Ech-o-la-li-a:
1. Psychiatry The involuntary and immedate repetition of words or phrases just spoken by others, often a symptom of autism or schizophrenia.
2. An infants repetition of the sounds made by others, a normal occurance in childhood development.
Ryan's first speech was all echolalic. He repeated songs, phrases but more often, movies. He could repeat whole dialogs from movies after watching them one or two times. But he couldn't tell me about what he'd eaten for breakfast or what he had done over the weekend. It was heartbreaking. He could speak physically, there was nothing wrong with his ability TO SPEAK but he couldn't have a "normal" conversation. He couldn't express himself. He couldn't ask me for something or tell me what he wanted. He had some functional language but he was basically unable to communicate.
That was 3 years ago.
Since we began intensive Speech and Occupational Therapy, Ryan has made such huge strides in his abilities to function. He can talk fairly well, but its at a much younger age level. He speaks more like a 3-5 year old than an almost 7 year old. But that's GREAT!! I love the way he's grown and changed in the past few years. He's a very sweet and caring boy, and loves expressing those feelings. But the echolalia is still there, though not nearly as much. I notice it the most right away in the morning. I haven't figured out yet what exactly is the trigger, but I'm assuming it's his way of collecting himself for the day. Some people shower, shave and drink coffee, some people read the newspaper and eat cereal, Ryan recites movies. This is actually one of the hardest things for me to deal with Ryan. I'm not sure why. It drives me absolutely NUTS. I HATE HATE HATE it. I don't know why...
Perhaps I feel like it's a small step backwards in his language development. Perhaps its the fact that he still has to use the echolalia as a calming activity. Perhaps I'm just tired and extra cranky in the mornings. I notice that when he's worked up or agitated or he just can't find the words, he uses the echolalia. That doesn't bother me. Its the morning time that does. He is happy, rested, calm, ready to start the day. Then why does he NEED the echolalia?? I will probably never really know but its these little mysteries that make Autism so challenging.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
RedHawks Game
Eric's choir from school was singing the National Anthem at the semi-pro baseball team's game last night and we decided to make a night of it. Eric met with his classmates before the game and Mike, Ryan and I went up to get our seats and eat some hot dogs. From the moment the we left the car, Ryan was a giant bundle of excitement. It was as if every cell in his body was moving in a different direction. This was cute for about two minutes, when it didn't calm down. We walked past the playground area they have set up for busy children and he talked up a storm about it (Can we play on that? LOOK LOOK LOOK MOM LOOK MOM can we play??) while he was bouncing and jumping around. I told him we could play later, and we proceeded to the concourse area. He then told me all about every booth we passed. "LOOK MOM LOOK MOM DOUGHNUTS" "hey, there's Hawkeye""Look mom, he has popcorn! Can I want some popcorn? Please mom can I want some popcorn? Mom Mom..." (you get the idea) He was utterly abuzz with excitement. We were looking over the menu and deciding on what to order, while Ryan chattered and asked for popcorn incessently until I had to bend over, hold his shoulders and say "Ryan, honey, we are getting popcorn but you NEED to calm down". He was a little quieter but still bouncing.
We got our food, then went and sat down. Ryan marveled at all the advertisements on the back wall, talked about the clouds, and since the field is close to the airport, LOVED talking about and watching the planes flying by.
And then he saw the blow-up bouncy game. Oh lord!! He would not stop talking about the "Hawkeye" themed game. It was directly behind our seats so I let him walk down to it and play while I carefully observed. He walked up to the man keeping an eye on things, and just stood. The man said, "You can go in". Ryan then took off his shoes, stood up and said, My name's Ryan". The man said "I'm Colby, man". Ryan saluted him and said in an excited voice, "Nice to meet you!" then ran into the bouncy game. I choked back tears and beamed with pride. He handled the situation well on his own, AND he was polite about it. There was a minor melt-down when it was time to leave the game, but I averted it but giving him some choices. Shoes on now or when we sit down? Walk up these stairs or those? ...hey, its the little things :)
He got his popcorn and watched the game for a little while but then wanted to play on the playground. He did amazing, and I'm very proud of him.
We got our food, then went and sat down. Ryan marveled at all the advertisements on the back wall, talked about the clouds, and since the field is close to the airport, LOVED talking about and watching the planes flying by.
