Into the Penetrable Walls of Miggy

2012-01-27T15:59:00.003+08:00

Miggy and his priest friend, Father Chigo.

Instantly, they became friends.

"Where's the priest?" Miggy said, his eyes roaming, searching for a man in ankle-length white clothing. Seeing no one fitting his mind's description of a priest, he approached a saintly-looking man with the warmest smile and the most soulful eyes, and said, "Bless," and reached for the man's hand.

"God bless you," Father Chigo blessed his new friend.

2012-01-24T16:21:00.003+08:00

"Oh no! It's an accident!"

A Letter to Santa

2012-01-01T18:56:00.002+08:00

Shown above is Miggy's letter to Santa.

....And here below is my letter to Santa:

Dear Santa,

I couldn't think of anything else to ask you this Christmas because you have given me too much already and I couldn't ask for more. I just want to thank you for not giving up on Miggy. Thank you ever so much for ceaselessly ringing your bells that he could now hear them. May your bells continue to chime and be heard and believed in like they did for me when I was a child.

Believingly Yours,

Miggy's Mom

Three Basic Needs Homework

2011-12-23T18:04:00.000+08:00

Shown in these photos is Miggy doing his homework: The 3 Basic Needs of Humans.

His LEGO Van

2011-12-15T21:10:00.002+08:00

Here's one of his Lego creations.

2011-12-05T08:30:00.003+08:00

Miggy - Already too big for his tent, yet he finds solace there.

Communication Strategy through Cellphone

2011-11-17T09:33:00.005+08:00

Miggy at 9yrs/1month:

Two months ago, I tried another communication strategy with Miggy. I bought him a cheap cellphone with a qwerty keypad. No games, no camera but equipped with FM radio which I haven't taught him how to use yet... not yet. (Why not yet? Because he's not fond of music and he doesn't like the feel of earphones or anything that touches his ears.) I was thinking, why not teach him how to text and send messages? This will further improve his spelling and communication skills.

Here are a few samples of his text messages:

Message for his aunt:

"tita beth buy cereals fruit whirls and choco balls" Then he pressed SEND, then searched for TITA BETH in the phonebook, then he pressed SEND.

Jokingly, his Tita Beth replied: Do you like dogfood?

Miggy read the message and he told me: " I don't like dogfood!"

And I said: If you don't like dogfood, tell your Tita Beth.

Miggy texted back: "I dont like dogfood tita beth"

Then he pressed SEND.

Message for Teacher Valeree:

"teacher valeree see you on monday"

Message for Daddy:

"daddy buy pizza"

*Mostly, his text messages are buy-mes.

His Very First Lollipop

2011-11-01T15:41:00.006+08:00

Miggy at nine years old, enjoying his very first lollipop.

I s there a link between sugar and hyperactivity in children?

Hyperactivity refers to increased movement, impulsiveness, distractibility, and decreased attention span. A popular but controversial belief is that children are more likely to be hyperactive if they eat sugar, artificial sweeteners, or certain food colorings.

Some people claim that sugar (such as sucrose), aspartame (NutraSweet), and artificial flavors and colors cause hyperactivity and other behavior problems in children. Some people argue that children should follow special diets that limit the amount of sugar, flavorings, or colors they eat.

It is important to remember that activity levels in children vary with their age. A 2 year old is usually more active, and has a shorter attention span, than a 10 year old. A child's attention level also will vary depending on his or her interest in an activity. The tolerance level of the supervising adult also plays a role -- parents may be able to tolerate a highly active child at a playground in the morning, for example, better than they can at home late at night.

However, if a special diet of foods without artificial flavors or colors works for a child, it may be because that family has begun to interact with each other differently when they are following the special diet. These behavioral changes, not the diet itself, may improve the child's own behavior and activity level.

Refined (processed) sugars may have some effect on children's activity. Because refined sugars and carbohydrates enter the bloodstream quickly, they produce rapid fluctuations in blood glucose levels. This might trigger adrenaline and make a child more active. Sometimes, falling adrenaline levels bring on a period of decreased activity.

A number of studies have shown a relationship between artificial colorings and hyperactivity. On the other hand, some studies do not show any effect of colorings on children's behavior. At least for now, the effect of food colorings remains another controversial issue.

Source: www.nlm.nih.gov

Framed Photos by Miggy

2011-10-15T17:23:00.004+08:00

Miggy created these framed pictures. First, he selected a frame, then he picked a photo from an album, inserted and adjusted it into the frame. Last, he downloaded it. Voila!

Counting in his Sleep

2011-09-20T23:26:00.003+08:00

Just now, I checked on him:

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven....." up to seventeen, he counted.

It's okay, you're not in the classroom. Go back to sleep, I whispered.

2011-09-20T22:38:00.000+08:00

Forgive

2011-09-10T17:06:00.002+08:00

In today's Responsorial Psalm, Miggy reads:

"Lord, forgive not seven but seventy-seven times."

Mainstreaming

2011-08-23T21:49:00.006+08:00

Miggy in grade 2, mainstreaming in Ridgeview Academy of Baguio:

This is proof that children with autism could be mainstreamed in a regular classroom. Just like their regular classmates, they could perform academically. They could likewise maintain their attention and regulate their behaviors and emotions in a regular classroom setting.

Image 1 and Image 5 show "accommodations for the child's difficulties". This is what the developmental pediatrician means when he/she recommends a small population classroom setting (small pupil-teacher ratio) that accommodates the special needs of the child.

In this case, some test instructions and words were modified to a language that could be understood by the "special" child.

2011-08-18T00:36:00.001+08:00

Miggy and his bestfriend, Blessy.

2011-07-16T21:40:00.005+08:00

Hi, readers! My book will be out hopefully before the year ends. This will feature real heartbreaking stories on Autism, ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Hearing Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Mental Retardation, Hearing Impairment, Global Development Delay, and Arthrogryposis.

This book is not just about filling words into every page so as to come up with a thick book. This is about fitting the exact words to describe one’s anguish, letting out emotions, venting out frustrations, surviving in the most trying of times, marveling at even the littlest of victories, and believing in miracles.

Witness how these individuals attempt to penetrate what seems to be impenetrable. See how they reach the unreachable and make possible the impossible.

Small to Big

2011-07-15T20:30:00.000+08:00

Miggy's experiment:

Two expandables (a little princess and a tiny dragon) were left to soak overnight in a bowl of water..... and voila!

What happened to the little princess and the little dragon? I asked.

"Became big," he answered.

"Win a Prize!"

2011-07-12T23:20:00.004+08:00

Yesterday, he went home (from school) with a pad of stickers. Thinking that he might have taken it from his teacher's drawer or it might have been grabbed from a schoolmate, I asked: Where did you get that?

"Win a prize, mommy. Win a prize."

This morning, I was surprised to see his 3 artworks displayed on the school's bulletin board. Oh, so that was how he earned those stickers. Stickers for a job well done!

"Miggy is the winner!" he told his daddy.

Recent Lego Play

2011-07-02T23:58:00.003+08:00

Shown here is Miggy's creative Lego play this morning.

"Not the Disney Channel"

2011-05-31T23:38:00.005+08:00

For more than a year, Miggy has been watching only one television channel: the Cartoon Network. Last night, he and his sister watched the "Up" movie on Disney Channel. Good! A change of routine, I thought so. Wow, he's ready for a big change. Well, he's not.

Last night, he woke up at 2am and didn't sleep until 5am. He kept on saying: "Not the Disney Channel. Only the Cartoon Network. Do not watch the Disney Channel."

And over and over again, I assured him and whispered: Okay, okay. Not the Disney Channel.

This morning when he woke up, near tears he said: "Mommy, Miggy will not watch the Disney Channel. Only the Cartoon Network."

It wasn't until I hugged him really tight and said yes that he stopped.

2011-05-24T00:00:00.000+08:00

Project-Making

2011-04-30T18:04:00.004+08:00

What are you doing, Miggy? I asked.
"Cutting the pictures."
Complete sentence, I prompted.
"I am cutting the pictures and making a project."

Lesson of the Day: PRAY

2011-04-30T17:11:00.000+08:00

This was posted by Miggy's tutor, Teacher Louella on Tots' Thoughts Tutorial Center homepage.

Miggy and I were reading words with the long a sound today when we came across the word pray, I asked what he says when he prays and he said "Thank You" I asked what else, he said "thank You God".
Sometimes when we pray all we do is ask we forget to say thanks. Thank you Miggy for the reminder.

