Autism Adventure
This year, Sydney and I began our ultimate adventure into the world of autism. Sydney was born at 28 weeks. That in itself, came with a host of health complications, developmental delays, and hospital stays. Honestly, I travel so much with her because I want to celebrate the life that man said she was not supposed to have. Well, through all of this, I have had to adjust my expectations of what having a child would be like. I have learned to cry about the disappointments and cherish the good things.
In February 2018, Sydney was diagnosed with autism. Like many parents of children with special needs, I began to research. The things that I read were disappointing. Even more so, they were frustrating because they did not help me with my daughter. Sydney did not shy away from noise and people. She had a big smile on her face in Times Square and has danced in the French Quarter during Mardi Gras. Sydney was not nonverbal. She started reading at three years old. She knew phonics like the back of her hand. We were working on adding and she was not even four years old. But there were other things. She never knew if someone was being mean to her or if a child didn't want to play. She interacted with people in inappropriate ways. She was not potty-trained fully and, honestly, still seeks a pull up for comfort. And her tantrums were becoming more than normal toddler tantrums.
I found resources in Houston, TX that are not available where we lived. There are schools for high functioning children with autism that would allow them to learn without the stigma that many teachers give them because they are not trained to teach them. Houston also has the Meyer Center at Texas Children's Hospital and many universities that provide research on autism. I prayed and decided that we were moving to Houston!
This journey has been a roller coaster of emotions. I have had to modify some of the dreams that I had for Sydney and follow her lead. We have traveled a lot since she has been diagnosed. I have learned to modify my plans to fit her needs. Travel is a regular life experience for her because she has been doing ti since she was a baby. The adjustments are usually making sure she gets to calm down if she is overstimulated, boarding planes early, flying with her body next to mines, and stopping when she has had enough. I don't mind making these adjustments because there is no one else that I would rather go on an adventure with than Sydney!
In February 2018, Sydney was diagnosed with autism. Like many parents of children with special needs, I began to research. The things that I read were disappointing. Even more so, they were frustrating because they did not help me with my daughter. Sydney did not shy away from noise and people. She had a big smile on her face in Times Square and has danced in the French Quarter during Mardi Gras. Sydney was not nonverbal. She started reading at three years old. She knew phonics like the back of her hand. We were working on adding and she was not even four years old. But there were other things. She never knew if someone was being mean to her or if a child didn't want to play. She interacted with people in inappropriate ways. She was not potty-trained fully and, honestly, still seeks a pull up for comfort. And her tantrums were becoming more than normal toddler tantrums.
I found resources in Houston, TX that are not available where we lived. There are schools for high functioning children with autism that would allow them to learn without the stigma that many teachers give them because they are not trained to teach them. Houston also has the Meyer Center at Texas Children's Hospital and many universities that provide research on autism. I prayed and decided that we were moving to Houston!
This journey has been a roller coaster of emotions. I have had to modify some of the dreams that I had for Sydney and follow her lead. We have traveled a lot since she has been diagnosed. I have learned to modify my plans to fit her needs. Travel is a regular life experience for her because she has been doing ti since she was a baby. The adjustments are usually making sure she gets to calm down if she is overstimulated, boarding planes early, flying with her body next to mines, and stopping when she has had enough. I don't mind making these adjustments because there is no one else that I would rather go on an adventure with than Sydney!
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