Autism Around Alberta – December 2015 Edition
Simple Gifts
It’s almost the end of the year! Sound the trumpets! Good things are coming!
I love New Year’s – not because of the big parties (those don’t happen for us anymore) and not because of the idea of resolutions (as if we don’t already have enough on our plate) – but because it’s a time to reflect.
The way my husband and I see it, New Year’s is not a time to resolve. We’ve already made three life-changing resolutions and as far as we’re concerned, that’s enough. The first time we resolved to change our life was when we had our daughter. The second was when we adopted our son, and the third came after our son’s diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, when we resolved to ‘learn from the [insert daily catastrophic moment here] and do better’ every single day. Seriously though, we find ourselves making the resolution to ‘try again tomorrow’ on a daily basis, so adding an annual ‘do better’ commitment is way too overwhelming.
As November tumbles into December, the scenes around us begin to change from the drab and dreary to the bright and flashy. Blow-up snowmen, big bows and twinkling lights start to pop up in everyone’s neighbourhoods. Some strangers become exasperatingly cheerful while others start to push and shove, and the crisp winter air starts to smell like a confusing mix of cinnamon, pine cones and car exhaust.
Oh yes, I shed tears, but I knew I had to get to work. There was so much that I had to learn about. I started reading about autism, applying for the Disability Tax Credit, contacting FSCD, setting up the RDSP and getting him settled into Kindergarten. My pile of paperwork started to grow!
I always get a little bit of a funny look when I say how many kids we have. These days a family with four children isn’t quite as “normal” as it used to be, and with them all being within two years of each other, we are a very busy bunch.
Have you noticed that summer is slipping by so quickly? In no time you’ll be thinking about transitioning your child with developmental special needs back to school. Just like any student, they may not want to go back. On top of that, they have to once again get used to being around their fellow students and interacting with them, following instructions from teachers and aides, and the sensory overload sure to be found in almost any school.
It isn’t necessarily the adoption of minutes, discussion of ASA finances, or nomination of new board members that make me want to carve out some time in our summer to attend the AGM. For me, it is simply sitting in the room, being on the edge of the conversation. It is exciting to listen to the updates being shared by members from across Alberta – things that are happening from Fort McMurray to Lethbridge, and all of them will have a positive ripple effect for my family and our daughter on the spectrum.
This year I jumped on the bubble bandwagon! Our school, GW Smith Elementary, celebrated Autism Awareness Day on the 10th of April, and we are still celebrating Autism Awareness Month. We did our kick-off day on the 7th, the first day back after spring break, by doing up a display case with lots of child-friendly books about autism; a newsletter also went home. In the newsletter there was information about autism, information about the Bubbles for Autism recess we would be doing, and a puzzle piece entry form. Each child was asked to design their own puzzle piece to show what was special about them. Then, in the classrooms, the teachers would teach the kids about autism, and each child created a poster that would be hung in the gym on Friday.
Thursday, April 2nd, 2015 marks the 8th annual World Autism Awareness Day. Around the world, autism organizations, parents, and individuals with autism will be recognizing the day with all kinds of events, from telling their stories, to fundraising, to showing support. As he turned 18 in November, this year will be our son Eric’s first World Autism Awareness day as an adult. So I thought I would share with you some of our family’s experiences in transitioning Eric from a child with autism to an adult with autism.
A systematic medical history and physical examination are essential for all patients with ASD. Rates of medical illness are estimated at 10–20%. A number of medical conditions are associated with ASD, including neurological, gastrointestinal, nutritional and sleep disorders. Clinicians should be aware that some individuals with ASD are insensitive to cold and pain, which may lead to a reduction in symptom reporting, while deficits in communication can make diagnosis by clinical interview difficult.
