Re: New Here...

December 28, 2002

Hi Deb:

I am answering WAY too many messages in a very spotty way today.

I have five kids, two on the spectrum: Enrique, 15, AS; , 13, NT;

Sophia, 8, NT, Xavier, aka Putter, 6, definitely autistic; and Robbie, 3,

NT. I am pretty sure that my kids' autism is genetic in origin (wanna meet

their father who I am just finishing up divorcing?) Enrique's development

did not look at all normal, it looked genius-y to me at the time, but now

looks very very AS. Putter, well, Putter is as I once wrote a perfect case

of autism. He is a bright boy but also a lovely example of every line of

the DSM-IV definition of autism. Those that didn't fit him the first time I

saw that definition only didn't fit because he had no speech. Now that he

has speech, the rest of the definition fits him.

All the things that I told myself proved he could not possibly have autism

were not actually in the DSM-IV definition....Oh, well. He does not spin,

he does not flap, he's cuddly with me at least.

Salli

December 30, 2002

Hello and welcome, Deborah! You sound like you're going to fit right in

here.

How old was JR when he was diagnosed, if I may ask?

I'm Sara, SAHM to and Gabe. is 3 and has autism and a whole

slew of other stuff closely related. He started pre-school recently and is

doing well. He is starting to talk some, using phrases like, " Help me

please " and " I want ____ " but he is very difficult to understand and his

language is pretty erratic. JR's history sounds a lot like 's,

except that he was always a very high-need baby. I called him my velcro

child, and he cried up to 9 hours straight daily until he was about 5-6

months old. His shots may have worsened his autism but knowing what I know

now, I am sure he was different even before he was born.

Gabe has a speech delay but does not seem to be on the spectrum, for the

moment at least. This morning he had his second seizure in 2 weeks so we

are heading down a different road with him now. He is 19 months old. Gabe

had a nasty reaction to his last DTP shot and we are strongly considering

not giving any more vaccinations.

I'm also pregnant and due late May. Matt and I have been married 4 years

now and were together for 3 before that.

Nice to 'meet' you.

-Sara.

December 30, 2002

Sara,

My JR was diagnosed 5 days from his 3rd birthday. August 29th 2000.

Hence my screen name of jrsmom0800...lol

I will say that JR's autism is more confined to lack of speech and

behavior issues. He never really had the physical issues associated

with it.

We believe that once the speech comes more readily the behavior

issues will begin to wane as well. He uses the PECS program for

communication now but I think he's getting bored with it. We are

checking into a dynovox for future utilization.

When he does speak now it's appropriate and not echoalic (all though

I hear echoallia has many benefits). For example when he's hungry he

will say " e " (hasn't got the t sound yet lol). When you show him a

ball he will say ball, he says gank you (thank you) when you give him

something he desires. He tries like the dickens to imiate and gets

frustrated when he can't.

JR is in a specialized pre-school for the autistic and receives 30

hours of ABA therapy in home as well as speech/occupational and

physical therapies at an outside facility.

I work part time for the Holiday Inn hotel chain as a front desk

clerk. I need the time away from my children to be totally honest.

God knows I would do anything for either of them but I also need the

break.

Nice to meet you too Sara....thanks for the welcome...

> Hello and welcome, Deborah! You sound like you're going to fit

right in

> here.

>

> How old was JR when he was diagnosed, if I may ask?

>

> I'm Sara, SAHM to and Gabe. is 3 and has autism

and a whole

> slew of other stuff closely related. He started pre-school

recently and is

> doing well. He is starting to talk some, using phrases like, " Help

me

> please " and " I want ____ " but he is very difficult to understand

and his

> language is pretty erratic. JR's history sounds a lot like

's,

> except that he was always a very high-need baby. I called him my

velcro

> child, and he cried up to 9 hours straight daily until he was about

5-6

> months old. His shots may have worsened his autism but knowing

what I know

> now, I am sure he was different even before he was born.