2011-04-11T04:42:00.000+08:00

2011-04-11T04:36:00.003+08:00

Hi! So sorry, I haven't blogged for quite some time. I'm saving all my entries for my book. It's coming out soon.

Share your story

2011-03-14T00:21:00.002+08:00

Hi, readers!

I invite you to be part of my upcoming book. Share your experiences in raising your children with special needs. We are not alone in this battle. There are many out there wanting to hear our stories.

Send them to my email ad: yolette_cuevas@yahoo.com

Thank you very much. I would love to hear from you.

The Japan Tsunami, as viewed by the Autistic Mind

2011-03-12T23:06:00.004+08:00

Yesterday, Japan was hit by a magnitude 8.9 earthquake which triggered a massive tsunami. We watched it on CNN News the minute we got home from Miggy's school.

That night:
Mommy: Miggy, can we turn off the dvd? Let's watch the news.
Miggy: "Not the news! Only the Dragon Tales!"
"Mommy, remove the earthquake. Throw in the garbage can. Remove the big wave and the flood. Make sand castles on the beach."

Again, I was dumbstruck. He knew what was happening. He saw the relation between what's evil and what's not, what's supposed to be and what's supposed to be not. Recovering, I grabbed my pen and wrote it down in my diary. Another milestone.

In the future: a chef

2011-03-02T03:55:00.004+08:00

This post is lovingly dedicated to all of Miggy's classmates: Blessy, Syzzle, Kaychelle, Johann, Allen, and RJ, who at a very young age show compassion, understanding, and responsibility toward their "special" classmate. It always leaves a smile on my face every time I see them together. Cheers to their parents too for raising such wonderful kids.
And of course, to Teacher Tina who never tires of teaching Miggy social behavior and academic skills, and always bringing him out of his self-imposed seclusion with her powerful voice as she calls out "Miiiigggggyyyy!!!"

In the future: A chef
I will be designing the layout for the school's yearbook. My theme for the grade 1 is: What do I want to be when I grow up? All parents of Miggy's classmates probably already know what their children aspire to be in the future. Now, I wonder if my Miggy has any dream at all. I'm thinking that this is a mistake. How can I ask him a question so meaningless to his autistic mind? How can he envision himself as a grownup when he does not even know what "future" means? The very simple "tomorrow" took him almost forever to discern, how much more with a vague and a broader "future"?

Uncertain if I could push him for an answer, I tried.

Mommy: Miggy, you listen. Johann wants to be a soldier. Blessy wants to be a teacher. Syzzle wants to be a nurse. Allen wants to be a doctor. How about you, Miggy? What do you want to be?

Miggy answered quickly, "a chef!"

Oh, probably too inspired by the movie, Ratatouille.

Old Man

2011-02-26T06:02:00.002+08:00

Using his grandmother's walker, "Miggy became an old man," he said.

Finally.... an Emotional Attachment

2011-02-09T08:41:00.003+08:00

Night of January 25, 2011:

Reading homework.

"No homework! I don't like homework!"

No choice. He read the poem, frequently pausing and looking elsewhere :

"Everybody says

I look just like my mother.

Everybody says

I'm the image of Aunt Heather.

Everybody says

My nose is like my father's.

But I want to look like me,

Why can't they let me be?"

Mommy: Everybody says I look just like my.....?

Miggy: "Father."

Miggy: "Aunt Heather."

Mommy: No, you think. Read the poem again.

In all the 4 poems he read, he gave me only 50% correct answers. Why? He was upset that I turned the dvd off while his most current favorite (Veggie Tales) was playing. But when before the questions, I reminded him to answer properly so that I would give him a surprise, he answered correctly.

Mommy: Next time we do your homework, you answer correctly, huh Miggy?

Miggy: "Yes, answer correctly."

Dear readers, I know the following may sound cruel, abusive and traumatizing. Condemn me, curse me, I'll accept. But please let this moment be mine. Forgive me, this was my only way of checking. Believe me, I felt so bad. But in the end, I was rewarded. Well, it went like this:

I am not your mother anymore. Naty (our maid) is your mother, I said to him.

He looked at me, tears poured down his chubby cheeks, "Yolette only, not Ate Naty! Ate Naty is not my mother! My mother is Yolette!"

Pushing for more of this new emotion he displayed for the first time, I added: Your daddy is not Gerry. My son is RJ, not Miggy.

All the more he cried. Face all red, tears pouring non-stop, liquid dripping from his nose, he said: "My daddy is Gerry! Your son is not RJ! Miggy is your son!"

I hugged him tight, and savored the moment.

I have long waited for this. Finally, after 8 years, 5 months, and 21 days! That was his first display of emotional attachment to me.

Dinner Surprise

2011-02-02T04:25:00.004+08:00

One late afternoon, I found this on my work table after I woke up from a quick nap.

Wow! What is this?, I asked.

Miggy replied, "A fish dinner." (which he made out of clay, just for me! Just for me!)

Not a schoolday

2011-01-24T08:54:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, we were not able to attend the Sunday mass which broke Miggy's routine.

This morning:

Whining, Miggy said, "Today is Sunday, not Monday. No school! It's not a schoolday. It's a churchday. Miggy wear civilian clothes, not the green uniform."

Apology

2011-01-12T09:29:00.000+08:00

Miggy tossed his sharpener at Kaychelle and accidentally hit the corner of her eye.

"I am a big boy."

2011-01-06T03:37:00.001+08:00

Sept. 14, 2010

Mom: Come here, my baby.
Miggy: "You're not a baby."
(He still has difficulty with pronouns.)
Mom: Huh?
Correcting himself, he said: "I am not a baby. I am a big boy."

*****************
Miggy, you are very cute, I told him.
"Miggy is not cute. Miggy became ugly. Cutie became ugly."
He disagrees with anything I say when he doesn't get what he wants, like a show on tv. I do not allow him to watch the Power Rangers and Kamen Rider on Cartoon Network because of their violent content.

Torotot

2011-01-01T09:06:00.007+08:00

"Mommy, close the window. Stop the fireworks," cried Miggy.

He didn't get up for the media noche and didn't witness the fireworks display by Camp John Hay and Baguio Country Club. Miggy and I stayed in bed, with my hands covering both of his ears. A little later, his dad and sister joined us.

* A week before the New Year, I had already taken out these horns (we call them Torotot here in the Philippines) from the cabinet. Ready and waiting for the event. But then I was hesitant to give them out to my family minutes before the clock struck twelve. Why? Miggy never liked the "Big Bang." Maybe for now and the years to come, these torotots will have to remain quiet...... until Miggy is ready.

Developmental Assessment Dec. 11, 2010

2010-12-30T04:59:00.000+08:00

Date of Evaluation: December 11, 2010

Date of Birth: August 4, 2002

Chronological age: 8 yrs / 4 mos.

- Mainstream education at Ridgeview Academy, grade 1

- Once a week speech therapy at Play and Say Therapy Center

- Once a week tutorials at Tot's Thoughts Tutorial Center

Present Developmental Profile:

Locomotor 6 yrs level

Personal / Social 7 1/2 - 8 yrs level

Hearing and Speech 5 1/2 yrs level

Eye and Hand Coordination 7 yrs level

Performance 8 yrs level

Practical Reasoning 6 1/2 yrs level

No mental retardation.

Clinical Impression: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Recommendations:

1. Continue speech therapy.

2. Continue present school placement with accommodations.

3. Behavior management - firm kindness.

4. Social skills training.

5. Developmental review after 1 year.

Assessment made by Dra. Millicent Mae Fronda - De Vera (Developmental Pediatrician, Notre Dame de Chartres Hospital)

Longest Christmas

2010-12-18T21:29:00.002+08:00

Play and Say Therapy Center's Christmas Party, December 18, 2010

The longest Christmas which won him a prize:

Miggy: "Merry Christmaaaaaaaaa............ ahhhhhhhhhhhh.............aaaaaaaaaassssssssss!"

Ridgeview Academy 2010 Christmas Party

2010-12-17T22:37:00.000+08:00

Stencil Art

2010-12-16T05:35:00.000+08:00

Educational Videos

2010-12-15T20:08:00.000+08:00

These are just a few of the educational videos that helped shape Miggy's language skills. At first, he was only echolalic. He repeated every word from each video with the exact intonation used by the characters. The accent used was likewise mastered by Miggy (which was how he acquired an American accent). Everyday, he would watch the same video over and over again for at least two months from morning until night. Every now and then , I would pause the video and repeat some words or ask what-is-this-questions to test the effectiveness of the input. As the video played, Miggy and I acted out some scenes.

