A Request For Autism Awareness Month

As we get closer to Autism Awareness Month and World Autism Day I am asking the autism community to stop using the phrase “losing a child to autism”.

It is an insult to the person with autism and takes away from what the person with autism is capable of. It robs people with autism of hope and undervalues their growth and accomplishments past, present and future. It is also a slap in the face to parents who have children facing life threatening and terminal illnesses, something I hope no parent has to face. Most children with autism will make progress. You may not see it day to day and it may be hard but it is important to acknowledge the growth and the progress no matter how small it may seem at the time.

Grieve as you will but use care when choosing your words. Words are powerful and best used to build not destroy. Give your child a hug and know that no matter how bad the day has been that your child will not die. Know that with time your child will grow in his or her own way.

I ask, for every child with a life threatening or terminal illness, for every parent that has had to bury a child and for every child who has experienced the death of a sibling, please do not use the term "losing a child to autism".

Thank you,

An adult with autism who is mom to a child with autism who is in the process of being diagnosed with a life threatening illness

World War II Unit Study

Cowboy has been asking to learn about World War II. I have to admit I have been very reluctant. How does one even start to approach this topic with a 7 year old? I spent weeks wondering about this. I had tried a few different methods but not with any passion on my part. I did not want to downplay any part of the war and the devastation but I did not feel my 7 year old was ready and able to understand and handle it.

I finally found a solution, historical fiction. I went on the hunt for books from different perspectives, I tried to get picture and audio books about children so that Cowboy could relate. I want stories about life before the war, during the war and after the war. I want the stories to be through the eyes of people from all over the world.

Book list:

-The Bicycle Man by Allen Say

-World War II: an interactive history adventure by Elizabeth, Raum

-A Picture Book of Anne Frank  by David A. Adler

-Number the Stars [sound recording] by Lois Lowry

-The Yellow Star: the legend of King Christian X of Denmark by Carmen Agra Deedy

-The Ring and the Window Seat by Amy, Hest

-You Wouldn't Want to be a World War II Pilot! : Air Battles You Might Not Survive by Graham

-Snow Treasure [sound recording] by Marie McSwigan

-World War II. The Eastern Front, 1941-1945 by Robert John O'Neill

-World War II (DK Eyewitness Books)
-The Battle of the Bulge: turning back Hitler's final push by Bill Cain
-The attack on Pearl Harbor: an interactive history adventure by Allison Lassieur

-Code talker [sound recording]: a novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac
-The battle of Iwo Jima: guerilla warfare in the Pacific  by Larry Hama
-D-Day: the liberation of Europe begins by Doug Murray
-Across the blue Pacific: a World War II story by Louise Borden

Web Resources:

http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/worldwarii.htm (I read some of this to Cowboy, I do not recommend this for younger children)

http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/worldwarii/preview.weml

http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/worldwariicauses/preview.weml

Field Trips:

Truman Home

Truman Library

Adventures in Independence

It truly feels like spring! The days are warmer and along with the warmth comes the desire to explore and to have an adventure! With minimal notice we decided to head to Independence, Missouri to explore a city rich in history.

It was a fitting trip and one I had meant to make last October when Cowboy decided he wanted to be Harry S. Truman for Halloween. We had talked about Harry Truman and on our trips through Independence and Cowboy and seen the many silhouette images of President Truman around town. His interest was further deepened when he learned of President Truman’s role in World War II.

We went to the Truman Home Ticket Center to enquire about tour times. It turned out we had just over 2 hours before the next tour so Cowboy picked up his Junior Ranger book and we headed out to explore the square. We walked about 5 feet before we found our first activity.

Pioneer Trails Adventures is a covered wagon pulled by two Missouri mules and we were given a wonderful oral history of Independence and it’s importance in the Civil War, the westward expansion and of course President Harry S. Truman. (We did the 60-75 minute tour)

For lunch we ate at Square Pizza because Clinton’s Soda was closed for renovations. From there we walked down to the Truman Home for the tour. We both greatly enjoyed the tour and would like to do it again in the future.

Unbeknownst to me they were having a St. Patrick’s Day parade around the square. The timing was perfect and we stopped and watched the parade on the way back to the ticket center. At the end of the parade they were encouraging people to join in the parade. Cowboy wanted to and I figured why not.

After the parade we went back to the ticket center we watched the movie and Cowboy received his Junior Ranger badge. We spent over 4 hours in Independence before we had to head back home. We did not have enough time to visit the Truman Library so that will have to be an adventure for another day.

Truman Home National Park

http://www.nps.gov/hstr/index.htm

Pioneer Trails Adventures

http://www.pioneertrailsadventures.com/

Mother Knows Best

For years I have been concerned about Cowboy. His fingers turn blue with frightening frequency. He has sores on the tips of his finger that just do not heal. His left hip is really tight. He has complained of leg pain since he could talk and has never been able to keep up with other children his age despite being very active.

We took him to the children’s hospital in February because his hands and feet were swollen and one arm was turning dark purple, almost black. It was nice to be taken seriously and the ER consulted with a pediatric Rheumatologist and ordered a bunch of tests. Cowboy was seen by the Rheumatology clinic within two weeks. After a thorough exam and more blood tests we have answers. Cowboy has one other test to go through before his next appointment. I will post more then.

The good news is that all his organs are functioning really well. The bad news is that I was right. I have been right for years. My goal is to not to focus on what could have been had I been listened to 3 years ago when this all started but to focus on educating myself and Cowboy and helping him.