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seymoursheep - All Kids Have Special Needs

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State: Alberta
Country: Canada
Member since: Apr 10, 2008
Last logged in: Aug 03, 2008

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Parent, Mother, Teacher, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, ADHD, Aspergers Syndrome

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seymoursheep's Page URL

http://www.foggyrock.com/MyPage/seymoursheep

seymoursheep's Bio

I am the proud mother of four children. Zane is b.1999 (aspergers), Marcus b.2000(adhd), my only daughter Eowyn b.2002 (Autism), and Ean b.2007 (my specialist free child)

My page title is All kids Have Special Needs because that is how I truly feel about children. As a teacher and a mother, I think even kids without any official diagnosis have special needs that are unique to them.

I have my own web page where I have free resources to help parents of children get organized... www.allkidshavespecialneeds.org

I also sell quirky t-shirts that say things like "I have autism and I think you are weird too" you can find them on my all kids site, on ebay , or at my spreadshirt store http://91975.spreadshirt.com/us/US/Shop/

I made a video explaining what autism is....it can be viewed on youtube...it features my beautiful daugther...

Favorite Compositions (2)

On My Refrigerator Door

My fridge door is a covered on three sides, and would be covered on four if I di...Read more

By seymoursheep on 01.01.70
Comments(6)

"But I have to help my friends"

My daughter never ceases to amaze me. Those of you who have read other compositi...Read more

By seymoursheep on 01.01.70
Comments(14)

seymoursheep's Compositions

Casting Eowyn

by seymoursheep on 07.31.08 - public

Mike and I were talking the other day about our oldest son. He is growing too fast for his mind to keep up with his limbs. We can tell where he is in ...

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Mike and I were talking the other day about our oldest son. He is growing too fast for his mind to keep up with his limbs. We can tell where he is in the house by the constant sounds of him stubbing his toes, bumping into doorways, spilling his milk, knocking over chairs, and my personal favorite, spontaneously falling down. It is all part of being a nine year old boy, but we find it amusing and frustrating…and I am sure he finds it none the former and all the latter. He lives in a constant state of embarrassment it seems. My husband and I were watching my son attempt to play safely in the back yard the other day and as he fell off the swing, wacked himself in the head with a stick, and then somehow tripped over both the dog and the garden hose, we commented that it would be a miracle if he made it through this summer without a cast on some limb or other.

Little did we know that later that same day the role would be given to someone else…cast if you can stand the pun? Eowyn his infinitely more graceful and adept sister managed to fall from her climbing tree in the back yard. This was bound to happen eventually I guess, she climbs like a monkey, but at the same time, she is always so sure and so strong it came as a shock…as did the extent of her injury.

She came inside asking for a band aide…for her elbow.  Then she wanted to go to bed, she came back out crying 10 minutes later and not moving her arm…Daddy knew it was time to take a trip to the ER.

She got x-rays so that we could see what the problem was and cried until they gave her a sticker…which made everything better. She then demanded we take her home.  The nurse said things looked good. We figured it was just a sprain or something minor since she had perked up so much with a simple sticker…..then Doctor Ramsahoye came in and told  us he had bad news and worse  news. Not a good start to a conversation. She had broken her elbow which was the bad news, and the worse was that because she was a child we had to go to the city (2.5 hours away) to see a bone specialist because she very likely needed surgery. Dr.  Ramsahoye put a temporary cast on to get her to Edmonton and sent us up with a letter to the specialist and a disc containing the x-rays.

So we packed up Eowyn and off we went (Thank heavens for good friends who could stay with our other three so Mike could come along). I made the drive in under 2hours…but who’s counting…

We made it to the U of Alberta Hospital and then we sat in their emergency room for almost 2 hours before a bed became available in the Pediatric Emergency. Once we finally got there. They sent her for new x-rays. And we went from probably needing surgery to maybe needing surgery, to no one knowing where the bone specialist was, to no one knowing if the bone specialist existed….to the ER doctor wanting to cast the arm…and then a bone resident wanting to cast the arm…but still no one able to find the elusive bone specialist to sign off on anything. We finally got the OK to cast the arm and Eowyn had picked out a pink cast and the ER doctor decides to pull rank and demand a temporary cast because of swelling…so we are back to square one essentially, and poor Eowyn has had no real pain killers since we left Wainwright because no one could decide what they were going to do. We left the hospital after midnight with a very hungry little girl with a partial cast and an appointment card for a real cast next week.

