Tessellation

Miggy: Mommy I want to watch Gnomeo and Juliet video.
Mommy: Not until you finish your tessellation project in Math.

"Turn the radio off."

Dear readers, I wrote this on May 31, 2010. I reposted it today.
Why?.... please read on....

Remember when I once mentioned in 2010 that my singing was intolerable for Miggy's auditory senses? And that I had stopped singing (which I really love) and even humming since he was 2 yrs old? And that I could wait until when he's ready? And that if forever he still wouldn't let me, that it would still be okay? Well, today, I just sang a few lines of "Better Days" while sweeping the bedroom floor and he didn't scream, "Stop singing, Mommy!" Do you even realize how big a milestone this is? And just thinking about it and writing this post made me really, really cry. Do you know how it feels to be a mother of a special child? That the smallest victories feel this magical?

"Turn the radio off."
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.

Setting up the roadset

He received this present from Ate Krisma and Kuya Law Fajardo.
He built this roadset on his own. Another sample of his creative play.

Mahri Lego

Here's one of Miggy's LEGO creations. He got this Christmas present from a cousin. He followed the step-by-step procedure and created this Mahri. This is another sample of his creative play.

Merry Christmas to everyone! 

May this Christmas spirit live on in every heart 

and may the bells continue to ring in the ears of every child, special or otherwise. 

Grade 3 Class with Jollibee

Jollibee Christmas Party in Ridgeview Academy of Baguio

From left: Teacher Novi, Johan, RJ, EJ, Miggy, Terrence and Carlone

Photography Workshop at the BenCab Museum

The following photos were taken by Miggy during the photography workshop at the BenCab Museum. Miggy was mentored by Mr. Lino Tabangin of the Baguio Photographers Club. This was his 3rd participation in the annual photo workshop for the Colors of A Spectrum.

Little-Few, Much-Many

Mainstreamed in a grade 3 class, Miggy easily answered his English workbook on the use of many and much, little and few. 

Miggy, a barber

5 months ago, I saw Miggy on the bed lying on his stomach, playing with these unusual short-haired trolls, all sitting in an old blue lunchbox. 

Laughing, I asked: What happened to your trolls?!

He answered with bubbling laughter in between his words: "Miggy is a barber." 

Oh, so that explained those tiny colorful hairs I found in the trash. 

But honestly, these trolls now look better in their new hairdos.

This is a video of Miggy playing the Subway Surfer on his sister's iPhone. Watch how well he manipulates the character in the game.

I'll be posting some more videos of him doing some non-autistic (seemingly normal) actions in my next blogs. Please don't misunderstand this as bragging. My exhibition of his behavior and actions is simply intended to tell the world that: THIS IS AUTISM. THIS IS MIGGY. THERE IS HOPE.

I believe all autistic children, mild or severe, have at least one thing they excel in, such as in the field of computer and technology, arts, music, mathematics, photography.

Every parent, caregiver, therapist or teacher just needs to discover this "thing" that would spark a "breakthrough".

To every parent: Be a child. Play with him. Laugh with him. Clap and flap with him. Join him. Discover! Fly! Let go! Just let him be the child that he really is!

Cousins, Both on the Spectrum

Miggy and his first cousin, both on the spectrum. Is autism hereditary? Is it genetic?

GENES, HEREDITY AND AUTISM


There has been, and continues to be, a lot of research in the area of genes and heredity in relationship to autism. We need to have an understanding of genes and heredity before we dig deeper into this subject. Basically, a gene is the basic biological unit of heredity. Heredity is the genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring.

There are presently a number of ongoing studies to determine if there are specific genes that run in families who have a child with autism. In a recent study, Jonathan Sebat and Michael Wigler discovered that 10 percent of the 195 autistic patients they studied had evidence of tiny spontaneous chromosomal mutations, each with a different gene involved.  The importance of this is the fact that a spontaneous mutation indicates it is not inherited.

In another study, Pat Levitt, the director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center in Tennessee, reported, "In autism, there are a certain number of individuals who have more variation in the number of copies of genes. In blood samples from the autistic patients and an equal number of unaffected siblings and parents, 10 percent of them had spontaneous genetic mutations compared with 1 percent of those in a control group.

According to Sebat, however, the mutations appeared at different places suggesting "that there are so many possible places where you can get a hit." Sebat suggests that scientists will eventually figure out what each of these genes do, "so a common theme might emerge to explain autism."

