The school of hard knocks for an autistic child’s mom

2nd grade hasn’t been smooth sailing, but so far, it seems less choppy water than last year was for Nove. She got sick and had a break down a couple weeks ago on a Thursday. We didn’t know she was sick yet and she couldn’t really explain why she was low on patience.  

Anyway, with some work, a doctor’s visit, a couple talks with the new Para Teacher and a little more patience on our part, she’s gone back to school without much trouble.   I posted on twitter when we discovered that she’d likely had her melt down because she was coming down with a cold. I asked for feedback from parents about their own child’s reaction to getting a cold or other illness. Only one person responded, but it was in loud agreement that their own son does the same thing. Funny thing is, looking back, I was under the weather at about the same time and was very cranky about everything too.  

Lately everything seems really overwhelming to me. I have stepped back from many former obligations and reduced greatly the amount of things I’m doing. Sleep comes often and at suprising times. Depression? A viral infection? Allergies? Surprisingly though, Nove has improved to a degree that I actually have managed to cope without completely falling apart.  

She came home and told me about an art project they did, along with how her Para Teacher’s 7th grade daughter came to play on the computer with her. It wasn’t in great detail but was more than she ever was able to articulate last year. I’m so very thankful to the work the case management team did with her over the summer because it was their work, the one on one time and effort with her and her camp peers that brought her level of communication to where it is now.     

 And I see now, that the actual reason I sat down to make a post has turned into something else…. so it must be time for bed.   CiaoJenn B