My son was diagnosed with Autism two years ago while I was stationed in Germany.  The treatment he received there exceeded anything I could have every hoped for.  The daycare was great, his OT was awesome and I couldn't have asked for more.  We arrived here in Maryland at the beginning of this year.  I am so frustrated with the lack of services I am receiving here.  It got to the point where I had to send my son to Texas to stay with my mother for three months because the child care provider who assured me she could work with him lied.  Her idea of working with him was restraining him in a high chair (which was way too small for him).  I was able to locate another provider, did extensive research on the facility and had a spot for him.  I discussed all of my sons "issues" with the director and she assured me that they would be able to work with him.   So I phoned my mother to say that I would be flying out to Texas to bring my son back.  I went into the facility yesterday to turn in the paperwork and all of a sudden....she's not so sure that their facility would be good for him.  I'm BLOWN away.  Not even two weeks ago we had discussed him attending and she was fine with it.  Now she's reneging.  I've never been so frustrated in my life.

 Thanks for the comments. We have had staff bring Chris home. They have funding for transportation 3 times a year and we have visited him twice this summer. It just seems the more we visit the more difficult it becomes for him when there is a change at his group home. He just seems to loose it when he has a great deal of change typical  autistic behavior . The guys at his group home have more ability and parents closer to the home. He calls every evening and we are working on another visit next month and bring him home for a week. It seems every time he comes home for a visit we have to deal with the adjustment back to the group home. It seems sometimes as if the more we visit the harder it is for him.

I just received a phone call from one of my son's respite workers that our son Chris is having a difficult time. He is in a group home 2 1/2 hours away. He has three other house mates that live in the group home. As it turns out all three of theses guys are able to leave the house on weekends which leaves Chris alone with staff. He really does what to be home with us and does not understand that because of gas prices we are unable to visit or bring him home for a visit as often as we would all like. Some of the staff understand and try to get him out with activities while others just sit at home with him. He loves hardware stores and that is one of the rewards that he gets if he has good behavior. Since this change with room mates  his behavior has escalated and now he is stuck in the house. I feel very sorry for our son and have tried to communicate with staff that they are setting him up to fail. Chris gets very bored and that is when things get out of control. It is just so hard to parent from such a distance. We would like to get him closer to home. The group home is not the issue but the day program. Chris went through 5 day programs here and sorry to say his history followed him and people just wouldn't accept him. To parents some times people see stuff on paper about our kids and that follows them forever.

Thanks so much for the responses. Before I became a Mom of a special needs child, I worked for about 10 years for our local Parks and Recreation. We ran trainings for special needs kids and adults for Special Olympics. We would spend weeks putting the kids in age groups and then in heats depending on their abilities so that the groups would be fair and well matched. The state meets gave kids the opportunity to have a trip away from home. I guess some things have changed but I started Chris when he was about 6.

I also have a physical disability myself and I went to a summer camp for kids with special needs. The camp sessions we divided into groups of kids with physical disabilities and then those with more mental disabilities on different times of the summer. I went to school with "normal" kids so being with others like myself was very important. I went for two weeks every summer, made life long friends, got my first paid job there and met my husband of 34 years. Had it not been for my connection with my disabled peers I would have never felt equal. I went on to get my Masters in Social work and my biggest and greatest accomplishment was becoming Christopher Mom. I agree with mainstreaming kids as long as it treats our kids with respect and dignity and makes them feel a part of the group. When Chris was 10 we moved him to a special needs school. Mainstreaming just did not work for him.  It was the best move we made for us and our son. It was very important that our son have success. Most of the teachers he had before we moved him had little or no special education training. He had a aide and he spent most of his time on the side lines. He spent two years with limited goals on his IEP. I do not care if he can tie his shoes, thank God for Velcro.   read more »

Here is some information that could just help people with autism. Fulvic acid can greatly help in these areas

1. Toxin Overload

An overload of toxins that the immune system is not able to get rid of disrupts normal brain function. This eventually initiates an autoimmune response where the immune system attacks the brain and nerve cells as it tries the best it can to get rid of the toxins.

2. Damaged Mitochondria

The mitochondria are the energy producing section of your cells. When they are damaged by the toxic overload in the brain cells and are not able to produce energy to fuel the cell, the cell dies. An autistic child has many dead or poorly functioning brain cells (where the toxic overload was not quite so great and the mitochondria are producing energy at a minimal level.) Fulvic acid restores life to mitchondria to function properly.

Fortunately, these poorly functioning cells can be detoxified and their mitochondria healed so they can produce more energy. And they have the capacity to take over functions the dead cells were supposed to be doing.

3. Worn Out Immune System

Autistic children suffer from immune disregulation, which is the autoimmune response mentioned previously. It means that their immune systems do not respond normally. What happens is the overload of viruses or bacteria wears out the side of the immune system that is supposed to kill these pathogens. It becomes weak and worn out and can't get rid of them. So the inflammatory side of the immune system tries to take over. Unfortunately, this side is not supposed to kill pathogens, and does a poor job of it. This causes chronic inflammation which destroys or injures the infected myelin sheath. Fulvic acid helps restore a healthy immune system.  read more »

As my son ages out of programs ( he is now 28) we are proud of Special Olympics. He is living in a group home 2 1/2 hours away from us. We had difficulty finding a day program to accept him due to difficult behavior. He called us to let us know he got a silver metal for 50 meter run. One of his workers talked to us to let us know how well behaved he was during the 2 day state events and how much he likes our son. We were so pleased that it brought me to tears. We had gone though so many workers and teachers and so called "professionals" that seem to bring out the worst behavior in our son. Chris has a unique ability to read people. You must gain his respect and let him know that when he has a melt down that you are in control and help him regain his composure. If you loose it so does he. The worker stated that he has great respect for our son and has had no difficulty with his behavior as other workers in the home have in the past. I was so please with the report and so pleased that others love him as much as we do. It is also nice to know that Chris can participate in Special Olympics as long as he is able and won't age out.

This is my first time "blogging" But a friend of mine suggested that I give it a shot. I live in Charlotte, NC. I have two daughters, ages 5 and 7. My 5 year old, Kay, has been diagnosed with autism. It’s been a rollercoaster type of relationship these pass five years living with autism. Kay is so beautiful, inside and out. But you know what…I don’t want to start with our background history (all of that will come in time)….so I’m going to begin talking like we are old friends and let me begin with toilet training is a battle I can’t seem to win. Some days she does an excellent job, other days..Its like having a puppy in the house. I told Kay she is so lucky she is extremely cute J.

I was wanting to know...to the parents who have children with autism...how is your child's language and cognitive development?