Autism, it is suggested, has been influenced by genetics according to a number of studies. The problem is few genes have been identified to be involved in the disorder. Researchers believe that in most cases they are thought to be influenced by dozens of defective genes, or by rare spontaneous mutations.

In 2002 a group of scientists pooled their resources and formed the Autism Genome Project.They used gene chip technology to look for genetic similarities in people with autism. Their study involved 1,200 families, with 120 scientists throughout 19 countries in more than 50 institutions. Their study basically revolved around a region of chromosome 11 and a specific gene called neurexin 1. As a result, experts say these findings will help with discovering new autism treatments. This goes along with the long-held theory that errors in a person's genetic blueprint play a part in autism. The group has started the next phrase of their work which is estimated to take three years to complete.

When researchers find the genetic factors that play a role in the development of autism this will one day lead to a more accurate measurement of the possible recurrence risks in families as well as provide for better treatments.

Dr. Lisa Croen explained that there are a multitude of genetic studies completed, beginning, or in progress, "but no single gene has been identified as an 'autism' gene. There are lots of hotspots, but the studies are not consistent." The studies of genes and heredity will continue, just like the studies in vaccinations continue. Eventually, hopefully sooner than later, some of the possible causes will be once and for all eliminated while other areas will be researched in more depth. This, however, does not offer the families with an autistic child much comfort - the not knowing, the uncertainty, and, as stated earlier, the frustration this creates is overwhelming. It's not good enough to say that "one day" we will know what causes autism - one day may be a year from now, ten years from now, or even longer. 


Source: http://www.trcb.com/health-and-fitness/autism/genes-heredity-and-autism-500.htm

Helpful activities (in cereal boxes) but usually ignored, wasted and dumped 

Another Math Milestone

Here's one of his Math milestones while mainstreaming in Ridgeview Academy's grade 3 class.

Miggy's Condo

"Miggy's condo" is what he calls it.

Note: In the background is the real "Walls of Miggy" - All colorful, full of life, orderly, harmonious and at peace with his autistic mind.

Hi to all University of the Cordilleras SPED major students! Welcome to Miggy's blog. If you need anything or if you want to know anything/everything about his autism (diagnosis, evaluations, management, activities, behavior, etc), just email me at yolette_cuevas@yahoo.com. Miggy's case is for everyone.

The Rights of a Child

Here's Miggy doing a school project: THE RIGHTS OF A CHILD

THE RIGHTS OF EVERY FILIPINO CHILD

It is my right 

1.  To be born. To have a name and nationality.

2.  To be free. To have a family who will take care of me.

3.  To have a good education.

4.  To develop my potentials.

5.  To have enough food, shelter, a healthy and active body.

6.  To be given the opportunity for play and leisure.

7.  To be given protection against abuse, danger and violence brought by war 

     and conflict.

8.  To live in a peaceful community.

9.  To be defended and assisted by the government.

10. To be able to express my own views.

DEFINITION OF A CHILD

• A person who is 18 years old or younger.
• A person who is above 18 but can not take care of himself due to certain circumstance.

© ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc 2008 www.bantaybata163.com

Meticulous Play

Please take note of how tiny his little cutouts are. These are painstakingly stacked in every room of his playhouse. And notice his obsession on stickers.

With just one look, he would know if a thing is misplaced. This is why I have to ask his permission when I clean his playhouse.
Mommy: Miggy, do you want a clean playhouse?
Miggy: Yes.
Mommy: Can I clean your playhouse now?
Miggy: Yes.
Mommy: Okay. Mommy will now remove the furniture. Yes, Miggy?
Miggy: Yes, Mommy.

If he says no, I do not insist.
I know my son very well. It's a NO if he says no and a YES if he says yes. For him, there are no "in betweens". All black or white, and no grays.

Special Kids Video

After not watching this video collection for many years, I don't know what triggered his sudden gusto. A change of routine. His eyes have lately been glued to these two movies only, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Hop for nearly a month. Tonight, for 4 hours already, he has been watching Special Kids, reciting the video word-for-word with the narrator. Exactly the same pacing, intonation and accent. He still remembers every word. Ah! His autistic mind never ceases to amaze me.

The Special Kids Video teaches speech, vocabulary, spelling and a variety of skills.
Video Modelling Therapy is one of the most effective speech and skill-building strategies for children with developmental, cognitive and learning disabilities. Special Kids Video Collection includes the following:
The Alphabet
Numbers and Quantities
Body Parts and Grooming
Animals, Birds and Fish
Things in a Day
A Day at School
Let's Go To
Spelling
Shapes and Colors
All About Jesus
Getting Ready