State: Maine
Country: USA
Member since: May 25, 2007
Last logged in: Dec 15, 2008
I live in midcoast Maine with my two boys, my husband and my dog. My older son, Braeden, is 10 and enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding, writing, acting, piano and guitar. He has always been somewhat mature for his age. He toe-walks and has some minor sensory issues, like hating tags in his shirts. My younger son, Thane, is 4½ years old and was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder when he was 2½. He has been in speech therapy, occupational therapy and developmental therapy since right around his second birthday. We started some ABA therapy in fall, but have gone slowly with that.
Thane is currently on a gluten-free diet (his speech doubled within a week of going off gluten) and we are treating him as if he has celiac disease as it runs in the family. He was labeled failure to thrive because he was so tiny, but he is now pretty much average size. It took about 5 month after going gluten-free to gain weight, which makes sense since it takes a while for the gut to heal. Right now we’re in the process of getting ready to switch to a more typical preschool program, and he started horseback riding therapy in May. I post more about us at Mainely Musings
Favorite Compositions (0)
Bec's Compositions
by Bec on 08.15.08 - public - 183 visits
I have to say that my youngest son, Thane, has had a totally amazing summer – he is doing so well, and it is just so wonderful to see. He is speaking in more complete sentences and most of the time he is fairly easy to understand.
He’s tolerating all sorts of textures, gluten-free art supplies, taking direction more easily, participating more in group activities . . . it seems like we’ve been on a steady climb for a long time and it is wonderful!
The night before last he acknowledged another child, other than his older brother, Braeden, as a friend. In fact, he said he loved her because she likes to play with him at school. She’s older and she has taken to helping him out a lot. A couple of days before the announcement that she is his friend, he had to say good-bye to her and give her a hug – which is just beyond cute. I'm not sure if there is anything sweeter to see than two young children hugging.
This afternoon he was saying he is going to miss her. She is only going to be at the school for the last week of summer school and then it is off to another school for fall. I felt very sad for him because his emotions were right there – he likes her, she is special to him, he has a friend! I have to admit that I don’t think life should throw 4-year-olds this kind of curveball – but it is so common an experience when children are young, isn’t it? I know there are other children he likes, and teachers he enjoys, and hopefully some of the kids who come in for fall will take a shine to my little guy.
I’m so glad this little girl befriended Thane as she has taught him so much. I saw her teaching him baseball, and how to take turns in the game.
I hope somehow she knows what a positive impact she has had on my son.
Comments(5)
4muskateers
Posted on Sun, 17 Aug 2008
maybe you can ask the parents if the kids can keep in touch...before she leaves you can make a story book for him with her in it...later save it and maybe one day you can find her and show it to her too...I bet she'd love to recall how she helped your son...
shannonj
Posted on Sun, 17 Aug 2008
What a sweet and precious friendship...Maybe, with the miracle of technology, you can keep up with this girl's family and perhaps your paths may cross again....Wynn had a couple of really sweet girls in kindergarten who he still talks about too. Every once in a while we will see on of them in town or at the beach, and I think that I still see a connection.... I bet the parents of your son's little friend who love a note telling them how much she has meant to Thane....She may grow up to have a special heart for children with disabilities just because of Thane's presence in her life..
Motherof4
Posted on Sat, 16 Aug 2008
That's so sweet and sad, too. If only we ran the world, that little girl could stick around until adulthood, right? Well, hopefully now that he's had one friend, he'll have others, too.
frogfoot1969
Posted on Sat, 16 Aug 2008
That is wonderful he is making such great progress and he has a friend. I wish she would be there for the fall.
janneane7
Posted on Fri, 15 Aug 2008
I have to tell you that my son, although he is 22, STILL talks (well he not anything like we talk) all of the time about children he knew when he was 2, 3 and 4 years old. He says "where's Megan?" (who was the same kind of friend to Andy that this little girl was to your son) Where's kyle, where's Jonathan, where's Catherine and on and on and on with a long list of the neighborhood children he knew when he was a preschooler. Then he says "they went to the ocean...." We have NO IDEA what this means but it is clear that even though he was so severely autistic at this age those children and friendships meant the world to him. Here's hoping your son makes many more wonderful, caring friends!
