One day at a time
Autism Diagnosis: A mother's journey
Posted by Jaco de Goede on
When my son received an autism diagnosis at the age of 4, I fell into a black abyss of depression from which I thought I'd never recover. At that time, it was impossible for me to imagine I would ever smile, laugh, or feel light again.
(A personal journey by McKenna Meyers)
Struggling to accept the diagnosis
Posted by Jaco de Goede on
I did not ask for the role of autism advocate. Autism was something that happened to other people. Not our family. Not my son.
But since first finding myself in this situation, I have known that it is my job to speak up for my son and those like him.
Dealing with Sensory Issues in Public
Posted by Jaco de Goede on
I don’t think I’ll ever forget this one time when I took my daughter to the grocery store. It was years ago. She was probably two and half. In an attempt to have a successful shopping trip, (the kind where you pick out items and then actually are able to purchase them before having to leave because your child has a meltdown...
Handling Tactile Defensiveness
Posted by Jaco de Goede on
Tactile symptoms are among the most commonly reported sensory symptoms described by parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) . Children displaying tactile defensiveness may also exhibit self-stimulating behavior (stimming). Repeated movements such as hand-flapping...
Children with Autism and Noise
Posted by Jaco de Goede on
One of my son’s most frequent questions is, “What’s that sound, Mommy?” I often can’t hear what he’s hearing. He can hear the school bus when it’s still half a mile from our house. With all the windows closed inside our home, he can hear the next-door neighbours’ sump pump switch on or their garage door...