>

> Gabe has a speech delay but does not seem to be on the spectrum,

for the

> moment at least. This morning he had his second seizure in 2 weeks

so we

> are heading down a different road with him now. He is 19 months

old. Gabe

> had a nasty reaction to his last DTP shot and we are strongly

considering

> not giving any more vaccinations.

>

> I'm also pregnant and due late May. Matt and I have been married 4

years

> now and were together for 3 before that.

>

> Nice to 'meet' you.

>

> -Sara.

December 30, 2002

Thanks Jacquie.....

DEB

>

> > With the permission of Jacquie I would like to add links to my

> > website in the links folder here. Awaiting approval to do so.

>

> Approved. ;-)

>

> Jacquie

December 30, 2002

Hi Deborah Delp!

I'm very interested in your story and your website when you post the

link. I appreciate your sound approach to it all and I suspect we hold

a lot of viewpoints in common. I too also think there are too many

variables with all the different kids for " rights " and " wrongs " in

dealing with, treatments for, and causes of autism although sometimes

the picture is clearer than others. I am so grateful for a list like

this where there is true understanding and respect.

~ Karin in Texas

married 17 yrs.

Mom to 3 1/2 yr. old Jake - on the Spectrum, in pre-school

> Message: 22

> Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 17:47:23 -0000

> "

> Subject: New Here...

>

> Hello there my name is Deborah Delp. My husband of 15 years and I

> reside in Pennsylvania. We have 2 great kids. is 8 and in

> 3rd grade. She's an avid reader. Our son JR is 5 and is the autistic

> gem in our lives.

>

> When it comes to treatment plans I do not support or oppose any

> particular style of treatment options for it's one thing I learned

> very early on it's that our autistic kids are like snowflakes, no 2

> are identical. We use certain therapies for JR that work for JR and

> may not work for another. Bouncing off ideas, getting the moral

> support that is so crucial when a new therapy begins and it's a rocky

> start is something we all have a need for eventually. Dealing with

> the everyday but unique issues that come with autism and how they

> affect other aspects of our lives (i.e. marriages, relationships with

> our typically developing children, work relationships and those of

> extended family) can be draining. Knowing there is someone out there

> that has been down this road or is walking the same path is a

> comfort. Sometimes just having someone to talk is all we need to put

> things in perspective.

>

> For a little history on JR. My pregnancy with him as with his sister

> was atypical. In other words uneventful. He was born 9 months 2 days

> after I conceived him. He weighted in at 9 pounds and 7.5 ounces was

> 22.5 inches long and scored on his 1 minute APGAR a 9 and at 5

> minutes old a perfect 10.

>

> His developmental milestones came within normal parameters. Sitting

> at 6 months, crawling at 9 months, he started on cereal at 5 months

> of age was on soy formula from birth. Walking (at 15.5 months) was

> late but still within the norm. (An FYI here his sister also

> didn't

> walk until 15.5 months and I myself was a late walker at 14 months.

> So this was of no issue to us the parents.)

>

> For the first 15 months he was a typically developing child including

> language that began at 12 months of age and included the standard

> words bye-bye, Dada, issy (for sissy) he never did say Mama then and

> is only just beginning now to acquire some language of which Mama is

> one word.

>

> Now I know suspected causes of autism is taboo here and I am cool

> with this. Those of you who have been dealing with this for a while

> can follow my time line and make a good guess as to what we know

> caused his autism.

>

> With the permission of Jacquie I would like to add links to my

> website in the links folder here. Awaiting approval to do so.

December 30, 2002

> With the permission of Jacquie I would like to add links to my

> website in the links folder here. Awaiting approval to do so.

Approved. ;-)

Jacquie

December 30, 2002

Deborah,

I just wanted to say that it's absolutely fine to say what you believe

caused JR's autism. What WOULDN'T be okay would be for you to tell the list

that it's THE cause of autism, and tell others what they should be doing

about it. And I don't get the impression that's what you're about. So feel

free to talk about your experiences in your context all you like! It IS a

valid part of your journey, after all.