I felt ecstatic that even though all his language were merely copied from videos and from everything he heard around him, still, I was extremely proud that he could talk at least. He wasn't non-verbal at all!

One day, I said to myself, he would learn to use this copied language appropriately. This borrowed speech would later become his own.

And I was right! Absolutely!

"Time to decorate the tree"

2010-12-11T19:43:00.006+08:00

"Time to decorate the tree," Miggy sang.

"ra ra ra ra ra ra ra......... shiny and shimmery,

sparkly and glittery,

all because it's Christmas time."

Note: All ras stand for Miggy's lyrics incoherent to me because of his strong American accent.

Mommy: What do you want for Christmas?

Miggy: "Open the presents."

Lego truck and trailer

2010-12-04T18:22:00.001+08:00

What are you making? I asked.
"A truck and a trailer," he answered.

Open the presents

2010-11-27T13:17:00.003+08:00

This morning upon waking up:
Miggy: "Merry Christmas!!!! Today is December 25."
Mommy: No, yesterday is November 26. So today is only November 27. It's not yet Christmas.
Miggy: "I want to open the presents."

Miggy with his sister

2010-11-16T04:58:00.000+08:00

Plurals

2010-11-09T08:58:00.003+08:00

Miggy: "Oh look, Mommy! Mice!" pointing to the 2 mice Tom was chasing on the Tom and Gerry Show.

Mommy: If it's one only, is it mice?

Miggy: "No. Mouse."

Mommy: What is this? (showing him a toy)

Miggy: "A toy. One toy."

Mommy: If there are two?

Miggy: "Two toys."

Mommy: And if there are three?

Miggy: "Three toyses."

Seek-and-Find Books

2010-11-03T09:51:00.004+08:00

Where Is Waldo?, Where Are They, and Look and Find materials helped increase Miggy's concentration and attention span. These books encouraged memory skills and the use of logic. Pointing (the use of finger to point) was a big plus too because "pointing" is not natural in some children with autism.

He started using these books at age 5 (old enough to be careful not to tear the pages). Up to the present, he still finds these books interesting and entertaining.

* The mastery of pointing was a long and difficult process for Miggy. I always had to close his fist and pull out his index finger. His first pointing trial was waving his hand with all fingers aimed at an object or direction. Next trial (after a very long time) was better: the index finger and middle finger, though slightly bent, were somewhat pointed to the object. Finally, at age 4, he had mastered the correct way to do it.

Honestly, I never thought this day would come that he would say, "Look, mommy!" with his finger pointing to his object of interest. Now, these words I hear more than a dozen times each day. Moments, such as:

-Miggy proudly showing me that he could read titles of Tom and Gerry tales on Cartoon Network;
-that he could build structures from his Lego toys;

-that he saw a bird perched on the roof;

-that he saw a tv advertisement of a newly introduced Argentina deli burger or a toy at Toy Kingdom that he wanted me to buy: "Mommy, you buy.";

-that he saw an insect that he would like me to get rid off (to kill, actually, with my slipper: "Kill, mommy! Kill! Get your slipper!" accompanied with a scream at the top of his lungs).

* Note: He took this picture of his pointed finger.

Barbie Cake

2010-10-24T19:47:00.000+08:00

Sept. 5, 2010
Seeing Miggy so intently watching a television advertisement of Barbie cake, I asked him:
Miggy, do you want a Barbie cake?
Looking at me, he said "Yes!" Then, "No!"
I asked why and he answered: "Because Barbie is not for boys. It is for girls."

Analogies

2010-10-16T22:35:00.001+08:00

Speech Therapy at Play and Say Therapy Center,
Sept. 24, 2010

At the starting point were the pieces of a vehicle puzzle. Upon instructions from Teacher Justin, Miggy took one puzzle piece, pedaled the bike to the finish line where the puzzle board awaited. After fitting the piece into the board, Miggy was again commanded to pedal back to the starting point. This time, Teacher Justin was ready with some analogy cards. Miggy read and filled in the missing answers.

"Bone is to dog...... as .........Carrot is to rabbit."
"Sun is to yellow ........as .........Apple is to red."
"Teacher is to school........as ......... Doctor is to hospital."
"Spider is to web......... as .......... Bird is to nest."
"Police officer is to patrol car ........ as ......... Fireman is to firetruck."
"Bed is to bedroom ......... as .......... Stove is to kitchen."
"Car is to road ........ as ......... Train is to tracks."
"Book is to read ........ as ......... Milk is to drink."
"Green is to go ......... as ......... Red is to stop."
"Straw is to drink ......... as .........Fork is to eat."

Skip-Counting

2010-10-02T16:12:00.003+08:00

Ridgeview Academy, Sept. 24, 2010
I eavesdropped.
Teacher Tina: Miggy, skip-count by 2's.
Miggy: "2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, ...........................100."
Later:
Teacher: Miggy, skip-count by 5's.
Miggy: "5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, ...........................100."
(With minimal cues from teacher)

Teacher: Okay, class. We are done with skip-counting by two's and by five's. Now we will move on to skip-counting by ten's.

Later that night, I tested Miggy.
Mom: Miggy, can you skip-count by 10's?
Miggy, probably too tired of the subject, complained:
"No skip-counting! No numbers! I don't like skip-count."
Then again he protested:
"No 10! No 20! No 30! No 40! No 50! No 60! No 70! No 80! No 90! No, no, no 100! That's enough!"

"I love you, mommy."

2010-10-02T15:38:00.004+08:00

Sept. 22, 2010
Mom: Miggy, do you love mommy?
Miggy: "Yes."
Mom: Tell me.
Miggy: "I love you, mommy."

Did you find it?

2010-09-22T13:43:00.006+08:00

Here's a little conversation between Miggy and his 2-year-old cousin, Yanni.

Miggy handed a rubber "D" to his cousin, "Yanni, this is the letter D."
Later, the D was nowhere to be seen.
Yanni: Kuya Miggy, where's the letter D?
Miggy: "Did you find it?"

**** Miggy interacts with everyone. Sometimes, as I watch the little connections he makes with the people around him, I am stricken with awe and disbelief that this once non-verbal child is now filled with words.
Miracle.... I do believe in miracles.
Hope.... I am hanging on to it. You should too.

Comment from Yanni's mother:
I was really surprised at Miggy's improvement because he now knows how to socialize and play, even teaching his two year-old cousin about the letter D. That same day, he even lied down beside Yanni while she was sleeping and was really quiet because as he said "baby Yanni is sleeping." And when we arrived and as we were leaving, he would make eye contact and kiss me on the cheeks when I say: Kiss Ninang Kaye. This just shows how patience, determination and lots of love can help bring special children, like Miggy, into our world... Kudos to you Tita! We're all so proud of you and Miggy (and of course, Caliza and Tito Ger)!

A Blessing

2010-09-18T06:03:00.002+08:00

A note from Miggy's tu t o r

Lining Up

2010-09-06T04:59:00.007+08:00

Here are evidences of Miggy's autistic behavior when he was 2 years old: Lining up of objects.

The first, second and last pictures were taken before he was diagnosed.

(He was diagnosed with autism at age 2 yrs/9mos.) This obsessive/compulsive behavior has completely disappeared at age 4.

Who Questions (Occupations)

2010-08-29T05:45:00.001+08:00

Aug. 13, 2010
Speech therapy session with Teacher Justin Palou

Teacher: Who makes us laugh in a circus?
Miggy: "A clown."
T: Who fixes broken pipes?
M: "A plumber."
T: Who fixes cars and trucks?
M: "A mechanic."
T: Who serves food in a restaurant?
M: "A waiter."
T: Who takes care of the animals in the zoo?
M: "A zooer keep."
T: No.
M: "A keeper zoo?"
T: Huh?
M: "A zoo keeper!"

"Daddy is not sick."

2010-08-23T20:08:00.001+08:00

This took place yesterday (Aug. 22, 2010) at Notre Dame Hospital. While Miggy's dad was being examined by a doctor, Miggy said (crying): "Daddy is not sick. Daddy, get up. Do not lie down. Do not sleep."

Some Conversations We Had

2010-08-20T22:22:00.007+08:00

Dear readers,

Here are a few of the conversations I had with my son. I always keep a diary that's why I have no trouble retrieving all past events.

