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THANK YOU i was starting to think that i was the only person who feels the way you do but now i no that i'm not.my 4 year old was diagionosed with asperger's just about a 1 month ago,and i'm really confused thank you you have helped me a great deal.he is a beautiful child and my god bless you. thanks
posted by sharon on 6/11/08 10:26: AM

My family was told that my 5 year old son Blake has Asperger Syndrome. I understand him know in ways I never did. Your video made me relax and know that I am not the only mother out there going through this. My son will always seem normal to me because that is who he is. I just hope everyone else will see him that way too. The people that have Asperger's are much kinder and have bigger hearts than people without :) May God bless you, Ryne, and your family, always.......
posted by Jennifer on 5/15/08 7:19: AM

My daughters sons both live with autism. Her video, #264868, "Our Boys, Our Purpose" is on the first page. If you have not watched it, I hope you will. They are precious, cute & lots of fun, but have an inexhaustable supply of energy & don't need much sleep---which makes it challenging for mom & dad. Your words help me see what we need to prepare for as the boys get older. Ryne is a handsome young man. He is fortunate & blessed to have a mom who cares so deeply for him, and enough for others, to share the emotional "hot-spots" of autism with the world. Thank you for sharing Ryne with us. May all your heart's wishes come true...
posted by Grammy Pammy of "Our Boys, Our Purpose" on 3/31/08 4:28: AM

Thank you for sharing! Your video inspired me to make one for my son. He has aspergers and ADHD.
posted by Tami on 3/06/08 7:47: AM

My daughter is 13 and on the houor roll at school. The video was great. I feel less alone when I saw you asked for patience. She works so hard and has come so far. I forget somedays this is the same kid I begged God to hear one word from. And then sometimes I snap at her because she cant stop obsessing on reading labels to me.
posted by Donna on 2/07/08 10:47: PM

Fantastic! Very moving, impressive and deeply touching. Best wishes to you on having the strength and patience and flexibility you need and for Ryne to have friends and be accepted. Have faith. You are doing an awesome job!
posted by Debbie on 2/03/08 6:47: AM

That was absolutely beautiful. May God bless you Ryne, and your family, always.......
posted by Sharon on 2/02/08 8:54: PM

My son is almost 6. He has autism. From the time he was 18 months, we have endured scthing looks and words from people who insisted on knowing why I couldn't control him. We have been asked not to return to his sister's kindergarten functions and worse examples I will not post. He has had therapy since 3 1/2, so it isn't as bad anymore, but I have cried and cried over people's lack of sensitivity and understanding. My son looks typical and he is big for his age, so people have certain expectations that he cannot meet. God bless you and your family and thank you for sharing. Watching this has helped me share, too.
posted by Josie on 2/02/08 7:30: PM

Thank you for your video. My son was diagnosed with Asperger's 2 months ago. This is a new journey for me and our family. My son is so loving and I just want to tell the world to give him a chance.
posted by Janice on 2/02/08 6:04: PM

What an amazing video to watch. Your son is beautiful and I feel great love and emotion watching and reading your comments throughout the video. I believe anyone here on earth that is special or"different" is here to teach us to try and be special and different! I am a mother and a massage therapy student, this site and your video have inspired me to want to use my skills to provide some needed relaxation to parents of children with special needs. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful son (and daughter) with the world! Jackie K. White Plains, NY
posted by Jackie on 2/02/08 12:58: PM

Michelle: Thank you for your video. As a father of a 13yr old son with ADHD, Aspergers, Mood Dysorder, Opp-Defiant / OCD, and Sensory Integration Dysfunction (his current psychologist has described Kevin as having a "homeless" condition because he does not fit a true description of any one diagnosis. <he has seen 7 different specialist in order to find the best fit for his condition>. We first began recognizing Kevin's uniqueness when he was 3 (my wife will say she saw the opp/defiant from delivery). He was playing with a neighbor child and went up and hit her mother because he assumed that she was going to tell them it was time to stop playing. He exploded during transition times at school, unable to deal with having to stop one activity to start another. We were fortunate that Kevin was diagnosed early (age 4) both at school and by my sister and sister-in-law who were phys. therapists / kindergarten teachers who could identify Kevin's uniqueness without being judgemental (he was our 1st child so we really had nothing to compare). We have benefitted from pragmatically medicating, erring on not giving enough in order to not take away Kevin's true personality but acknowledging that without Rx, he could not function. We are still learning, and still trying both traditional therapies and holistic / self-hypnosis / light therapies to find the right combination. As a 13 y.o. he is very aware of his condition, and has learned how to self-regulate and express his mood swings/frustrations rather than act out. He is a terrific kid, but he has had to endure a lot - from unsympathetic, callous adults who could not see that he responded differently than other kids even though he "looked" the same, or because he didn't respond "that way" before - to teachers who were unwilling to accept the challenge of teaching a child with special needs. We are fortunate that we have a public school district (he was in Catholic school until 5th grade) that has accepted Kevin's issues, allowing him the freedom to leave class if he is feeling overwhelmed and setting aside a room where he can calm himself in order to return when he is ready. He has had to overcome a lot, but will continue to have to learn to adjust to his challenges. As parents, we have to support each other knowing there are some days my wife is better suited to helping him than I or vice versa while not ignoring our other 2 kids. Kevin has played organized sports, is a Boy Scout, is in advanced math, and even took Japanese in school this year. We bought a computer program (Naturally Speaking) that will type his spoken word to allow him to complete assignments because he was unable to focus long enough to hand write his words without a battle. As many parents have shared: patience, flexibilty, and support are key to allowing our unique angels the environment to succeed and flourish in an ever-more difficult society. Thank you for sharing your inspirational stories and gifts.
posted by Pete on 2/02/08 11:39: AM