Jacquie

December 30, 2002

Hi Deborah!

Nice to meet you...

Welcome to the list...

I'm sure you will enjoy it here...

Penny

Mom to Jacqui, HFA, 7

Jeff, 20

December 30, 2002

JR is in a specialized pre-school for the autistic and receives 30

hours of ABA therapy in home as well as speech/occupational and

physical therapies at an outside facility.

-------------------

Wow that is HUGE, I bet he will come a long way with such intensive and great

therapy.. I could only HOPE to get 30 hours of ABA therapy. SEth's is speech and

behavior as priority as well. Thanks for sharing!!!

December 30, 2002

Hi Deb!

Welcome! I think you'll like it here. I've been hanging out for a couple

of years now! I'm going to assume you think vaccines caused JR's autism? I

know my son had regressions after each of his DPT's, but he had other

difficulties right from birth. Nothing so obvious with my second son, and

they are both on the spectrum.

Looking forward to checking out your site!

Sue in MI

Mom to: 12 1/2, HFA

9, AS/ADD

IM smgaska1

December 30, 2002

Hi,

I am soooo far behind so this is my usual quick hello. My name is

JacquieH(so not to be confused with our group leader Jacquie) married to Jeff

for 7 yrs now. We have 3 children. Greggory will turn 7 yrs old this Feb and is

HF autistic. He is doing great and in regular 1st grade. Alec just turned 5yrs

old. He is autistic, BP and ADHD. He is at home with me and doing well for Alec.

Still basically nonverbal and sort of pottytrained on some days. Yessenia

will be 6 months in a few days and is my runt. lol She is a firecracker for

sure, and will be the death of me yet!

Jacquie H

New Here...

Hello there my name is Deborah Delp. My husband of 15 years and I

reside in Pennsylvania. We have 2 great kids. is 8 and in

3rd grade. She's an avid reader. Our son JR is 5 and is the autistic

gem in our lives.

When it comes to treatment plans I do not support or oppose any

particular style of treatment options for it's one thing I learned

very early on it's that our autistic kids are like snowflakes, no 2

are identical. We use certain therapies for JR that work for JR and

may not work for another. Bouncing off ideas, getting the moral

support that is so crucial when a new therapy begins and it's a rocky

start is something we all have a need for eventually. Dealing with

the everyday but unique issues that come with autism and how they

affect other aspects of our lives (i.e. marriages, relationships with

our typically developing children, work relationships and those of

extended family) can be draining. Knowing there is someone out there

that has been down this road or is walking the same path is a

comfort. Sometimes just having someone to talk is all we need to put

things in perspective.

For a little history on JR. My pregnancy with him as with his sister

was atypical. In other words uneventful. He was born 9 months 2 days

after I conceived him. He weighted in at 9 pounds and 7.5 ounces was

22.5 inches long and scored on his 1 minute APGAR a 9 and at 5

minutes old a perfect 10.

His developmental milestones came within normal parameters. Sitting

at 6 months, crawling at 9 months, he started on cereal at 5 months

of age was on soy formula from birth. Walking (at 15.5 months) was

late but still within the norm. (An FYI here his sister also

didn't

walk until 15.5 months and I myself was a late walker at 14 months.

So this was of no issue to us the parents.)

For the first 15 months he was a typically developing child including

language that began at 12 months of age and included the standard

words bye-bye, Dada, issy (for sissy) he never did say Mama then and

is only just beginning now to acquire some language of which Mama is

one word.

Now I know suspected causes of autism is taboo here and I am cool

with this. Those of you who have been dealing with this for a while

can follow my time line and make a good guess as to what we know

caused his autism.

With the permission of Jacquie I would like to add links to my

website in the links folder here. Awaiting approval to do so.

December 30, 2002

Hi Debbie, welcome to the group. Hope to get to know you better.

Lori

-- New Here...