Looking for other families with a child with autisum

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

My DD10 was diagnosed as PDD-NOS at age 5. We knew there were issues early--started her in a birth to three program at around 18 months old with OT, PT, ST and Sp Ed Teachers. She had no desire to stand or walk. Would vocalize with her mouth closed and had already started self-stemming behaviors. Was subsequently diagnosed with a mild muscular myopathy, asthma, and MANY food and environmental allergies as well.

At around age 2 1/2, we began a special auditory CD program with her to spur her language development and it was amazing. I don't remember the name of it but I will try to descibe it. We had to buy a special set of headphones, a cd player that would utilize random play, and a set of special listening cds. The theory behind them(if I can remember correctly) was to "exercise" the tiny muscles in the ear so that she would "train" her ear drum to "listen" to sounds and thus eventually try to replicate. Her general muscle tone was low and all the hearing tests showed she was not hearing impaired. The therapist was specially trained for these CDs and warned us to use them exactly as instructed. If one with a normally trained ear listened to the CDs, it sounded like tones, sounds, words, etc going in and out of louder and softer and sort of wavy. It can make you feel nauseous(sp?) and some actually do vomit. Luckily, DD did not! It was amazing. After about 4 weeks of this listening therapy, DD began to talk. We then began the picture cues to entice more words. Slowly but steadily, her verbal caught up and she even began to read before entering Kindergarten.

Potty training. Ugh. She wasn't daytime trained until around age 5. Loved diapers too much. I was finally successful by using "peepee prizes" and "poopoo prizes." Peepee prizes were small unwrapped prizes she could pick from a bag if ALL her urine went into the toilet and panties stayed dry. Same for poopoo, undies must be totally clean or no prize. The poopoo was the hardest to train which is why those prizes were bigger prizes and wrapped so that she could NOT see what they were, otherwise she would weigh the prize against just pooping in her undies--a motivational thing. Worked though

She is now in 5th grade and doing well. Math is her hardest subject. She has no problem reading and answering factual material but cannot do conceptual type questions/answers. No reasoning skills. Everthing is black and white for her. Very literal. She is a real joy (most of the time...) and loves Disney, Spongebob, and Lada Gaga. Currently obssessed with watching kidstube videos and google translate.

Any questions, feel free to PM me