So began the longest 3 days of trying to get Eowyn to keep the cast on, and sleep through the night. The first was easiest to solve because I sewed a sleeve that fit snuggly and tied cris cross over her arm knotting in several places so she couldn’t get it off.

The sleep - well, we upped her melatonin, and gave her lots of pain meds, but she refused to sleep at night…or nap…she was a very insistent wakeful person. The first night after she spent the night at a strange house, my sisters, so it made sense that she was unsettled. The following two nights, well…she was just up.

The day after her accident was her little brother’s first birthday. I was sooo glad that I had planned his party for the evening. I usually do afternoon parties, so this was unusual; I guess there was a reason why it was planned for after dinner. We got home with a couple of  hours to decorate, pick up the cake, and get ready to hang out with close friends who wouldn’t care  if the  house and yard were a mess. They were there to celebrate Ean’s special day. Despite being sleep deprived I found the party to be very relaxing. The weather was perfect and we had it in the back yard. All the kids played happily. Ean smeared the requisite amount of cake. Everyone laughed and told funny stories. It was a perfect party. It wouldn’t have, couldn’t have gone any better if I had had all day to mow the lawn and put the little details together. Just goes to show what really matters.

The day may have Cast Eowyn but Ean was the Star.

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Write for Right

by seymoursheep on 07.24.08 - public

In response to things that have happened with my daughter being removed from the Smitty's restaurant our facebook group is now over 5000 members and w...

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In response to things that have happened with my daughter being removed from the Smitty's restaurant our facebook group is now over 5000 members and we are hosting are first awareness for autism event...I would like to extend the invite to my  foggyrockers

August 7, 2008 we are asking everyone who's  life is touched by autism to share their stories with the world.

Our thinking is this...through Education will come understanding, compassion and  tolerance.

The only way to get people to care is make it personal, so share your stories, the positive and the negative. Tell the world what Autism looks like in your world. We have heard that groups like  Autism Speaks dont speak for everyone, and this is a  great chance for people to share what Autism  looks like in their world. We need to show that it isnt a cookie cutter disorder.

My only caution is this...radical language and  angry words have their place,  but be careful. When you are writing about such an emotional subject people are more likely to listen to and react positively to moderate views...not to say that you shouldnt say what you  honestly think, just honestly think about what you are saying. Write your letter, and let it sit before pressing the send button perhaps.   - let the lessons of Michael Savage teach us something...think before we open our mouths...because once our words are in the media, they are out there and all we can do is respond, there is  not retraction that will undo them.

Take this as your chance to tell the world what you think your child has always wished others knew

Take  this as an opportunity to thank someone for a kindness that made your day easier

Take this as a time to educate your church group about what autism is... maybe put a print out in the bulletin?

Take this time to write something...and send it to a local newspaper...or send a request to a radio station for the anthem "I'm in here" or call a news room and share a human interest story...

August 7...our first ever Write for Right....Pass it on....

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New Group for Autism Advocacy in Canada

by seymoursheep on 06.26.08 - public

I would like to invite people here to be involved in a new group of people trying to make a difference in Canada, it is called Autism Care for All....

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growing up

by seymoursheep on 05.24.08 - public

Ok...she going to grade 1. why am I freaking out?
When my boys started school I didnt cry. Kindergarden wasnt hard for me...I was working full time....

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Ok...she going to grade 1. why am I freaking out?
When my boys started school I didnt cry. Kindergarden wasnt hard for me...I  was working full time. I was gone all day so I guess I didnt miss them. Now I am home (first it was maternity  leave, now it is sick leave I have fibromyalgia) I am  used to my daughter being here in  the afternoons.
Next year she will  be gone all day every day. 
To prepare her  for  this we have he  bright idea of  putting her in summer day camp. First for 2  days a  week, then 3,  then 4, then 5.....so  that she is used to  being away....but that  means that starting this summer I lose my baby.

I started crying when I  filled out the  forms. My husband told me to get a  grip. I dont know why I am  having such a hard time with this. I  should be celebrating. But Im not.  I dont want her  to go. I am afraid. Kids are going to pick on her,  and  she cant  defend herself all the  time. She will have her  aide...but she is  my little girl, and  i wont be there....*sigh
I am used to  her  being my  little  autistic child. I cat wrap my mind around her being my older autistic child, or an autistic adult....she is growing  up and I need to  get a grip.

