I am a mom of an autistic 19 year old young man. He is high function in some areas, very low im others.
I know that some new parents of autistic children are scarred of what the future holds for their children. And some that their children are starting to become young adults and unsure of where to go for their present and future care. Or what is here at fort riley.
Others may be living in anger, fear, resientment for how their children are welcomed here bu other adults or children.
I didnt want to go into mine and joeys story. But, being where some of you are, presently where some of you are at, and preping for what will be the future. I was just wanting you to know i am here if you need help or understanding.
Autisim is a life long change, a real eye opening to whats important, and in all of its fog a true teaching tool to understanding things outside of a box. 

My son is 20 and has Aspergers , I hate the fact people judge him (and me) before they know him. He is EXTREMELY intelligent, but his social and communication skills lack severely. But I am so proud of who my son is and has become that, he is enrolled in online college, has a REAL girlfriend who also has Aspergers, has his drivers license and knows what he wants from life.
Sometimes I find Aspergers as a blessing to me, My son has NEVER been in trouble at school or with the law, he has a very good judgement of people and is very selective with his friends. On the other hand I also feel Aspergers has robbed me, I can not get my son to hug me and have never heard him tell me he loves me, I tell him every day I love him and get a grunt. But I know he loves me and that grunt is his way of telling me, and I have learned to accept that. 

My joey is not ever going to live on hos own. or have a job outside of our family ran business. He has no control over what exits his mouth. He sometimes says what others really think. But, he gets in trouble.
I understand totally about judgement. I had to send my son home to stay with my parents for a bit. I go back and forthe till we retire soon. But i couldnt stand to watch him suffer at the hands of so called adults. Cussing at him, lying about him and basically trying to get him in trouble.
We actually had two mps kicked out of service for what they did to our son here at riley.
Autistics most shake constantly because they are having back to back seizures. And there are such ignorant people they take the shaking as drug use or automatic show of guilt.
Autisim has robbed joey and i of things others take for granted. Like a soft hug, or a i love you thats real and not mimicked, or a normal life in general.
I live in fear waiting for the big seziure to come. Not knowing wich way it will send joey. Or how it will change our lifes again.
No one day is the same. Conversations dont change but the actions do.
My joey still believes in santa. I will forever have a six year old who wants to play gtown up.
No med in the world will change him, and no amount of therapy can make him fit into a society who honestly is cruel, and so judgemental that if they dont live with it. No reason to understand it. 

God bless both of you. 

Sounds like you've had some rough times over the years, but it sounds like you have the right attitude to get thru it and continue to give him whats best.

I have a 10 year old with aspergers and we dont ever talk about it. We dont introduce him as such, and we havent mentioned it to him. Everyone who meets him just thinks hes super intelligent, and I'm happy with that. I was talking with the school recently, and I told them that if there came a time where I had to identify him as such in order to get him something that he needs to suceed, that I would... but otherwise I'd like to just keep the labels off of him when we can. I know this doesnt work for everyone, and I'm not suggesting anyone do anything any differently. I just didnt want him to be known for anything than who he really is, if that makes any sense. 

It does make sense not to want to label anyone in life. Although thru the years i have to explain many times about autisim and the difference between the aspberg syndrome and the x fragile syndrome.
And to deal with such lovely intelligant folks whom thought that their children could catch autisim or even teach their children awful things. Not like using the tv as a baby sitter was teaching them way better things than my son.
But like i always say people are afraid of what they dont know, understand, and some just feel so blessed they dont have time to learn. As long as it isnt their child sitting off to the side. They are not effected.
My joey gave a small talk ,as you notice i didnt say speach.lol. But anyways one thing he said without me realizing it was going to come out of his mouth.was, I different to everybody else, but to my mom, I am a joey.
Not realizing till then joey does understand he is a label. But his label comes to mean many different things to different people.
After he said this though he reverted and has never repeated again.
My life is a cha cha dance. Two steps forward, two steps back. And the tune just doesnt change. Haha 

Asperger's dropped from revised diagnosis manual

CHICAGO (AP) -- The now familiar term "Asperger's disorder" is being dropped. And abnormally bad and frequent temper tantrums will be given a scientific-sounding diagnosis called DMDD. But "dyslexia" and other learning disorders remain.