That was a wonderful video. As a mother of an almost 21 year old with AS, it touched my heart and put words to some of my own thoughts. The road is not an easy one that our children walk and as parents, we walk it with them. I would not trade my son for ANYTHING. He is unique and beautiful as a person. It doesn't matter that he isn't like all the rest of the world. He is......
posted by Julie on 2/02/08 11:33: AM

Great video Michele! I love him!
posted by Uncle Hans on 2/02/08 6:22: AM

Your beautiful video touched me and inspires me, a mother of a 10 yr old "aspie", to cherish my son exactly as he is. Our kids are truly a blessing, and their acceptance in the world begins with their acceptance at home. Thank you for sharing your story with us. God bless.
posted by sandra on 2/02/08 5:56: AM

I was deeply touched. God is in his heart. He's a great boy.
posted by brian on 2/01/08 8:14: PM

Wonderful video, it made me cry. I also have a 17 year old son with Aspergers and like it's been said that we as parents (I'm a single mom) struggle with just trying to like our child. People don't realize!! I have so many emotions it's hard for me to express them all. We as parents are truly blessed with our children. -Linda-
posted by Linda on 2/01/08 9:51: AM

What a beautiful video. I just can't imagine what parents with autisic children get thru just 1 day, I praise all of you, and sent prayers to all. Is there any way that people can help to push for medical care for these children. If there is please let me know so that I can help to push it thru for you. I will watch all these videos everyday to help raise money, and forward to all my friends. God bless you and your son. What a beautiful smile he has.
posted by Nancy on 2/01/08 9:30: AM

What a beautiful video. I just can't imagine what parents with autisic children get thru just 1 day, I praise all of you, and sent prayers to all. Is there any way that people can help to push for medical care for these children. If there is please let me know so that I can help to push it thru for you. I will watch all these videos everyday to help raise money, and forward to all my friends. God bless you and your son. What a beautiful smile he has.
posted by Nancy on 2/01/08 9:30: AM

Wow, over 2500 views - I don't know what to say because "Thank You" just does not cut it! To Kim with the 2 1/2 year old son - You are so on the right track by being informed and looking for signs. For me, I did not see the signs until Ryne started Kindergarten. When he was 2, I was just so thrilled to have such a well behaved baby! He kept to himself (at home & daycare), never cried, ate well, slept well and never said a word. However, two signs were there - not talking and not being social. Looking back we can see the signs that we missed. Your son is so lucky to have you on his side! By seeking out early intervention you are creating a solid foundation for him to flourish! To Meagan – Thank you for your comment. I have had my share of nights like that, and I’m sure there will be more in the future. Those are the nights that I realize I still have a lot to learn and it motivates me to make tomorrow a better day. To Melissa – You are in my thoughts as you go thru the testing with your son. To Robert – Thank you for sharing your story. So much of what you said was so familiar. Ryne also has sensory issues; is “labeled” gifted, says things out of place and finds humor in the strangest things. I know that the traits he has will benefit him as an adult and I find comfort in that.
posted by Michele on 1/31/08 10:00: PM

Thank you for naming all of my own emotions with my 13 year old son. The patience is such a big one with me...how to remain calm when he is so out of control, remember he can't help it at that moment in time, and just breathe. It sounds easy, but in the midst of "those moments" it's the hardest thing to do. It's a beautiful video for a beautiful child. Thanks!
posted by Tera on 1/31/08 3:17: PM