How We Got Here Part 1

I’ve been thinking about blogging for a long time but felt I had nothing truly significant to say. All of my friends have blogs and there is just something in me that wants to rebel against all things everyone else is doing. It was just recently that we’ve taken some major steps in healing our son and I feel that others need to know. Especially those walking along the same road we are.

Here’s a brief snapshot of our lives over the last year: Gavin was about two and a half when we decided he needed to be evaluated for speech therapy. He wasn’t talking like he should and he had some other funny “quirks” (ie: carrying an armful of toys around ALL DAY, opening and closing doors, spinning objects). We contacted the public school system and was directed to the Early Access Education Program. Over the next several months, Gavin was visited weekly at our home by a speech pathologist and a developmental teacher. Both women were wonderful and it was always the highlight of his week.

About three months of therapy went by and it was mentioned that Gav displayed some “autistic characteristics” and should be formally tested. Needless to say, I was shell-shocked. My perfect little baby DID NOT have anything wrong with him! He was just a boy and boys always develop slower, right? THE WORD conjured up images of Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man.

Gavin was formally tested in September of last year and was found to have Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (or PDD as I will now refer to it). He didn’t score high enough on the test to be considered autistic (one test you want your child to score low on!) , but he still scored high in some areas, enough to warrant this diagnosis. (PDD is classified under the autism umbrella).

In January of this year, Gavin began school through the Early Access Program and LOVES it. Mommy had a hard time letting him go, but it’s been so good for him to have the social interaction in a classroom setting. He has specially trained teachers and lots of activities that I would not have been able to replicate. Heck, they get to go on skywalks almost every day!

We have already seen vast improvements in his speech and his eye contact. He loves his teachers and always talks about his friend Toby (whom the entire class refers to as Tobyoby)