And then he saw the blow-up bouncy game. Oh lord!! He would not stop talking about the "Hawkeye" themed game. It was directly behind our seats so I let him walk down to it and play while I carefully observed. He walked up to the man keeping an eye on things, and just stood. The man said, "You can go in". Ryan then took off his shoes, stood up and said, My name's Ryan". The man said "I'm Colby, man". Ryan saluted him and said in an excited voice, "Nice to meet you!" then ran into the bouncy game. I choked back tears and beamed with pride. He handled the situation well on his own, AND he was polite about it. There was a minor melt-down when it was time to leave the game, but I averted it but giving him some choices. Shoes on now or when we sit down? Walk up these stairs or those? ...hey, its the little things :)
He got his popcorn and watched the game for a little while but then wanted to play on the playground. He did amazing, and I'm very proud of him.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Talking Cereal
The way my day begins is completely up to Ryan. Some days he loves waking up, doesn't fight is teeth being brushed and is fairly quiet while eating breakfast. Other days he wakes up, fights getting dressed, tries to keep his mouth shut so I can't brush his teeth and his echolalia is out of control. These are the frustrating mornings. Nothing is right for him. I wish I knew what the problem was so that I could fix it.
Today was a good day. He was happy and telling me stories as he got dressed. He was excited about his plaid shorts and his brown "pocket shirt" (Its a t-shirt with a pocket- apparently the coolest thing ever!!). He brushed his teeth without issue. I bought a box of rice krispies the other day because I have some marshmellows and I was thinking about making treats. I don't particularly care for rice krispies (or any other tiny size cereal, too hard to eat LOL) so I'm sure I've never bought it before, at least not for eating in a bowl with milk. So, as I pour the milk, I figure Ryan may get a kick out of this "talking" cereal.
"Ryan, listen! The cereal is talking to you!!"
He looks at me with questioning eyes, then looks at the bowl, then looks back at me.
"Talking cereal, momma?"
"Yeah, can you hear it?" I motioned for him to get closer, though the popping sounds were quite clear. He put his face very close to the bowl and listened for about 10 or 15 seconds.
"Hello, cereal. How are you today?" I couldn't help but smile. Then he paused.
"Hmm, that's nice. I love you, cereal." He was actually conversing with his rice krispies!! When Eric came upstairs, Ryan called excitedly, "ERIC! This cereal is TALKING!" Eric looked at me, and I smiled a big, teary smile and shrugged. He looked back and Ryan and said "cool".
Its a good day.
:)
Today was a good day. He was happy and telling me stories as he got dressed. He was excited about his plaid shorts and his brown "pocket shirt" (Its a t-shirt with a pocket- apparently the coolest thing ever!!). He brushed his teeth without issue. I bought a box of rice krispies the other day because I have some marshmellows and I was thinking about making treats. I don't particularly care for rice krispies (or any other tiny size cereal, too hard to eat LOL) so I'm sure I've never bought it before, at least not for eating in a bowl with milk. So, as I pour the milk, I figure Ryan may get a kick out of this "talking" cereal.
"Ryan, listen! The cereal is talking to you!!"
He looks at me with questioning eyes, then looks at the bowl, then looks back at me.
"Talking cereal, momma?"
"Yeah, can you hear it?" I motioned for him to get closer, though the popping sounds were quite clear. He put his face very close to the bowl and listened for about 10 or 15 seconds.
"Hello, cereal. How are you today?" I couldn't help but smile. Then he paused.
"Hmm, that's nice. I love you, cereal." He was actually conversing with his rice krispies!! When Eric came upstairs, Ryan called excitedly, "ERIC! This cereal is TALKING!" Eric looked at me, and I smiled a big, teary smile and shrugged. He looked back and Ryan and said "cool".
Its a good day.
:)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Small Differences
Since Ryan was my first child, and because of his special "issues", I have been marveling in the differences between him and my younger babies. Clara, 18 months, is a crazy maniac!! She gets into everything and is messy and deviant. Ryan was content to sit in his swing, or play on the floor. He never once tried to open a cupboard door or climb up the back of the couch to get something off a shelf. He wasn't curious. He didn't want to explore. His world was right in front of him, and probably a lot in his own head. I always thought he was "so easy". Clara makes me realize what other parens had always talked about with toddlers...Autism isn't always a curse ;) But there is more than that too. Clara LOVES having her teeth brushed. It is STILL a struggle with Ryan- though its much much better now. Clara LOVES taking a bath, which Ryan does too, but washing her hair is so easy...Ryan would fight it with all his might. Clara is already getting interested in potty training...Ryan was over 6 before he pooped regularly on the toilet, and he still has an accident occassionally.