At every opportunity, I tried to initiate conversations with him. Sometimes, I would get no response but still I kept trying to barge in, waiting for him to be ready to accept me. I always drove him out of his self-imposed seclusion. He had to know that apart from himself, there are other people around him. I knew that someday he would feel the need to connect, reach out and get out of his world.

The following are conversations we had in October 2008 when Miggy was six years old.

Mom: Miggy, what are you watching? Is that Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network?
Miggy: "It's Disney."
Mom: Is that Kim Possible or Totally Spies?
Miggy: "It's the Monster Buster Club."

---------------

Mom: What animal is Pooh?
Miggy: "It's a bear."
Mom: What animal is Mickey?
Miggy: "It's a mouse."
Mom: What animal is Donald?
Miggy: "It's a duck."
Mom: What animal is Barney?
Miggy: "It's a dinosaur. The end."

* Before, all things were in general terms. There were no distinctions, no names. Mickey, Minnie, Gerry and Fievel were simply "mouse." Pooh, Yogi and Humphrey were plainly "bear."

---------------

Mom: Miggy, what's the movie tonight?
Miggy: "Cars."
Mom: What's the movie tomorrow?
Miggy: "Princess Diaries."

* He now knows the concept of tonight and tomorrow. (The concept of time may come naturally for children developing normally but for children with autism, this is a hardly achievable victory.)

Lego Helicopter

2010-08-12T05:12:00.003+08:00

Who says autistic children do not know how to play? Who says they lack imagination and creativity? Here's Miggy to prove that these are all wrong.

Picture Frame

2010-08-07T07:13:00.006+08:00

Miggy was absent when this picture frame project was done at school. As a homework, he used the completed work of his classmate as a guide. Voila, with minimal instructions, he was successfully able to make his very own picture frame.

Miggy's Door

2010-07-30T07:02:00.002+08:00

Miggy calls this "Miggy's Door". It features some of his artworks. These are too precious to him, after all, he wouldn't tape them on the door if they weren't.
"Mommy, get the tape. Miggy will tape this."

Reading Comprehension

2010-07-22T08:53:00.010+08:00

TOTS Thoughts Tutorial Center
Miggy with Teacher Louella
July 16, 2010
Topic: Reading Comprehension
(Reading and Answering Questions)

Miggy reads, "A girl collecting shells at the beach."
Teacher asks: Who is collecting shells?
M: "a girl"
T: What is she collecting?
M: "the shells"
T: Where is the girl collecting shells?
M: "at the beach"

M: "A tourist taking a picture of a statue at the musem"
T: Who is at the museum?
M: "a tourist"
T: What is the tourist doing?
M: "taking a picture of a statue"
T: Where is the tourist taking a picture of a statue?
M: "at the museum"

M: "Max is going to the beach on Wednesday."
T: Who is going to the beach?
M: "Max"
T: Where is Max going?
M: "to the beach"
T: When is Max going to the beach?
M: "on Wednesday"

Guard Up

2010-07-14T10:16:00.003+08:00

I went to see a doctor. My body resistance had gone down. "Change your lifestyle," he said. "Remove the stress."

Sounds very simple. But how can I? It's not as easy as it sounds. Stress-free life is just the same as a Miggy-free life.

I have lived nearly eight years in and out of my son's autism. The whole family has, in fact, perfectly adapted to his different world . It will be incredibly unimaginable to live without it.

Sleeplessness, fatigue, fright, anxiety, panic, shock, and stress are all imperfections that come with it.....all nicely wrapped up in one beautiful "A" package. Welcome. Keep them coming. They won't catch me with my guard down. Never!

Socialization

2010-07-11T19:40:00.009+08:00

Every Friday at Ridgeview Academy, all students get to interact with one another. All classes are held outdoors. They exercise, sing, play, dance, and paint together. They are also taught to eat fruits and vegetables by incorporating it in their games. Hitting two birds in one stone: learning and having fun! Here are pictures to show you how much fun they are having.

"Everybody, lie down on the floor. Close your eyes. One, two, three....... one hundred. Okay, wake up," teacher said.

"What fruit is this?" "What color?" the teacher asked.

"Get one fruit, eat, then go around the chair."

A sticker reward for every accomplished goal. (Miggy, who doesn't eat fruits, will do anything just to get a sticker.)

Circle Time:
"My name is Alphonse Miguel Cuevas." Then, the teacher asked, "What is his name?" The students shouted in chorus: "Miggy!"

"It's cold."

2010-07-09T19:20:00.003+08:00

Coming home from tutorial class, he went straight to the bedroom, lay on the bed, then said,

"It's cold. Miggy is sick. Miggy sleep."

I felt his forehead and he was really sick. He was hot.

Autistic Behaviors and Management

2010-07-04T21:14:00.035+08:00

Today's post is especially dedicated to my online friend, Doc Kae, a mother of two-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, both under the Autism Spectrum.

Even as a baby, I knew Miggy was a little “special” from other babies. He never cried even if he was hungry or wet. He didn't need cuddling and the usual rock-a-bye-baby bedtime technique. He seemed very contented in his crib, kicking, sucking his fingers, and always moving. He seemed to be deaf because he never turned his head toward sounds; he had no eye contact; no coos or babbles.

At age 2, Miggy started manifesting the following behavioral concerns:
- walking on tiptoes
- running back and forth
- banging his head on walls
- not sensitive to pain; could not feel minor pains

- no fear of danger

- excessive scratching (to the point of bleeding) of bumps on his skin, such as old vaccines, old wounds, insect bites, the skin in contact with clothing labels or folds

- flapping his hands when excited (e.g., upon hearing certain sounds)
- spinning and running in circles
- his very few words disappeared (e.g., mama, dada, ate-ate)
- always jumping; stomping his feet; tapping hands on walls
- moving his head in circles
- staring at objects from the far side of his eyes with neck angled
- lining up of objects (cars facing the same direction)(His lines could not be disturbed for it may trigger an outburst.)
- filling and emptying boxes, baskets or cabinets
- very fascinated with the sight of water and its pouring sound
- preoccupation with objects being placed in his chosen location
- strong liking for round and rolling objects
- trying to eat all edibles and inedibles (papers, toys, or anything that could fit into his mouth)
- destructive; breaking all breakables (particularly glasses with water) and forcefully trying to break the unbreakables
- covering both ears when the place was too crowded and noisy
- could not stay seated even for 2 seconds
- very, very good with puzzles (It was really bizarre. I witnessed him accurately complete the back of a puzzle. It was done on a glass table. When I viewed it from under the table, it was perfect. He was four years old then.)

Miggy’s hyperactivity, compulsions, obsessions, and repetitive behaviors were managed through occupational therapies. He was diagnosed at 2yrs/9months in May 2005, and exactly six days after, he started his therapies (one-hour sessions, 2 - 3 times per week). To shape his behavior and calm him down, sensory integration techniques were applied, such as ball rocking, pancake (being rolled and squeezed in a mattress), jumping on trampoline, and deep pressures massages (with the use of lotion).

Teacher Joan Ongat, his first occupational therapist, miraculously taught Miggy to stay seated for 5 minutes at first, then 10, then 20, and so on until Miggy was able to sit for a full hour and was able to complete the tasks (sorting shapes and colors, beading, shading, connecting dots). They began every session with sensory integration.

In August 2005 (age 3), exactly after 3 months of occupational therapy, Miggy talked in one-word only, such as names of common objects, shapes, colors, parts of the body which he learned from BumbleBee Educational Videos playing non-stop during the day for more than two months.

He became echolalic. (Echolalia is the delayed or immediate echoing of meaningless words heard from TV commercials, radio, movie scripts, parental reprimands, etc.) He would repeat lines from his favorite educational videos over and over and over again.

By December 2005 (age 3years/4months), he could spell names of animals, shapes, colors, numbers, common objects. And then again, three months after, he learned to read from rote memory and he learned to count objects from 1 – 20 before he was 4 years old.

At home, I gave him daily deep pressure massages. Swinging in a hammock proved very effective too. Magic! While swinging, I would always ask him the names of each flashcard I showed him and volia! He would always give me correct answers. It was probably the dizzying effect of the swinging motion that made him very focused. Or sometimes, I would just count aloud 1 – 50, over and over again while he seemed to be listening.

