How This Works

Simply Beautiful! May God Bless...I know through Him we will find our way.
posted by Candace on 2/22/08 2:39: AM

I have viewed this video twenty times, each time I cry. I have a beautiful grandson. He is 3 and is not able to communicate basic needs. He was evaluated at the U of Michigan, and was not on the Autisum Spectrum, they said he was delayed in receptive and responsive speach. He is in an Early Childhood program for Developmentally Delayed, however the video hit so many things that reminds me so much of my grandson. We wait and hope he will reach the Milestones-we wait and hope he will be able to have a back and forth conversation with us. I feel he needs to be re-evaluated, his doctor said wait another year. I know in my gut that my grandson does fall on the Autisum Spectrum, and feel that he could be getting extra help, why wait a year. I pray that God will open his little mind and the thoughts and ideas start flowing-I pray and wait. My prayers are with everyone that have loved ones with special needs. I know I must give it to God, as it's too big for me. God Bless- jan brychta
posted by Jan on 2/21/08 10:50: PM

I'm a mentor in an employment program for adults with developmental disabilities. One of my clients has autism. He is such a great man and I enjoy working with him very, very much. He has a fabulous sense of humor and is one of the most dependable workers in our program. He is very intelligent and has a great insight. Don't lose hope, but more importantly don't believe the "experts" and any authority figures when they fill your heads with ideas of flat futures.
posted by Sina on 2/21/08 9:30: PM

What a wonderful video. Thanks so much for sharing. It's parents like you that help families like us with special needs children. I have a child with Angelmans and what we face therapy wise is expensive. Fortunately, we were able to receive services and financial aid that has enabled us to receive early intervention. I dread when she turns three because I know I will be faced with the expense ourselves! Please let me know what else I can do to help to get legislation passed that would help more of us in need. We are very new to this field and I haven't done extensive research yet!
posted by Kim on 2/21/08 9:00: PM

I can barely read this and cannot see it well enough to follow. Could I suggest that you change the coloring for those of us who have slight vision impairments. Thank you. I would like to be able to help if I could read the instructions.
posted by frankie on 2/21/08 7:42: PM

I can barely read this and cannot see it well enough to follow. Could I suggest that you change the coloring for those of us who have slight vision impairments. Thank you. I would like to be able to help if I could read the instructions.
posted by frankie on 2/21/08 7:42: PM

Life just isn't "Fair" This really breaks my heart! May God be with you in your journey & others alike trapped in this "No Win" situation. God speed!
posted by janice on 2/21/08 7:32: PM

I work in early childhood education and work with children with Autism. I live for the little moments when they do have a breakthrough. Just getting them to eat different foods or trying different things is an achievement on their part and I am proud to be a part of helping them achieve this. I hope your daughter gets the help she needs. She indeed is a shining star.
posted by Laurie on 2/21/08 7:32: PM

I am also appauled by the obvious greed by the insurance companies, not covering something as important as treating these children is not right. Heaven forbid the people that make these decisions should be impacted by something so emotional.
posted by marci on 2/21/08 7:21: PM

I pray for your daughter and the many other children that have to go through this. It is very sad to think that anyone could tell her no they can't help or that she must wait, she is an angel and we could all learn something from her.
posted by jesse dwyer on 2/21/08 7:04: PM

thank you for sharing this..Nancy
posted by Nancy Supan on 2/21/08 5:47: PM

As a parent of an autistic child I can understand some of the emotions that other parents may have experienced. The frustration of not being able to communicate with your child to understand that they are sick and in pain. The helpless feeling when they have fallen down and are in obvious pain but can't readily determine the source for treatment. My son is a very happy child and has recently told us that he loves us, which may not sound like much, but for a very long time I was not sure I would ever hear it from him. I am very lucky and blessed to have experienced this as some parents unfortunately may not. Autism is so very different from case to case which may explain why insurance companies seem to be dragging their feet in response to cover treatments. Maybe they could be proactive and help fund research to find the causes and early detection and intervention that would curtail or halt the progression of autism.
posted by Eric Brawand on 2/21/08 5:40: PM

I taught science in Middle School for 5 years and I had many autistic students in my classes- with therapy they were able to learn- they need routines and a general teacher as myself was really only able to prepare these the aid of a special ed teacher who knew how to get the them to work-they kenw these children for sometime- remember as a general class teacher-each September each student is new to me and it takes time to get to know each of them-espeicallly when you teach more than 125 students a day- without therapy and routine help provided by a fulltime speicial ed teacher it is nearly impossible to help each chid-- many of the speicial ed teachers I worked with traveled with these students all day- but remeber they too are first learning about these children when they begin middles school --if they did not get help earlier -the task of the speical ed teacher is much more difficult to preform and sometimes its too late to catch the child up-its not easy- without this help a regular class protocal can not be maintained- there are too many behavoir issues to deal with alone- many of these kids are not the behavior problem in class but its their peers--other students ho are too young to understand how to communicate with these classmates they cause problems that take up class time and take time away form those who need extra help --a single teacher can not help all of them individually- help is needed- please ask your local congressman or congresswoman to provide legislation that will provide early intervention- preschool-- and intervention that will allow a speical ed teacher the means to work early on with these wonderful kids- dump No Child Left Behind -its just an unfair test system--and make education reform meaningful-instead let's have All Children Count Act--if that means allow monies to go to insurance to provide the early needed therapies -- then do it-If they stop the meaningless paper work spent on No Child Left Behind (they being our legislators and school districts)money could be used to fund this and make a real eduacational advance-- as a teacher my students are all very precious and valuable to me-- are they not so to our Nation --as our future??!!! You'd be surprised at how far they can go if they get the right help!!! Please don't leave these kids behind!!! Demand the right kind of change-it would create jobs and make less future taxpayers from being too poorly educated, unable to support themselves and left out from out national goals.
posted by toni on 2/21/08 5:36: PM

My God, What a beautiful Child! And wonderful in this is the love that shines through!
posted by John H. Pieper on 2/21/08 5:22: PM

Autism is not something any one gets until it hits home or really close to. My son, Cameron is 5 and was diagnosed at 3. I take delight in every single step forward he makes. God bless anyone who lives with autism.
posted by Michelle Fischer on 2/21/08 5:13: PM

i am speechless!
posted by dina on 2/21/08 4:46: PM

We have a 15 year old who was diagnosed at age three. I would have thought that I as an early childhood teacher would have realized that something was not quite right at an earlier age than I did. Although looking back I can see the signs that I didn't realize were related to her Autism, most notably her difficulty with transitions!! If there were greater awareness I may have realized it sooner, at that point though it was no where near as common an issue! That's what I have to remind myself of so I don't beat myself up for what I should have, could have, would have done. It is very cool to see something that shows that there are Girls who do have to deal with the obstacles of Autism.
posted by Lauren on 2/21/08 4:18: PM

God's little angels who bring out the best in all of us.
posted by Raymond Fulton on 2/21/08 3:31: PM

I hope this leads to improved treatment.
posted by Mary Lou on 2/21/08 3:29: PM

Powerful stuff. Thanks!
posted by Jan on 2/21/08 3:08: PM