Its amazing to think of these small differences in my children, and how I wouldn't change them, even if I could.
Its amazing to think of these small differences in my children, and how I wouldn't change them, even if I could.
What is PDD-NOS?
Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) is a condition in which some, but not all features of Autism are identified. There is impairment of social interaction, communication, and/or setreotyped behavior patterns but full features for Autism are not met. There are no specific guidelines for diagnosis provided with PDD-NOS. While deficits in peer relaions and unusual sensitivies are typically noted, social skills are less impaired than in Classic Autism. The lack of definition for this group of children presents problems for research on this condition. Children with PDD-NOS ae usually diagnosed later than children with Classic Autism and intellectual deficits are less common. Children may appear unemotional when interacting with others, have trouble holding eye contact or have trouble transitioning from one activity to the next. It is thought to be a "milder" form of Autism, though this may not be true. One symptom may be minor, while another may be worse. Because PDD-NOS is harder to define than Autism, therapy can be tricky. A "one-size-fits-all" approach usually doesn't work. Some treatments typical for a child with PDD-NOS include, but are not limited to : behavioral regimens, including play therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), sensory integration therapy, etc, medications, including anti-depressants and Social Skills training.
On a more personal note:
Ryan's "symptoms" (I HATE that word!!) are more subtle than many children with either PDD-NOS or Autism. He has little to no physical 'stims' (stimulations) unless he is angry, sad, upset or stressed out. The 'flapping' that is a classic trait of Autism only shows its self in Ryan during periods of stress. For example, a couple weeks ago we waited for TWO hours for Ryan to get his face painted (a full-face Spider-man) and during this time, he jumped, flapped his hands and asked for dee-pressure. Deep-pressure on his shoulders and head help 'ground' him, it can be a physical treatment for an emotional stess. This kind of behavior isn't typical of Ryan.
Ryan does have difficulty transitioning, but this is something he has worked on in Occupational Therapy (OT) for 3 years now. General tranisitions are much better now, with ones occuring at home almost seamless. However, changes in routines, or sudden transitions that aren't expected result in huge meltdowns or tears. One example of this would be that typically after school, Ryan comes home, comes in the door, gives me whatever he has in his backpack and then we may read his library books, play, watch a movie or he may play on his own, depending on what we have going on that day. If I need to go to the grocery store or if we have an appointment of some kind that requires us to get in the car after school instead of coming inside, Ryan will cry, display anger by yelling, screaming, throwing things or he will lean his head against the window and ignore everyone. This usually lasts about thirty minutes, sometimes less if he realizes the place we are going is a fun place. Transitions can be hard for Ryan with things as small as the order he puts his clothes on. It is always underwear, pants, shirt and socks. There can be not deviation without a struggle.
Many children with Autism have issues with peer interaction (interaction in general, actually!!) and socialization. Ryan has this to a much smaller degree. A couple years ago, he wouldn't play with another child AT ALL. He wouldn't even acknowledge that child was there. But with intensive therapy, he's really come a long way and now truly enjoys other children. He has a wonderful time at school and about three weeks ago he told me a story about Lauren. She had a loose tooth. I asked him if she was his friend. He looked at me and said, "Yes, my best friend". I hugged him to me and cried. It may seem silly, but Ryan had never talked about having a friend. It has been almost 7 years coming. Ryan is extremely loving and caring. He admits freely that he loves someone and enjoys hugging and kissing people...sometimes even strangers :)
On a more personal note:
Ryan's "symptoms" (I HATE that word!!) are more subtle than many children with either PDD-NOS or Autism. He has little to no physical 'stims' (stimulations) unless he is angry, sad, upset or stressed out. The 'flapping' that is a classic trait of Autism only shows its self in Ryan during periods of stress. For example, a couple weeks ago we waited for TWO hours for Ryan to get his face painted (a full-face Spider-man) and during this time, he jumped, flapped his hands and asked for dee-pressure. Deep-pressure on his shoulders and head help 'ground' him, it can be a physical treatment for an emotional stess. This kind of behavior isn't typical of Ryan.