Miggy did hippotherapy with speech therapist, Justin Palou, for 2 months when he was 5yrs old. Hippotherapy is a therapeutic horseback riding. In children with autism, it helps in improving gross motor skills (sitting, standing and walking); strengthening speech and language skills; and improving behavioral and cognitive abilities.

Now, at age 7 years/11 months, Miggy outgrew almost all symptoms. What remained are: covering the ears and scratching.

Sometimes, he still stands and walks on tip toes. I always have to remind him: “Miggy, down on your heels.” And in rebellion because he probably didn’t like my tone of voice, he would stomp his feet hard on the floor.

He doesn’t like the sound of thunder and fireworks, and the sound of rain falling on the roof. He would cover his ears, hide under the pillow, or close the window and draw the curtains. He likes banging his knuckles or big toe on hard surfaces whenever he hears a particular music on Cartoon Network. He likes to stare at patterns (ex: stripes on a bedsheet). His present obsessive-compulsive behaviors are: (1) hoarding of his favorite snacks in a small transparent bag, perfectly arranged, he would know if I

touched them and would only eat them when a substitute is available; (2) watching the same video everyday for more than a month, memorizing all lines with the exact intonation; (3) obsession with cars, little furniture, stickers, crayons, markers, colored pencils, and empty boxes of cookies; (4) unable to sleep when a toy is missing or when he noticed that something is not placed in his preferred location. Last week, in the middle of the night, his older sister and I helped Miggy search for his little toy soap smaller than a rice crispy and a shampoo the size of a kernel corn. He said,

“The soap is missing. Where is the shampoo? Mommy, you find it.”

It was only last year (September 2009) when he became aware of danger. We were going home from school, waiting for a cab, there was a big truck approaching us, he backed off a few steps, exclaiming “Oh no, oh no, oh no!” There was this time also, he was seated at the front of our car. At a sharp curve, again there was a truck and he probably thought it was going to hit us. He pressed his right shoe hard on the floor, as if he was in charge of the brakes, crying out, “Daddy, oh no!”

Children with autism experience sensory dysfunction in all five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. They have trouble processing information they receive from all these senses, all the more confusing their already confused minds. Autistic minds do not interpret sensations just like we do. A gentle pat may feel like a forceful blow; a certain color may hurt their eyes; soft music may come to them as too deafening; or sweet fragrances may be too intense. They may not feel the floor, causing them to stomp their feet. Stares from strangers may be too overpowering, causing them to avoid eye contact. Sensory integration helps autistic children balance all sensory input they receive so that eventually they will become skilled to react to the stimuli.

Note: The above mentioned interpretations were only based from my personal observations of my son. All children under the spectrum may naturally behave differently.

For more info on Miggy’s intervention, please click on the topics on Intervention at the left side bar.

Meet Josh

2010-07-01T01:26:00.010+08:00

Asperger Syndrome (AS) individuals are often called “Little Professors” because of their impressive photographic memory. While they may have good rote memory skills, they have difficulty with abstract concepts.AS individuals manifest excellence in the fields of art, music, mathematics, and computer science. Asperger Syndrome is rarely diagnosed and often mistaken as High-Functioning Autism (HFA). Having parallel and overlapping characteristics, both AS and HFA fall under Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Individuals belonging to any of these disorders possess average or above average intellect and standard or superior language skills. However, the distinction between Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism is detected in the person’s ability to communicate. AS individuals develop early, normal language and cognitive skills which are not apparent in individuals with autism.

There are some debates among health professionals as to whether AS is a unique disability with symptoms that are not present in any other disorder or merely an autism with superior intelligence quotient. Asperger Syndrome, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV), is not recorded as belonging to the autism spectrum. However, the fifth edition of American Psychiatric Association, which is to be published in May 2013, formally listed Asperger Syndrome as autism. This declaration infuriated some AS people because they do not want to be branded as autistic.

Majority of AS individuals are actually proud to be diagnosed with the disorder. It is assumed by psychologists and a group of commoners that AS is correlated with above average scholarly quotient that pop culture accounts label as genius. Moreover, It is strongly believed that famous highly intellectual people such as Michelangelo, Glenn Gould, Wolfang Amadeus Mozart, Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison belong to the AS group. Well, who does not want to be associated with these people?

Meet Josh

Josh, a 22-year-old New Zealander, third year architecture student in an Australian university, and president of the university’s student union, is here in our country as a vacationer. He will leave our country this first week of July with fond memories of “smiling, cheerful and friendly people” (that’s what he told me of the Filipinos), and of precious times shared with his newly found Pinoy “special family.”

Josh was strolling down the length of Session Road when he spotted the Fun Run Project of the Autism Society of the Philippines and Play and Say Therapy Center posted at Jet Book Store. The bookstore owner (an officer of ASP Baguio) became curious as to why this guy wanted to participate in the Fun Run and why he was wearing an “autism bracelet” on his left wrist. Surprisingly, this very perfect-looking guy, with no trepidations, no hesitance, with all guts, admitted he belongs to the spectrum. Kudos! How many people could be so willing to admit having a disability? Asked if he could give an impromptu talk to inspire parents with special children, he enthusiastically agreed. That night, word spread among parents of children with disabilities (including yours truly) and therapists, about the event to take place the following day.

The next day, excitedly early, we were all there at the West Burnham Place, awaiting the arrival of this controversial guy. What is he like? Is he normal? Is he just like any typical person, able to mingle with the crowd? Without a trace of the “label”? Queries are mounting in our heads. We are about to witness a first-hand information from a recovered autistic.

Only four years ago, Josh accidentally discovered he has Asperger Syndrome through an audio tape (with his name on it) he found safely camouflaged in a stack of tapes. It contained the conversation between a behavioral doctor and his parents, about the diagnosis of AS in their son. So that was why he was getting all the attention, he thought.

As a child, he remembered, he had trouble putting his shoes on, couldn’t look people in the eyes, had impaired eye/hand coordination and in fact, couldn’t even catch a ball. Moreover, just like any typical autistic, he liked lining up objects; had strong adherence for uniformity, and was hypersensitive to sound. There was one time when he was five that he ran away from school because the noise produced by everyone in the classroom was too overwhelming. He impulsively felt the need to escape. (As what I have researched, observed and written in my other posts: Autistics cannot filter sounds just like normal individuals do. They hear all sounds near or far, soft or loud, with the same deafening decibel. Impossible, yes! But Josh confirmed its veracity. Hearing it from someone who experienced it firsthand erased all doubts this issue may have raised.).

As he grew older, he knew and felt he was different. He was outside norms and was even labeled weird. However, despite some deficits in social interaction, motor movements, and comprehension, Josh manifested excellence in the fields of mathematics, art, music, sports (basketball, soccer, tennis) and mind games, such as chess. What’s more? He could process three or more things at the same time without getting distracted and still get excellent results and pleasant feedback.

The “label” got him a special treatment from everyone. His classmates wrote notes for him and in return, they copied his Math assignments.

Some other facts about Josh:

-He is very good in details; he likes facts and figures.

-He has no fixations.

-He developed social skills as he grew up.

-He had speech therapies at age 5 – 8.

-His parents pushed him to talk to people. His parents’ friends regularly take their children on a one-and-a-half-hour-drive to their house just so they can play.

-He is very honest and modest, and has strong Christian values.

- He believes that Asperger Syndrome is genetic.

-He likes telling not-funny jokes.

- He is very passionate about his chosen field: architecture. He believes that it is something that he really wants to do.

- Even now, he has difficulty mixing with people. He is more comfortable mingling with the younger crowd.

- Just like any regular human being, he always looks up in the sky when he is searching for answers.

- His desk is his familiar place and comfort zone. Sitting on his chair in front of his desk makes him more relaxed and focused on his work.

Some quotes from Josh:

“I want to change the ‘stereotype’.”

“After the discovery, I am more aware of my past.”

“Humming tones down the mind.”

“Tapping has a calming effect; makes it easier to concentrate. It’s like 20 – 80% revitalized.”

“I always wanted to wear the same shirt.”

“People with Aspergers and Autism have too many emotions which cause them to shut down.”

“I never liked reading books but I make my own books, my own characters.”

“In New Zealand, it is very expensive to get a diagnosis but once diagnosed, New Zealand government gives free money.”

Asperger Syndrome diagnosis is increasing. It may be due to its high prevalence or simply because medical professionals are now more aware of the disorder. We may not know it but the “bright” person next to us may be an aspie. Aspies may not even recognize they have it.