The revisions come in the first major rewrite in nearly 20 years of the diagnostic guide used by the nation's psychiatrists. Changes were approved Saturday.

Full details of all the revisions will come next May when the American Psychiatric Association's new diagnostic manual is published, but the impact will be huge, affecting millions of children and adults worldwide. The manual also is important for the insurance industry in deciding what treatment to pay for, and it helps schools decide how to allot special education.
 

They have for years changed the name. not all have tantrums, not all rock. So many ranges of chatacteristics.
My son can not read or write. But he can tell you things thst would shock you.
My joeys is dna related. Wich i guess i can blame myself or just accept my cards. I perfer to just smile, deal, and cry alone. Its not his fault.
And no sxience in the world can fix or change it. 

Did you read the one woman in the article has four sons and a daughter with autism? 

For some reason couldnt open it sorry. 

You can view the article at Stars & Stripes.

www.stripes.com 

I read somewhere last yr chicago has the rate of aspberg diahnoses anywhere. I am not sute why. I dont remember what they were trying to link it to. 

I read somewhere last yr chicago has the rate of aspberg diahnoses anywhere. I am not sute why. I dont remember what they were trying to link it to. 

Not vaccines? 

I will check it out. Thanks. But i have to ask four...wonder if she has been misdiagnosed. I didnt know difference or about pdd x fragile. Till i had to put joey in hospital for med change.
Now i give him very little meds brcause they never helped him. 

Is it linked at all to women having pregnancies later on in life? Thinking of Chicago, that's what comes to mind; career women putting off parenthood till they are older. 

At one point they said vaccines, then it was pesticides, oh my fav was the shot that they used to give women back in the 70s to dry up their milk that caused our generation to have these issues.
I had a doctor tell me once he thought it was due to music that kids hear as new borns. Haha
They dont have nuts to say why they dont know. 

Honestly this article was over the poorer community. I remember that because,i got pussed. Because i felt like they were saying if you have money you get NORMAL chikdren 

My dang phone is acting crazy again. I wonder if i wiped prozact all over it. It would spell what i want. 

They dont have nuts to say why they dont know. 

Ye old, "It's more of an art, than a science". Makes you want to slap somebody. c;

Because i felt like they were saying if you have money you get NORMAL children

Rubbish, utter rubbish. I was just reading an article about a well-to-do's 23 year old daughter coping with autism. It shocks me how many ignorant people roam the earth.

Another family covered has two children with autism and doesn't live in the slums. The multiple siblings gets me. 

Yep, i always say goffy comes i. All shapes or forms.
People who are walking idiots think their children can catch it.
Or tell their children not to play with them because they act like wild animals.
I however have come to truly embrace the fortunate walking goobers of the world. I thank the lord my son for whom he is. 

Everyone has an idea of how it was caused. A part of me has always wanyed to ask other mothers of autistic children, what do they think caused it.
it would be interesting to see 

I'm sure there are forums and support groups galore that converge on that touchy subject. 

There are. But i find that people whom are new to the autism world are still fighting for a way to reverse it. I just have gotten to the point after 20 years, i dont want to reverse it. Just live with it the best i can.
i wish people were more apt to talk about it and all the issues that surround it without getting upset.
For example i personally do not want my son to have a child. I cant raise another disabled child, i am getting older. He cant care for a child the way it needs to be in any matter. And it would take a very special woman and family to accept that joey is a lifetime job. Not a person that can ever be sent out on hos own. But when i say i hope to have him prevented from having children. It ticks moms off. Because their kids are still young and their not getting tired yet.