Ryan does have difficulty transitioning, but this is something he has worked on in Occupational Therapy (OT) for 3 years now. General tranisitions are much better now, with ones occuring at home almost seamless. However, changes in routines, or sudden transitions that aren't expected result in huge meltdowns or tears. One example of this would be that typically after school, Ryan comes home, comes in the door, gives me whatever he has in his backpack and then we may read his library books, play, watch a movie or he may play on his own, depending on what we have going on that day. If I need to go to the grocery store or if we have an appointment of some kind that requires us to get in the car after school instead of coming inside, Ryan will cry, display anger by yelling, screaming, throwing things or he will lean his head against the window and ignore everyone. This usually lasts about thirty minutes, sometimes less if he realizes the place we are going is a fun place. Transitions can be hard for Ryan with things as small as the order he puts his clothes on. It is always underwear, pants, shirt and socks. There can be not deviation without a struggle.
Many children with Autism have issues with peer interaction (interaction in general, actually!!) and socialization. Ryan has this to a much smaller degree. A couple years ago, he wouldn't play with another child AT ALL. He wouldn't even acknowledge that child was there. But with intensive therapy, he's really come a long way and now truly enjoys other children. He has a wonderful time at school and about three weeks ago he told me a story about Lauren. She had a loose tooth. I asked him if she was his friend. He looked at me and said, "Yes, my best friend". I hugged him to me and cried. It may seem silly, but Ryan had never talked about having a friend. It has been almost 7 years coming. Ryan is extremely loving and caring. He admits freely that he loves someone and enjoys hugging and kissing people...sometimes even strangers :)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Rules are Rules. Except When They Aren't.
Ryan's brain is so literal. He sees things black and white, cut and dry. Rules are very easy for him to follow, for example, but he cannot comprehend "exceptions" to the rules. Clara, my 18-month old, was playing with our old cordless phone. It wasn't connected anymore and I didn't care if she wanted to walk around with it, pretending to talk. Ryan couldn't understand how the rule of "phones are not toys, we don't play with the phones" could be overlooked. So he proceded to try to take the phone from her and when she threw it on the floor, he kicked her in the stomach. He wasn't trying to hurt her. He just doesn't understand.
This is going to be a struggle for me, because having two little ones (currently 18 months and 4 months) means that a lot of things are going to go against the grain of Ryan's way of thinking. The majority of his speaking is "Clara's got that", "Clara's going to get that", "Clara, give me THAT",etc. I was reading him a book after school today, and he couldn't focus because he was watching what Clara was doing, watching for her to break the rules. What am I going to do when Nicholas starts getting into things?!? How do you explain that rules are rules...except, sometimes they aren't?
This is going to be a struggle for me, because having two little ones (currently 18 months and 4 months) means that a lot of things are going to go against the grain of Ryan's way of thinking. The majority of his speaking is "Clara's got that", "Clara's going to get that", "Clara, give me THAT",etc. I was reading him a book after school today, and he couldn't focus because he was watching what Clara was doing, watching for her to break the rules. What am I going to do when Nicholas starts getting into things?!? How do you explain that rules are rules...except, sometimes they aren't?
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The Beginning
I never thought I'd be a blogger. I also never thought I'd be the mother of a child with Autism. Now I'm both!!
My son Ryan has been diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (referred to at PDD-NOS from here on). Autism is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder. It is a "spectrum" disorder. That means that every single individual with this diagnosis is completely unique. That also means that it's extremely difficult to define "Autism". I plan on posting a more technical entry, for those interested, so I won't get into that now.
I hope to speak in honor of my son. I want to share what it's like for him on a daily basis (well, maybe not daily...lol) and also what it's like for me, and the other people in our lives. I encourage comments and feedback, as I am very, very new to this!!
My son Ryan has been diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (referred to at PDD-NOS from here on). Autism is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder. It is a "spectrum" disorder. That means that every single individual with this diagnosis is completely unique. That also means that it's extremely difficult to define "Autism". I plan on posting a more technical entry, for those interested, so I won't get into that now.
I hope to speak in honor of my son. I want to share what it's like for him on a daily basis (well, maybe not daily...lol) and also what it's like for me, and the other people in our lives. I encourage comments and feedback, as I am very, very new to this!!
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