I read this somewhere, and it is by far the most interesting, catchy and controversial thought I have ever come across:

"Even God had some Autistic moments, which is why all planets spin."

~ Jerry Newport

What is .....?

2010-06-25T08:59:00.008+08:00

Miggy at 7yrs/5mos. :
January 21, 2010: During one of his speech therapies at Play and Say Therapy Center, Teacher Justin playfully thought of asking Miggy some things that were not part of their lessons. Each question seemed incredibly easy but due to its extreme plainness, we as adults may find it difficult to answer.

Teacher (sipping her milk): Miggy, what is a girl?
Miggy (eyeing teacher's milk): "A girl is someone you use as a she."
T: What is a boy?
M: "A boy is someone you use as a he."
T: What is an animal?
M: "An animal is something you see in the zoo. Teacher Justine, why do you need to drink milk? Because you are thirsty." ... and with one quick swoop, grabbed teacher's milk and sipped!

The next day, I made a follow-up of what-questions with Miggy.
Mommy: Miggy, what is a milk?
Miggy: "A milk is something you drink."
Mom: What is a chicken?
Miggy: "A chicken is something you eat."
Mom: What is a...
Miggy: "Mommy, I don't like what-is. No more what-is."
Mom: What is no more?
Miggy: "No more is gone."
Mom: What is gone?
Miggy: "Gone is the-end. Mommy, the end! Stop talking! I don't like what-is!"
Laughing, I stopped.

First-Day-of-Classes Blues

2010-06-15T13:40:00.001+08:00

"No school! Cannot go to school! Teacher is sick! The school is closed," he grunted when I tried to wake him up to get dressed for school. After a few minutes of coaxing, he agreed to go, in one condition:
"And then, we will go to the grocery store."

* Autistic people usually have impaired imagination. They lack the capacity of making up stories and excuses. However, at age 6 1/2, I noticed him making little excuses, such as:
"There's no power," he reasoned when I asked him to turn on the light.
"Because that's so funny!" he said when he was watching the Tom and Gerry Show and I asked him why he was laughing and shouting.

"P- I - Z - Z - A spells pizza"

2010-06-09T12:21:00.004+08:00

"Mommy, you cook Bibbo cheese hotdog."
No, that's not your dinner. Your dinner starts with a letter P. You guess.
"Pancit?"
No.
"Papaya?"
No, you don't eat papaya and that's not for dinner.
"Pig?"
Hahaha! No, you guess again. It starts with a letter P, has a triangle shape and has cheese on top.
"Pizza! Mommy, you get the pizza."
Spell pizza first.
"P-I-Z-Z-A spells pizza. Mommy, you get the pizza."

*When asked a question, he answers. When told to do something, he obeys.
I always open a conversation with him. 5 years ago, I would always get no response. But now, look at him, he is conversational. And he looks at me when we are having a conversation. Fruits of labor and love evident.

"Turn the radio off."

2010-05-31T08:19:00.008+08:00

Miggy says this every time he hears the sound of the radio. He doesn't like the sound in closed spaces, like in the car or in a closed room.

He is hypersensitive to sound. He hears sounds that for us, are almost inaudible. Some individuals with autism could not filter sound just like we do. We can listen to sounds that we choose, eliminating those we do not want to hear. Autistics are different. Some of them hear all incoming sounds with same decibels. This is the reason they sometimes cover their ears. Imagine all sounds, near or far, such as the chirp of a bird, ting sound of the microwave, television, roar of a motorcycle, a pencil falling on the floor, as all coming in with the same intensity. It is too overwhelming for them.

There is one sound that is very intolerable for Miggy: my singing. He would always say, "Stop singing, Mommy." My speaking voice is fine with him. He obeys my every command and he earnestly listens and absorbs my academic tutorials.

Miggy loves to sing. He learned it from videos and from his teachers. Anyone can sing, except me.

(Ha ha! Please don't get me wrong. I had always been a "blue bird" back at school. Although I didn't have the magical voice of a soloist, proudly, I sang in tune and in perfect harmony with our singing group, and proudly again, we joined the school songfest yearly back then. Ha Ha again, sadly, we never won.)

I don't sing or hum anymore. I guess I'll just have to wait until Miggy tells me "Sing this song for me, Mommy." Gladly, I would. When? It could be tomorrow or next month or a few years from now... or could it be never? Who knows when? Patiently, I'll wait.... even if it takes forever. I'll be ready when you are, Miggy.

"I don't want mommy to go."

2010-05-19T06:57:00.005+08:00

"I do not want mommy to go to Korea."
I asked why.
"Because the airport is closed and the airplane is on fire."
I told him that I will buy his toys in Korea.
"No toys in Korea. Buy toys at Toy Kingdom, the amazing toy store."
"No more Korea!"
"No toys!"

*My sister's family, my eldest daughter, Clarisse, and I went on a four-day vacation in Korea. It was my first vacation since Miggy was born more than 7 years ago and was my most memorable and priceless bonding moment with Clarisse.

The trip was my first days-off away from autism and into the teenage world of my Clarisse. We had fun, we licked ice cream together, ate Korean street-foods, and shopped (mostly window-shopped). She laughed at my silly jokes. I was amazed at her simplicity and naivety. Amid all the wonders now in front of her, I was surprised to hear her say, "I missed Miggy." Who doesn't? I was always looking at my watch, thinking what he and his daddy had been doing, and where they spent the day.

"Let's go to the grocery store."

2010-05-04T09:10:00.006+08:00

Just like any typical morning, Miggy comes up with his list of wanna-buys.

"Mommy, it's time to get dressed. Let's go to the grocery store. I want to buy Tiger energy cream cookie strawberry pop and Wildlife chocolates. Just two only." Miggy said.

How about for Ate? What are you going to buy for Ate?,
I asked.

"C2 green tea," he replied.

Teaching How to Answer What Questions

2010-04-28T06:30:00.010+08:00

Children with autism are not skilled in answering questions because they do not really know how to socially interact. However, this can be explicitly taught through visual mediums and effective behavioral techniques. With Miggy, I used positive reinforcement along with the technique. Positive reinforcement can be in the form of praise ("Good job!", "Very Good"). Of course, facial exaggeration and vocal intensity are essential to attract his attention. Reinforcement can also be in the form of food, stickers, stamps, toys or it may be an event such as going to the park, eating out, or simply letting him play with his favorite toy.

Answering WHAT questions is the easiest. I used flash cards of common objects and watched educational videos with Miggy. Children with autism learn fast through visual aids.

Example 1: "What is this? This is a ball." (showing the child a picture of a ball and pointing to it). Do it over and over again. The child learns through constant repetition. If you are using a video, pause the video player every so often. It's okay if the video player gets broken, there are repair shops everywhere and dvd players are always on sale. I tell you, it's worth the education your child will be getting. Also, by modeling "pointing", you also teach your child how to point with his finger which is not inherent in children with autism.

Tip: Never mind if your child may seem inattentive. The truth is, he just doesn't know how to show you that he is interested in some way. He just has a different way of learning. Promise, this is from experience. He may not look interested but actually, he is absorbing everything he sees and hears. You will actually be surprised when he finally and miraculously blurts out what you have taught him minutes, hours, months, or even years ago with the precise words and intonation you used. Just be patient.

Start with simple objects, such as shapes, parts of the body and common foods. Later, when your child has mastered them, move on to animals, numbers, house things, vehicles, action words (with you acting out every action word).

Example 2: "What do you want?"
Teach your child to say "I want ______." (cookie, milk, ...). Then, "I want to_____." (to eat, to drink, to sleep, ....).

Example 3: "What is your name?", then progress on to other complex what questions.

Possibilities are endless. Patience...patience...patience. With autism, nothing is instant. Everything has to be mastered one step at a time.

Note: Every child is different. This may or may not be helpful. But it's worth trying. You know your child very well as much as I know mine. Discover ways to penetrate into his world. Break down those walls. As I have always said, "When the Lord closes the door, somehow, he opens the window."

***My sessions with Miggy are only supplemental to his occupational and speech therapies, academic tutorials and mainstreaming education.

Autism Self-Injurious Behavior

2010-04-18T06:07:00.002+08:00

Two days ago, I noticed a bruise on Miggy's arm. I asked: How did you get this? He answered: "Miggy's teeth."

