Plurals

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

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

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

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

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."

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

Did you find it?

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

A note from Miggy's tutor

Lining Up

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)

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."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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."

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

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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 routines. 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.

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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.