Alyssa's journey through Autism

Alyssa is my second child. Her journey through life this far has not been an easy road, nor has it been easy for her mother! When she was 18 months old something in her changed. She gained language until that point...but didn't seem to progress after that. Her behavior and temperment changed and she threw terrible tantrums, she had no desire to be social, she loved puzzles, she had a weird diet, she would do strange self-stimulatory things....these all should've been signs for me. Whenever my mother, who is a speech therapist, came to time I would bombard her with questions and concerns, just reaching out to someone for answers. When Alyssa was 2 1/2 my mom suggested I get her tested for her speach. She threw in at the end that I might want to ask for a psych evaluation as well...my mom so lovingly as only a grandma can do pointed out that she did have some odd social behaviors. I followed my mother's wise council and had her tested. I remember the day the therapist called and gave me the results of her tests...I'm crying right now as I write and remember the flood of emotion. "Alyssa is on the Autism spectrum." she said. I went through many emotions with this news. At first I just would watch her and see the things she did that were 'normal' and cling to those things. She was three at this time and qualified to go to a public preschool two days a week for a few hours. For a few months I thought that would be plenty.

About three months after the she was diagnosed I heard her talking to herself (she did this a lot, but it was in jabbering languange) late one night while in bed. I went in to see her. As I sat by her bed calling her name she wouldn't even look at me or acknowledge that I was there. I went back to my room and started bauling...my daughter is autistic!!!!! And here I am doing nothing! My eyes were finally opened and I went right to work! I begain researching the internet and reading books...I needed to educate myself. I found a great preschool, but she had to have her name come up on a waiting list...this could take years to happen. I talked to everyone I knew who had, or assiciated with someone with an autistic child to ask what they did. One mother told me of some energy/ meridian testing work she had done on her autistic son and told me of her amazing results...why not. Almost a year ago I went to an appointment for Alyssa. I had an amazing experience and she began to make progress almost immediately. Don't ask me how or why, but I was blown away by it. My husband who is and was very skeptical even admits(which is hard for him to do) that she improved.

A couple months after that I got a phone call from the autistic preschool in Ogden, Ut saying that they had a few last minute cancelations for spots and Alyssa's name was up! What a miricle for our family! I took her in the next day to have her accessed and check the school out and although she had to wait all summer, she was in for the fall!

So Fall came and she began the school, while still three years old- on Sep. 24 2007. This school is very intensive ABA therepy. the kids go to school everyday, mon-fri. Picked up by a van in Layton (15 min north of Centerville) at 8 am, taken to Ogden which is 15 min north of Layton, and I pick her up again in Layton at 3pm. She eats Breakfast and Lunch at this school. I am required to volunteer 3 hours a week. She has blown me away with her progress! Today I went for her 6-month evaluation and these were her results:

She was first tested on Oct 22,2007 and again on Jan 28, 2008. The (mos.) means months. When she was first tested her age was 47 months old and current test scores she is 50 months old. the number indicates which level of age in months that she tested at.(does that make sense?) Here are her results!

Date 47 mos.-10.-22-07 1-28-08

Gross Motor 54 mos. 67 mos.

Fine Motor 52 mos. 72 mos+(means she is off the chart)

Cognitive 55 mos. 63 mos.

Language 38 mos. 47 mos.

Prewriting 32 mos. 56 mos.

Self Help 52 mos. 58 mos.

Social/Emotional 39 mos. 70 mos. WOW!!!!!

The only area that she is behind in and not advanced in is her language(which has improved leaps and bounds!!!!!) She has come such a long way and I am so proud of her. She has taught me so much about patience and love and I am so grateful to have her in my life. She still has another year after this before starting kindergarten. The school has basically said she can finish out this year...but doesn't qualify for another year because she is too.....'normal'!!!! Isn't that a beautiful word...'normal'. Alyssa-I love you, I'm so proud of you, and I'm so blessed to be your mother!