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"But I have to help my friends"

by seymoursheep on 05.13.08 - public

My daughter never ceases to amaze me. Those of you who have read other compositions by me here on foggy rock know know that only 2.5 years ago she w...

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My daughter never ceases to amaze me. Those of you who have read other compositions by me  here on foggy rock know know  that only 2.5 years ago she was diagnosed with severe autism.
I remember one afternoon when I held her in my lap facing me, she was curled up in a ball, she was almost 2. She was calm if I crushed her till she almost couldnt breathe, but if I let go, and tried to get her to look at  me she would scream. I am sure  those of you with children on the spectrum know the sound, it is a  strange  haunting scream that I have only heard autistic children make. At one point we locked eyes, and there was a blank stare, then a glimmer of my daughter in pain, and  then the blank again...it was too painful for her to even  look at me. I cried

As time went on those  little glances extended. To this day I cant tell what has made her decide to come back. I know it so painful for her at times and  yet she fights on.

On the day she was diagnosed we were told she would not talk, she would not attend a  regular school, she would live with us for our whole lives etc... She was in the room when these things were said, and  I wonder if she didnt take  note because on June 6 we get to return to that team and provide t hem with the following documentation...

Well, actually - she will be able to tell  them  herself...her name, her age...and a whole lot more. My baby is a superstar. She is in kindergarten. she is  the  best reader in her class. She does math. She is getting ready for  grade 1! (heaven help us)
She plays on a soccer team...and she is the TOP SCORRER...yes (ok it is a team of 5 year olds...but I dont care her normal older brothers never scored a goal and she has  scored 2!!!! in her first game!!!!) and this is the BEST part.... when her coach called her off the field - yes her aide is on the field cause she doesnt understand the concept of out of bounds  - so for safety the association requires her aide to stand in  the  middle of the field lol...

anyways, Eowyn is called off the  pitch, and she doesnt want to come. So her  aide picks her up and  my daughter yells "But I have to  help  my friends"

did you get that....her friends...and they see her as a  friend too, even  though she takes the ball from them more than she passes it to  them. She greets them  by name and with hugs. They think she is a little odd because she doesnt sit very well and she screams when it is windy...but they take it all in  stride...and they are her friends.

I started crying right there on  the sidelines. No one understood why....but wait till those pessimistic old doctors hear this.

Not only is she getting by at school....she is thriving in life. She has friends, and  she sees them as  her friends,  not like when parents make playdates for babies...they are friends of  her choosing.

When I look in her eyes now, I dont see pain,  I see joy and many other  emotions. There are still times - hours some days when she retreats into herself, but when she hears her name...she comes back to us readily and willingly. I respect that she needs these breaks. Our world is a hard place for a child without filters to live in. I admire her tenacity and her drive to come back as she has and I am optimistic that she will continue to crush the barriers that doctors and  others says she cant climb.

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A journal just for us

by seymoursheep on 05.13.08 - public

I just found this journal and thought I would pass it on... here is the url
https://www.sunflowerbee.com/
It is a journal specially designed for p...

A Melatonin Miracle

by seymoursheep on 04.27.08 - public

When our latest addition joined us last July, people said we would have a hard time adjusting to sleepless,nights....I just smiled, I dont think we ha...

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When our latest addition joined us last July, people said we would have a hard time adjusting to sleepless,nights....I just smiled, I dont think we have had children who slepy through the night since our first son was born in 1999...Zane was 16  months old when his brother joined us and in  all fairness to Zane - we did get to rest fairly well when  it was just him....Marcus deserves no such breaks. It has been 7 years now of sleepless nights. Although once he turned 5, I started allowing him to be up alone and watch TV. Marcus has ADHD. He will watch an hour  of TV and go back to  bed...so I figure, I know where he is, and he isnt going to burn down the house...
Not like is sister Eowyn, now 5, my escape  artist, the child who at age 3 used a fridge magnet to trick our door security system so it wouldnt go off one  afternoon and 10 heart stopping minutes later we found her in the pond behind our house....My little princess autism...who began sleep walking....the part that creeped me out was the sleep eating and drinking....anyways, then came the  night terrors...so we went to  her  pediatrician about the sleep/not sleep thing...
He gave us melatonin...and I was a bit hesitant, because I am not anti-medication, I am just suspicious...so I  read the study he gave me, and decided to be less of a "tree hugger" as he called me lol and ordered her some melatonin strips that desolved on  her tongue. It isnt really medication anyways. It is a naturlly occuring chemical that helps your brain go fromlight sleep to deep  sleep.
Well....WHY DID I WAIT... 
now....Eowyn (and Marcus) get the strips 1/2 hour before bed...then they watch a short dvd of Dora or Diego etc to calm down...then I  tuck them into bed....and ...I dont see them until the morning.
I'm not joking.
no more screaming,kicking, door slamming, tantrums to go to bed.
no more middle  of the  night all night movie nights
It is so so so wonderful to  spend all night in my bed....and even better
Her speech has trippled since she started getting a  good night's rest.
I swear, melatonin, is an all natural chemical that your brain makes anyways, if your child has sleep trouble, talk to your doctor about it...it has made a  huge difference for us!!!

