she made herself a target. We finally got the school to put her in a private school (after bringing up lawsuit with each and every violation of her rights) and there she thrived, both socially and academically. > > She did have a mental breakdown before being put in the private school because of severe anxiety, depression and stress. > > It was in this school that we learned that she had a special talent, art. A school wide art project resulted in the school calling us telling us they had never seen an 11 year old draw like she did. Art lessons followed. > > She eventually went on to college where she learned to fly planes (though she won't drive a car) and right before she was to get her license (she had to solo) she decided to go for her AA. She graduated with honors. > > She continued with her drawing and started her own business where she sells art online and at shows. Today she speaks at autism and mental health conferences on what it is like being autistic. > > Unfortunately because of her past she has developed PTSD and schizoaffective disorder. Despite these awful problems she continues her life, working on her art, and going to these conferences to help others. She is an incredible young woman, intelligent, caring, and now is extremely talkative. She stays on her meds, works on her art and even helping her brother develop software to help autistics learn social and life skills. She is proof that despite what doctors predicted would be a terrible outcome that with support of a loving family anything is possible. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 Thanks, and she is really is amazing. All our kids on the spectrum are so special. I am honored to know so many of them. > > > > (Please read even though it is long, well worth it.) My daughter Marcy was first diagnosed with autism at the age of 5, 22 years ago. This was back when not much was known about autism and most people never even heard of it. There were no programs available, no support groups in our area, nothing. The doctors told us that since she was diagnosed with moderate high functioning autism she would never go on to college, never make friends, never hold a job and we would have to put her away some place once she became old enough. > > > > Despite the constant bullying at school, despite a rape, despite being blamed for everything from teachers because she was different she ended up proving them all wrong. > > > > Today when you first meet her you would never know she was autistic. Today she makes eye contact, she has several friends, she even has her own business where she sells her incredible art (see photos for some of her drawings) and she even speaks at autism conferences about being autistic. > > > > How did this all happen? Several things occurred. First her father (he is Asperger's) and I wouldn't listen to the doctors and instead followed our own hearts. I knew she had problems with change so I let her rearrange the house and her room all the time. Granted sometimes it was weird but she became used to change because of it. Secondly we would play games acting out how to act and how not to act during certain situations. But perhaps the most important thing was we got a dog. She was fixating on the movie Lady and the Tramp to the point we worn out a tape and had to replace it. She had echolalia and would say word for word of what was in the movie. We had 4 dogs at the time but she ignored them. Then one day we were in a pet store where I usually complained to management about their care of birds when Marcy started screaming at the top of her lungs, " Lady, Lady! " She saw this black mutt that she insisted was Lady. Fortunately the dog was female otherwise this might have caused some confusion for the poor dog later in life. I figured what's one more dog and ended up getting Lady. The next day Marcy got on the school bus and instead of going to the back of the bus and not letting anyone sit next to her (she would scream if someone did) she sat down next to one little girl in the front of the bus and said her first real sentence ever, " Marcy got dog, Lady " She would refer to herself in third person all the time. Lady was a miracle dog. She was unbelievably patient with her. She would allow Marcy to put her face right into hers, she would listen when Marcy would make up words to talk to her, and she was always gentle with her. Because of Lady Marcy learned to start making eye contact with people. She also started talking more. She was 7 at the time, almost 8. It wasn't until she was 10 that she stopped referring to herself in third person and really started using more complete sentences. > > > > When she was raped on school grounds at the age of 11 she slipped a little bit more back into her autistic behaviors, but through therapy and her family it didn't last very long. > > > > Unfortunately when she was in middle school she went through hell with the bullying and uncaring, unfeeling teachers who blamed her because she was different, telling her she deserved being bullied because she made herself a target. We finally got the school to put her in a private school (after bringing up lawsuit with each and every violation of her rights) and there she thrived, both socially and academically. > > > > She did have a mental breakdown before being put in the private school because of severe anxiety, depression and stress. > > > > It was in this school that we learned that she had a special talent, art. A school wide art project resulted in the school calling us telling us they had never seen an 11 year old draw like she did. Art lessons followed. > > > > She eventually went on to college where she learned to fly planes (though she won't drive a car) and right before she was to get her license (she had to solo) she decided to go for her AA. She graduated with honors. > > > > She continued with her drawing and started her own business where she sells art online and at shows. Today she speaks at autism and mental health conferences on what it is like being autistic. > > > > Unfortunately because of her past she has developed PTSD and schizoaffective disorder. Despite these awful problems she continues her life, working on her art, and going to these conferences to help others. She is an incredible young woman, intelligent, caring, and now is extremely talkative. She stays on her meds, works on her art and even helping her brother develop software to help autistics learn social and life skills. She is proof that despite what doctors predicted would be a terrible outcome that with support of a loving family anything is possible. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 Thanks for sharing the story about your amazing, precious daughter! My own daughter is 12, and your story is inspirational! Thanks so much. > > > > > > (Please read even though it is long, well worth it.) My daughter Marcy was first diagnosed with autism at the age of 5, 22 years ago. This was back when not much was known about autism and most people never even heard of it. There were no programs available, no support groups in our area, nothing. The doctors told us that since she was diagnosed with moderate high functioning autism she would never go on to college, never make friends, never hold a job and we would have to put her away some place once she became old enough. > > > > > > Despite the constant bullying at school, despite a rape, despite being blamed for everything from teachers because she was different she ended up proving them all wrong. > > > > > > Today when you first meet her you would never know she was autistic. Today she makes eye contact, she has several friends, she even has her own business where she sells her incredible art (see photos for some of her drawings) and she even speaks at autism conferences about being autistic. > > > > > > How did this all happen? Several things occurred. First her father (he is Asperger's) and I wouldn't listen to the doctors and instead followed our own hearts. I knew she had problems with change so I let her rearrange the house and her room all the time. Granted sometimes it was weird but she became used to change because of it. Secondly we would play games acting out how to act and how not to act during certain situations. But perhaps the most important thing was we got a dog. She was fixating on the movie Lady and the Tramp to the point we worn out a tape and had to replace it. She had echolalia and would say word for word of what was in the movie. We had 4 dogs at the time but she ignored them. Then one day we were in a pet store where I usually complained to management about their care of birds when Marcy started screaming at the top of her lungs, " Lady, Lady! " She saw this black mutt that she insisted was Lady. Fortunately the dog was female otherwise this might have caused some confusion for the poor dog later in life. I figured what's one more dog and ended up getting Lady. The next day Marcy got on the school bus and instead of going to the back of the bus and not letting anyone sit next to her (she would scream if someone did) she sat down next to one little girl in the front of the bus and said her first real sentence ever, " Marcy got dog, Lady " She would refer to herself in third person all the time. Lady was a miracle dog. She was unbelievably patient with her. She would allow Marcy to put her face right into hers, she would listen when Marcy would make up words to talk to her, and she was always gentle with her. Because of Lady Marcy learned to start making eye contact with people. She also started talking more. She was 7 at the time, almost 8. It wasn't until she was 10 that she stopped referring to herself in third person and really started using more complete sentences. > > > > > > When she was raped on school grounds at the age of 11 she slipped a little bit more back into her autistic behaviors, but through therapy and her family it didn't last very long. > > > > > > Unfortunately when she was in middle school she went through hell with the bullying and uncaring, unfeeling teachers who blamed her because she was different, telling her she deserved being bullied because she made herself a target. We finally got the school to put her in a private school (after bringing up lawsuit with each and every violation of her rights) and there she thrived, both socially and academically. > > > > > > She did have a mental breakdown before being put in the private school because of severe anxiety, depression and stress. > > > > > > It was in this school that we learned that she had a special talent, art. A school wide art project resulted in the school calling us telling us they had never seen an 11 year old draw like she did. Art lessons followed. > > > > > > She eventually went on to college where she learned to fly planes (though she won't drive a car) and right before she was to get her license (she had to solo) she decided to go for her AA. She graduated with honors. > > > > > > She continued with her drawing and started her own business where she sells art online and at shows. Today she speaks at autism and mental health conferences on what it is like being autistic. > > > > > > Unfortunately because of her past she has developed PTSD and schizoaffective disorder. Despite these awful problems she continues her life, working on her art, and going to these conferences to help others. She is an incredible young woman, intelligent, caring, and now is extremely talkative. She stays on her meds, works on her art and even helping her brother develop software to help autistics learn social and life skills. She is proof that despite what doctors predicted would be a terrible outcome that with support of a loving family anything is possible. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 Oh, what a story! Thank you for sharing this glimpse into the life of your beautiful, talented and brave girl. Melinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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