He bit his arm! He hurt himself!
For a few moments, I just stared.... all blank. What must I do?
Looking back, when he was 2 years old, he exhibited a self-injurious behavior in the form of head banging. He would hit his head on walls, never stopping until he reached a certain level of satisfaction. This behavior diminished after a few months of occupational therapy (sensory integration method). At age 3-4, he had another episode of self-injurious behavior: face-slapping and chest-hitting. These vanished completely and he never had any display of these behaviors since then.

Today, what never lessens is his scratching. (His eczema even aggravates this scratching.) He scratches old wounds, old vaccine scars, insect bites or just any slight bump on his skin until they bleed. He also rubs his eyes... so bad that he had an infection.

But now, this is new. Self-biting! Although I've seen him do this just once, I have to do something about this and make sure it does not develop into a serious consequence.

Note: Head-shaking was first exhibited by Miggy when he was only a month old. This behavior was at its peak (forceful head-shaking) at age 4-6 months. He would shake his head at full speed until he fell asleep.

Please read this:

Source: http://hubpages.com/hub/autismsocialstories-autismselfinjuriousbehavior

Self-injury is probably one of the most distressing and difficult behaviors that any parent, and autistic person can be faced with.

Mostly the causes of this behavior are quite complex and the level of risk to the autistic person’s safety and well-being can at times be quite high.

Normal behavioral intervention is not always appropriate; but it is generally felt that professional help should be sought to help deal with this problem.

What is self-injurious behavior?

Sometimes referred to as self-harming behavior, self-injury takes many different forms, such as:

head banging (on floors, walls or other surfaces)
hand or arm biting
hair pulling
eye gouging
face or head slapping
skin picking, scratching or pinching
Forceful head shaking.

Autistic people who have complex needs and who have concurrent learning disabilities are more likely to engage in severe self-injurious behaviors.

However, people across the spectrum and of all ages may engage in self-injurious behaviors at some point.

Individuals who engaged in self-injurious behaviors as children may return to these as adults during times of stress, illness or change.

Causes of self-injurious behavior

The reasons a person has for engaging in self-injurious behavior, is almost always found to be varied, and will involve numerous different factors.

For example an Autistic child may have begun head banging as a form of sensory stimulation (stimming, repetitive behavior) at first, and has now learnt that the head banging is a way to avoid certain situations.

Hitting the face or head may initially have been a response to earache or maybe toothache. Which may have led on to being a way to have wants or needs met.

Some possible causes that should be considered when thinking about self-injurious behavior:

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, you should consider when dealing with self-injurious behavior, is there a possible medical or dental problem that the Autistic individual may be having.

Autistic people may have some difficulty in telling others that something is wrong physically and some self-injurious behaviors (such as ear slapping or head banging) may be their way of dealing with pain or communicating discomfort.

Here are some examples of medical and dental problems which may be expressed through self-injurious behavior:

Some illnesses such as: colds, flu, viruses or infections such as sinus, ear or urinary tract infections.
Pain such as: earache, headache, toothache, pre-menstrual tension
Seizures, some types of epilepsy
General feelings of being un-well such as: rashes, constipation, indigestion, heartburn, flatulence.
There is also research to suggest that there may be some connection between types of self-injury and tic disorders plus compulsive behaviors.

"Twenty Pesos"

2010-04-11T19:23:00.006+08:00

April 10, 2010

Miggy woke up.
He asked: "Where are we going? Go to SM?"
Mom: Do you have money?
Miggy: "Twenty pesos."
Mom: That's too little.
Miggy: "No, that's very big."
Mom: What do you want to buy at SM?
Miggy: "Justice League crayons, sticker Winnie the Pooh, Toy Story Book, Pokemon squirters, Justice League basketball set and pizza."

April is Autism Month

2010-04-05T18:21:00.012+08:00

Famous people with unspecified forms of autism:

The following people have been diagnosed as being somewhere on the autistic spectrum but the specific classification is unknown.

Daryl Hannah, an American actress best known for her roles in Splash, Blade Runner and Kill Bill was diagnosed as a child as being 'borderline autistic'
Christopher Knowles, American poet
Matthew Laborteaux, actor on Little House on the Prairie
Katherine McCarron, autistic child allegedly murdered at the age of three by her mother, Karen McCarron.
Jason McElwain, high school basketball player
Michael Moon, adopted son of author Elizabeth Moon
Jasmine O'Neill, author of Through the Eyes of Aliens
Sue Rubin, subject of documentary Autism Is a World. Sue Rubin has no oral speech but does communicate with facilitated communication.
Birger Sellin, author from Germany
Robert Gagno, actor from Vancouver

Famous people with Asperger syndrome:

Dan Aykroyd, comedian and actor: Aykroyd stated he has Asperger's, but some feel he was joking.
Richard Borcherds, mathematician specializing in group theory and Lie algebras
William Cottrell, student who was sentenced to eight years in jail for fire-bombing SUV dealerships
Craig Nicholls, frontman of the band The Vines
Gary Numan, British singer and songwriter
Dawn Prince-Hughes, PhD, primate anthropologist, ethologist, and author of Songs for the Gorilla Nation
Judy Singer, Australian disability rights activist
Vernon L. Smith, Nobel Laureate in Economics
Satoshi Tajiri, creator of Pokémon
Daniel Tammet, British autistic savant, believed to have Asperger Syndrome
Liane Holliday Willey, author of Pretending to be Normal, Asperger Syndrome in the Family; Asperger syndrome advocate; education professor; and adult diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at age 35

People with high-functioning autism:

Michelle Dawson, autism researcher and autism rights activist who has made ethical challenges to Applied Behavior Analysis
Temple Grandin, a designer of humane food animal handling systems
Hikari Oe, Japanese composer
Bhumi Jensen, Thai prince, grandson of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand; killed by drowning in the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
Dylan Scott Pierce, wildlife illustrator
Jim Sinclair, autism rights activist
Donna Williams, Australian author of Nobody Nowhere and Somebody Somewhere; after testing for deafness in late childhood, and being labelled 'disturbed', Donna was formally diagnosed as autistic in her 20s
Stephen Wiltshire, British architectural artist
Axel Brauns, German author of the autobiographical bestseller Buntschatten und Fledermäuse and filmmaker

Famous autistic savants:

Alonzo Clemons, American clay sculptor
Tony DeBlois, blind American musician
Leslie Lemke, blind American musician
Jonathan Lerman, American artist
Thristan Mendoza, Filipino marimba prodigy
Jerry Newport is an author, savant, and has Asperger's. His wife, Mary Newport, is also a savant on the autistic spectrum
Derek Paravicini, blind British musician
James Henry Pullen, gifted British carpenter
Matt Savage, U.S. autistic jazz prodigy
Henriett Seth-F., Hungarian autistic savant, poet, writer and artist

People with severe autism:

Tito Mukhopadhyay, author, poet and philosopher

Source:

http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/famous-people-with-autism.html

Pre-School Graduation

2010-03-29T21:04:00.007+08:00

March 18, 2010

Miggy graduated from Prep at Ridge View Academy. He was given an award for Exemplary Performance in Reading, plus 3 Smart Awards. He actually attended Kinder classes for only 3 times per week because the two days were allotted for his speech therapies at Play and Say Therapy Center and academic tutorials at Tots Tutorial Center. During periodical tests, he either perfected the exams or ranked second. Upon my suggestion, he was also given periodical tests in the Prep class which he never attended at all. However, he got very high marks also. His teachers, seeing that he was ready for higher learning, accelerated Miggy to Grade 1.

It was actually his 2nd time to graduate from preparatory education. Last year, he graduated from Easter College SPED Preparatory School with the Best in Spelling Award. Miggy was then ready for primary school.

Education for children with special-needs is never easy. Very few mainstream schools would welcome special children and only a few parents of regular kids would want to share their kids' classes with the not-so-perfect children. Rejection outweighs acceptance.... always the case. Parents are tearful every time a door closes on their children. For these children, everyday is Judgment Day... and for these parents, every night is a sleepless night.

Ridge View Academy accepted Miggy and his ever-present invisible friend named "Auti." However, they only offer preschool education then. The whole year experience with the academy was fruitful. Miggy made friends with everyone. "Auti" made a lot of friends too, not just with classmates but with the teachers and parents as well.

Creative Play

2010-03-22T22:39:00.003+08:00

Pic 1: "It's a tea party," Miggy said.
"Miggy is pouring tea."

Pic 2: "Miggy is cooking in the kitchen."
"Hmmm. Delicious hotdog. Add some salt."

