Autism Wednesday: Kyle's story.

 

 My Dear Readers, today is April 2, known as World Autism Awareness Day. This is something very important to me, as my son Jesse has autism and mental retardation due possibly to other factors as well as lead poisoning as a child.  Each Wednesday I will be bringing stories from parents, information about autism, and hope. 

   Today I bring to you the story of Kyle, as told by his mother, Janice.  

My Mr Man Kyle is 22 yes I call him my Mr Man he always says to me I am Kyle lol ..
When Kyle was 2 he was vaccine injured by the MMR vaccines .Prior to the vaccine
my Kyle was talking , walking , eating and sleeping . He was watching TV like any child that is 2 would do.
I remember it like it was yesterday him sitting in front of the TV eating cheetos' and watching Barney lol
During the nights I would wrap him into his crib and he would sleep through out the nights never any problems with him sleeping & his words were age appropriate , every milestone that a child that was 2 years
met in everyday ..
The day , yes we moms know and remember that day from Hell when we took our children into the Doctors to get their Wellness vaccines thinking we were protecting them from the world , the many diseases that it was going to protect them from.So they said . that you will hear through out my story .
I brought him home as the sun was going down. I was standing in my kitchen when I heard my Kyle started to scream a high pitch scream. We as moms with vaccine injured Kido's know all too well about .

As I picked him  up to hold him in my arms while he was screaming and turned blue was bareley able to hold him due to his body stiffening up and his back was arched in full blown seizure mode.

The scream felt like it lasted for what felt like an eternity to me it ; little I know that his screams and his seizure was due to him being vaccine injured .. I do remember calling my Mom and telling her it was from the vaccines but at this time back in 1992 nobody had heard of autism or what a vaccine injury was about. 

 

The next morning I couldn't find my son. When I did he was hiding behind the couch . After that he stopped eating he stopped talking and he stopped sleeping .. I AM THE MOM WHO WAS TREATED AS WHAT THEY CALLED THE Refrigerator mom, blamed for not caring for my son by not 1 not 2 not even 3 but many so called Psychologists and psychiatrist who knew nothing about autism or vaccine injury .
This started my journey with my son in a whole new life of hell is what it felt like with the unknown
We finally took Kyle up to UC Davis Children hospital to get a final diagnosis for him
Brian Seigel, top psychiatrist who is and was the top Autism Specialist gave me the words of him being severely autistic & Mild Retardation
The story goes on from there ...........
Not too many people heard of autism and how to treat a child on the Autism Spectrum ,
I was very blessed to have found a School for Kyle, whose teacher not only knew [about autism] he helped Kyle in so many ways: to go to the doctors ,helped me to get him to the Dentist and other vital life skills he would be needing for the future and as part of society.
Kyle did wonderful, he even Graduated from his Severely Handicapped Class with Honor of being the most helpful to others.' Kyle is such a great helper to me and he  always loves to help others.He is a giver.It is a gift he has within him that the vaccine damages couldn't take away.

Gratituesday: Light It UP Blue 2013

It's that time of year again.

 

If you have never read my blog before, let me introduce you to J Man. 

Yep, that's him. The first picture is an older one from a few years ago, with his uncle Bobby. He adores my brother. The second is one of his quiet moments here at home. J is now twenty years old and he has severe autism. He is not verbal although he is almost never quiet. He is loud, loving, and happy on most occasions. The happier he is, the louder he gets sometimes. If, at the grocery store, you hear a  loud shriek and an infectious giggle, it could be J, letting everyone at the store know that he has arrived. If you see a twenty year old sitting in the aisle looking bored or even lying down, he's not staging a protest of anything but standing. He does not like to stand and wait around while mom and dad hem and haw over what to choose.

   Today I'm thankful to be his mother. (Well, I'm thankful to be his mother every day, even the ones that break my heart, but hopefully you know what I mean). I'm thankful for all the mothers and fathers who are in the trenches day after day, working with their kids, loving them, caring for them, and I'm thankful for the ones who end up making the most painful decision ever : to place their darling child in a school or institution because it's no longer wise to keep the child at home. It's not a decision made lightly and it's done with a lot of swinging pendulum emotions, I imagine. We haven't come to a decision like that yet, but we've seen it on the horizon of our journey a few times. 

    I'm also thankful today for Autism Speaks   and all of the businesses and families and individuals who who participate in Light It UP Blue and promote autism awareness. It's becoming more and more prevalent, with current stats at 1 child in 88 being diagnosed with autism, 1 in 54 for boys. Some put the current stats as 1 in 50 children being diagnosed on the spectrum. Whether because the numbers are growing due to whatever is causing it (I have my own ideas and there seems to be myriad theories out there) or as some would like to suggest, they're simply better at diagnosing it, those numbers are heading in the wrong direction. 

  So what is autism?  (Lifted straight from Autism Speaks: What is Autism) 

  Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. They include autistic disorder, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome. With the May 2013 publication of the new DSM-5 diagnostic manual, these autism subtypes will be merged into one umbrella diagnosis of ASD.

ASD can be associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention and physical health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal disturbances. Some persons with ASD excel in visual skills, music, math and art.
Autism appears to have its roots in very early brain development. However, the most obvious signs of autism and symptoms of autism tend to emerge between 2 and 3 years of age. Autism Speaks continues to fund research on effective methods for earlier diagnosis, as early intervention with proven behavioral therapies can improve outcomes. Increasing autism awareness is a key aspect of this work and one in which our families and volunteers play an invaluable role. Learn more …
  I tend to say "kids with autism" a lot when discussing it, but the "kids" that people see and tend to accept behaviors of once they know it's autism, grow up to be adults with autism. Mine is one of them. Yes, at times you will see a 20 year old in the throes of a full on melt down. Or you will see him happily waving his arms and singing in his own language. No, he's not on drugs other than medicines prescribed for his seizure disorder. No, he's not drunk or insane. He's either happy or upset or in some cases, having a type of seizure. If you can help, by all means do. If you can't, and simply are judging or in the way when something happens, please move along. Children and adults with autism are not zoo animals to be stared at, nor should they all be "locked up away from society so we will be safe" as one lady put it after a recent shooter was said to be on the autism spectrum. 
  Learn about autism. Ask questions. Wear blue today in honor of our kids and maybe Light it up Blue with the rest of us. Have a blue light on your porch or in your window. Say a prayer for the kids themselves and the parents and dedicated doctors, therapists and caregivers who work with them. And please, teach others.
  This post is share with Heavenly Homemakers for Gratituesday.
Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!  You'll find many other bloggers that you may enjoy as well. Feel free to add your own post there or tell me in the comments here what you are thankful for. I always enjoy hearing from you..