Development and autism spectrum

Today I want to talk to you about development and the autism spectrum because they develop in different ways and times to other children.  Things are not the same and you can see it when you see other children.  Not that this has actually bothered me, but it can produce problems with professionals if the child is undiagnosed and even with the best will in the world it can be really difficult for them to understand what is actually going on.

Now, I guess I have an advantage in the sense that I knew something was up with Johnathan when he was born.  I knew he had special needs and that he needed to have an advocate. His understanding and explaining of situations and I am now on first name terms with the deputy head of the school because of all the contact we have had over the years.

But it is frustrating when you realise that your voice is not heard and the professionals give you “that” look and they ask if he has been diagnosed.  You have to say to the child is not yet diagnosed.  Fact is the child or adult, man or woman is STILL autistic and displays these behaviours, but the parent/guardian/carer cannot access the help and extra care needed.

 One of the things Johnathan really struggles with is knowing when someone is actually talking  TO  him or referring to him, unless they specifically look at him and use his name.  For example, when he was in nursery he was in the Penguin group, but he didn’t connect the group with himself, at all.  So if they wanted to get him to go with his group they would have to say “the Penguin group and Johnathan please” and then he would leave with them.  I think he would understand now if he was in a group situation and they wanted him to be participating in a group situation.

I knew lots of babies are holding bottles at a young age.  Johnathan never expressed any interest in holding his.  Sometimes I would even take his hands and put them around the bottle while he was drinking, but he never took the weight of it.  

And when he started eating, he wouldn’t hold food in his hands or a spoon or fork or anything and I had to feed him for years.  I think he was 3 1/2 before he used one - at his grandparents, for the very first time.

So I am sure you can see, that even from the very first there are some marked differences between a child on the spectrum and one that is not.  But this is my experience, with my child who is on the spectrum.  Does that mean another child on the spectrum will behave exactly like him.Just remember that if you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism.   The next one will be different.