*Miggy still addresses himself as a third person. He has difficulty using "I".

*Miggy loves doing girl-stuff. It is actually included in his therapies: self-help skills. These skills teach him independence and coping with daily life.

Fun Day at Mc Donalds!

2010-03-18T06:37:00.007+08:00

Ridge View Academy Pre-schoolers supposedly would go on a field trip to an eco-park here in Baguio City. However, during the teachers-parents meeting, it was unanimously agreed to just end the schoolyear with a kids' party at Mc Donalds where everyone would surely have fun.

March 12, 2010
Mc Donalds, SM Baguio

Joking

2010-03-14T03:55:00.007+08:00

Jan 28, 2010
Miggy: "Mommy, say give-me-a-kiss."
Mom: Give me a kiss.
He hugged me and laughed hard. That's a hug, I said.
Miggy: "Mommy, say give-me-a-hug."
Mom: Give me a hug.
He kissed me and laughed even harder. That's a kiss, I said.

Miggy: "Miggy is joking."

* Autistics are literal. Every word to its literal meaning. They do not know how to make jokes. Luckily, Miggy now knows how to make jokes. With autistics, everything has to be taught, including facial expressions and emotions. They do not learn things naturally. They do not learn on their own. Everything has to be mechanically fed to their brains. No input, no output.

* My strategy (Being very animated is a must and a plus!)
- I show exaggerated facial expressions, such as reactions when someone is happy, sad, excited, surprised and scared.
- I repeatedly play jokes on him and afterwards I tell him: That's a joke. Mommy is joking.
- When we watch cartoons (Tom and Gerry Show), I explain to him: Tom is playing jokes (tricks) on Gerry. Tom is joking. or Gerry is joking.

Friends at New Sinai Educational System

2010-03-07T04:18:00.001+08:00

Warm greetings to Mrs. Lilia del Barrio and her students at New Sinai Educational System in Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines, particularly the graduating class of Practical Nursing 2 and students of Caregiver Course.

I have 65 posts here. If you can't find everything you need here, please feel free to ask. You can find my mobile number and email address at the left side bar.

Thank you very much.

Useful Books

2010-03-02T07:25:00.006+08:00

Photo 1: Search books, such as Look and Find, Where Are They and Find Waldo, increase Miggy's attention span, at the same time, improve his "pointing".

Photo 2: Sticker books; Coloring books; Spelling, Math, Science, English, & Writing Books. These are just a few of the books that challenge Miggy's intellect. He can do most academic activities that any regular student can perform.

* One hallmark of some children with autism: They do not know how to point (with their fingers) and share their interests with others. (I am not even sure if Miggy had any interest in anything at all when he was just a baby because he never shared it with me and he never looked at me, or if he did, it was only accidental. I may have only gotten in the way of his passing glance.)

"Dear Jesus...."

2010-02-26T02:03:00.002+08:00

Miggy's Prayer when he was 5 years old:

"Dear Jesus, bless Mommy, bless Daddy, bless Ate, bless Miggy, bless Lolo and Lola, bless Inay and Tatay,
bless animals, bless butterflies, bless flowers, bless cars, bless Sponge Bob, bless Winnie the Pooh, bless Superman, bless Spiderman, bless Simpsons The Movie, bless Barney, bless Smiley face, bless Dumbo, and bless Jesus. Amen. I love you, Jesus. Thank you."

* And I later found out, he was looking at his stickers on the cabinet doors.

"Out of Egypt"

2010-02-22T03:48:00.003+08:00

Jan. 3, 2010
"This is a pyramid. This is 'Out Of Egypt'," he said.

* He learned it on the Discovery Channel documentary of Egypt, entitled 'Out of Egypt' (November 2009 Episode). He was able to associate a pyramid with Egypt.

I am Miggy's friend!

2010-02-19T21:44:00.003+08:00

Tonight, Miggy watched the Garfield Show on Cartoon Network. After switching off the TV and while getting him ready for bed, I had this very brief yet most revealing conversation with him. It went like this:

Mom: Are Garfield and Odie friends?
Miggy: "Yes."
Mom: Who is the friend of Mickey?
Miggy: "Minnie."
Mom: Who is the friend of Donald?
Miggy: "Daisy."
Mom: How about you? Do you have a friend?
Miggy: "Yes."
Mom: Who is your friend?
Miggy: "MOMMY."

* Wow, I am Miggy's friend! See, I told you I can break down his walls.

2010-02-15T08:14:00.007+08:00

Last week, Miggy and other special children were featured twice in Baguio newspapers, namely Sun Star and Midland Courier, to stir public awareness and acceptance of autism. "Many mentors marveled at the depth and perspective of the pictures taken by the participants, others commenting that the children took even better pictures at angles that even mentors didn't see."

What can I say? I'm a proud momma!

"That's a monkey..."

2010-02-13T11:53:00.002+08:00

Dec. 23, 2009
While I was folding Miggy's t-shirt,
Miggy read the words on the shirt and said the names of animals printed on the shirt:
"San Diego Zoo. Children's Zoo."
"That's a monkey, a parrot, a elephant, a horse, a pig, a tiger, a turtle, a panda, a koala, a bird, a rat and a beaver."

SM Photo Exhibit

2010-02-10T02:51:00.021+08:00

In time with Panagbenga Festival and Autism month, photography artworks of 19 children with autism are showcased at SM Baguio. Exhibit runs from February 5 - 25, 2010.

* Miggy with Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr.

* Miggy with Speech Therapist/ Owner of Play and Say Therapy Center, Justine Palou

What animal?

2010-02-04T08:50:00.007+08:00

Oct. 2, 2009:
In one of my sessions with Miggy:
Mom: What animal has a shell on its back, green color and moves very slow?
Miggy: "It's a turtle."
Mom: What animal says arf-arf and loves to eat bones?
Miggy: "It's a dog."
Mom: What animal has brown spots and has a long neck?
Miggy: "It's a giraffe."
Mom: What animal is very big, has long ears and colored gray?
Miggy: "It's a elephant."
Mom: What animal is also gray but is very, very small? (I was referring to a mouse)
Miggy: "It's a very small elephant."
Mom: No, it's gray, it's very, very small and it says squeak.
Miggy: "It's a gray, small elephant .... that says squeak-squeak."

Alvin and the Chipmunks 2

2010-02-01T10:43:00.009+08:00

Last Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010, my family, together with all these families watched the sensory-friendly movie, "Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Squeakquel." This was a joint project of ShoeMart, Play and Say Therapy Center, Autism Society of the Philippines (Baguio Chapter) and PMA Bantay Laya.

I posted this event to show everyone how big a family we are in our SPECIAL KINGDOM. All these families came out in the open, full of courage and pride, unmindful of shame and the insult of society.... altogether joining our little voices to shout to the world that we may not be perfect (well, no one is) but we are unique, maybe not in society's standards but in the eyes of the Maker.

*To everyone:
Please know that we too have feelings. Sometimes we get a little too sensitive and defensive. Why? Because we just couldn't stand it when other people look at our SPECIAL children with disgust. Their so-called disabilities are not at all disabling. They are not a burden to society. Like everyone else, they are also God's children, with equal rights to God's glory.

"Wow, it's spring"

2010-01-26T14:40:00.007+08:00

Oct. 30, 2009: Miggy at 7 yrs/2mos:
Looking out the window, he said:
"Wow, it's spring."
"The birds are singing, the grass is green."

Note: We live in the Philippines and we don't have spring here. However, Miggy learned the four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn in one of his educational videos.

*Miggy has an American accent which he learned from educational videos. Anybody who hears him talk would think that he grew up in the U.S. Oftentimes, we are asked if he is a "balikbayan". The only Tagalog words he knows are pandesal, lumpia and butong-pakwan which he says in a funny way.

Reading

2010-01-19T05:12:00.006+08:00

Miggy: "The yellow cat is playing the piano. The brown cat is playing the accordion. The gray cat is playing the trumpet and the blue cat is playing the big guitar."
Mommy: And what are you doing?
Miggy: "I am reading a book."

Bonding Moments

2010-01-15T20:07:00.003+08:00

Photo 1: Inside Miggy's new tent (a Christmas gift from Ate)
Photo 2: Playing with Troll dolls
Photo 3: Miggy and Clarisse: studying and having fun. Hi-fives!
Photo 3: Miggy tickles his Ate. He loves it all the
more when he hears his Ate shout and laugh.

*These are moments that I thought would never ever happen.