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On My Refrigerator Door

by seymoursheep on 04.16.08 - public

My fridge door is a covered on three sides, and would be covered on four if I didnt have to push it against the wall.
On my fridge are the usual pict...

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My fridge door is a covered on three sides, and would be covered on four if I didnt have to push it against the wall.
On my fridge are the usual pictures brought home from school from my 3 school age children,and fingerprints from  the baby,  funky  fridge magnets, and pencil holders that never seem to have a pen when you need one. Notes from school, months past due,  phone numbers of friends,  and a  combination to a lock that no longer exists.
It is  also a place of  honor because on the freezer door are two items of school work, done by my daughter. Both marked 100%...not that that matters. What matters is  that they are hers.

I cried when I  added them to  the mix this  afternoon. 2 1/2 years ago when my daughter was  diagnosed with autism the doctors told me she would probably not attend a regular school, and here she is at age 5, in kindergarden, bringing home  her little math test and  letter quiz, both done correctly, both in HER printing, not her aides. Next year she will go into grade 1 with  her peers.

These are the days we need to remember when we  have the days  of tantrums, and hair pulling  etc. We  need to remember that the the doctors said....she wont....and she DID...and then we have to keep pushing her so she WILL...because she CAN...

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Life without toilet paper

by seymoursheep on 04.14.08 - public

You would think after a couple of years one would get used to these random obsessions my daughter develops. They last a while and then she shifts to s...

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You would think after a couple of years one would get used to these random obsessions my daughter develops. They last a while and then she shifts to somethings new....every once in  a while she reverts to one, but sometimes we forget about them, except to laugh because in  retrospect they are amusing...
There was the string collecting...that lasted almost 2 years...
the  grunt noise she would make when happy, we called it the pig noise of approval...
the eating paint off her  bedroom walls,  sneaking sharp objects into her bedroom so she could scrape it off and eat it (at age 18 months) I remember finding a screwdriver in  her  pillowcase...
There was the more recent (thanks movie "enchanted") washing our toilet with every toothbrush in  the house...

I am trying to keep my sense of humor...and as I write this I have to  smile...but right now I  have  just finished hiding ALL  the toilet paper  in our house....yes, a family of  6 is currently having to  use toilet paper on the down  low...and we dont have a clue why she has developed  this latest obsession -  no movie reference of anything we can  think  of...

...it is so bizarre...last night at 4am(she is a night waker and we were both up "enjoying" a little mother daughter time)...I was using the washroom and she came in and stole the roll right out of  my hand and ran away with it and hid it somewhere in the bloody house. (I wonder what it says about my life that all I  thought  at  4am was - hey....oh well...)

...and when did it resurface....this is why we  are  hiding it all....at bath time...she shreds it in the water...(which later clogs the  drain) she likes to  swim in  it, bathe  in  it, and eat it and spit it back out...yummy....

She can find tp anywhere in  our house, and  at  first we could just remove it from  the bathroom while she was  bathing....but then she started stashing it in  advance...and I cant find all  her  hiding  spots. She is so  much smarter than  I  am...aaaaaaah

I know this is  funny, but it also is anoying as hell. Still it is  hard to get mad at her when she is  so cute  in  the  tub. I  can imagine what it would feel  like - maybe like seaweed...maybe she thinks she  is  a  mermaid. Still she cant just do whatever she wants...and  it isnt like our  house is  without discipline, structure and rules. It  is , it is just at 4am....when I am caught with my pants down, for lack of a  better description, all I can do is say...hey what the ...never mind, sigh in  resignation and then hopefully in 6 months I  will look back  and  laugh.

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Spring Means......

by seymoursheep on 04.13.08 - public

that the things in life that were complicated once again switch.

No more heavy coats and snowboots, scarves, hats, mitts, and more...just a light...

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