My bio.  My name is Shirley Buttram I am 61 years old.  I have been married to my husband Tommy for 41 of those 61 years.  We have one son Beau who is 28.  Beau has Autism and a schizoid disorder.  The schizoid disorder bothers him more than the Autism.  It causes him to hear voices.  He takes medication every day for it. 

When I was 25 I was told I would not be able to have children because my womb was turned the wrong way and I would not be able to conceive.  I also had endometriosis that was very bad.  When I was 27 the doctor wanted me to have a hysterectomy due to the endomytriosis I told him no I still wanted to try for a child.  He laughed and said it was not possible.  I told him He did not know what was possible with God.  In 1978 I got pregnant for the first time.  I was four months along and had a miscarriage.  The doctor said the baby was deformed so badly it would not have lived if I had carried it full term.  I was devestated.  I grieved for a long time. My Daddy died in October of 1978.  That too was a crushing blow.  I was very close to my Daddy and still miss him.

In December of 1979 I suspected I was pregnant again.  I went to the doctor in January of 1980 and found out I was almost 3 months along. Praise the Lord what a blessing.  Things went along well until April of 1980 I had continually had a bad hurting behind my right knee.  I told the doctor about it they ran some tests and put me in the hospital.  I had a deep blood clot behind my right knee.  They gave me heperan in an IV and kept me for 5 days.  They sent me home to stay in bed and told me I couldn't work any more until the baby came.  The blood clot got better but as time drew near for my delivery I developed very high blood pressure and the baby's heart rate was running really high.  They put me back in the hospital with an IV to try to lower my blood pressure.  I came out of the hospital for a couple of weeks, went back to the doctor they did a sonogram and found out the baby was breech.  This resulted in everything changing.  Delivery would have to be a vertical c section.  Man what a shock.  I went into the hospital on July 28 1980.  Many test were ran including another sonogram.  It was found that the baby's head was lodged between my lower right ribs.  The delivery would be a very difficult one.  On August 1, 1980 at 12;10 PM Beau Buttram was born it took the doctor and two other Gynocologist an hour to get him out his head was 15 inches around and was partially lodges under my ribs.  Beau weighed 8 lbs. 9 oz. and was 22 inches long.  Hallelujah a healthy baby boy.  It didn't matter that I was cut from here to there it only mattered that he was healthy and (normal).  All test were done and nothing was wrong.  Praise the Lord.

Beau developed in a normal way, except he cried a lot had colic really bad and his bowels wouldn't move normally.  The doctor told us to use baby suppositories on him.  That helped some but he still had trouble the doctor then said to try a small thermonitor up his rectom wiggle it around and see if that would help.  We tried that and what a bowel movement he had.  He stopped crying immediately and went to sleep in my lap.  Poor little fellow was worn out from crying.  I held him in my lap for an hour he kept sleeping.  I got up and laid him down in his baby bed he slept for 5 hours.  After that we used the thermomitor on him when he would cry and his bowels would move every time.  He started taking the bottle better too.

Beau started walking at 10 months old.  We saw him on his tip toes at 11 months old he also flayed his hands then too.  He was our first child and we didn't think anything about it we just thought it was cute.  Ignorance on our part.  Beau didn't start using words until he was almost 2 1/2 I had asked the doctor about it several times he said not to worry.  By the time he was three we had had his hearing checked to see if he was deaf, he was not.  They said he was just stubborn.  He had been kicked out of three day cares by the time he was four. We carried him to the hospital in Birmingham Alabama. They put him on an all day EEG to check for seizures.  He had several hand flaying and tip toe exhibitions during the day but nothing showed up as seizure activity.  ADHD was the diagnosis.  Immediate speech therapy was recommended.  We started him on the speech therapy the next week. He was only 4.  What do I do to help him further?  Prayer Prayer and more Prayer. 

Beau's school life was a nightmare he was in regular classes unless an outburst occured.  He was then sent to Special Ed class until he could calm down.  All types of meds were tried.  Nothing worked.  He was antisocial and had very poor social skills until around 5th grade.  He met a little girl that took him under her wing from 5th thru 6th grade.  His behavior improved.  He sang at a school contest and won 1st place, he won a city wide spelling bee.  But the outburts started again.  What to do doctors didn't know specialists didn't know.  But God knew and prayers went up daily many times a day.

All this time I am trying to work and keep my son on an even level.  We had moved to the Bessemer Al area and changed doctors.  That seemed to help some.  When Beau was 14 1/2 we were referred to a psychiatrist.  He did numereous test. Autism and a schizoid disorder were the diagnosis.  Medicine was prescribed and the rest is history.

Beau finished high school with a certificate of attendance.  He continued to try for 3 more years to pass the Alabama exit exam.  That made a total of 6 years for him trying.  He finally passed and got his general diploma. 

During high school he marched in the band and played the drums.  He was treated terribly by the students but prayer got him through.  He now owns and drives his own car he works 6 days a week with our vending company, he has several jobs at our church, and iis taking college courses.  With the help of the Lord and that only have we made it through until now.  We are clinging to our faith and the love of God to help us to the end.

God bless each of you who are going through these trials.  May you find a peace that passes all understanding and have the patience to continue loving your child no matter what the circumstances are.  Our prayers are with you all.

Shirley Buttram