Sensory Street Kids Is A Hit

I have started doing some work for Lea Keating of Sensory Street Kids. She has hired me to help with her website and her blog, La La Language. Lea has a son that was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) at the age of 16 months. She founded Sensory Street Kids to fill a need that was missing in her community.

After searching for the right play groups and social environments for her son, Lea became frustrated. They weren’t meeting the needs of her son. That was when she consulted with professional therapists in designing a program that would meet her son’s needs and other special needs children.

Soon, she was offering this program in libraries and day cares. It was benefiting both special needs children and typically developed children. Sensory Street Kids was born and has been providing sensory based language/music classes for three years.

It didn’t take long before Lea was being contacted by parents and professionals around the country. They had heard about her and Sensory Street Kids on Twitter and wanted to know how they could bring Sensory Street Kids to their community.

That was when Lea put together a licensing program for Sensory Street Kids, and now parents and professionals can sign up to join her team. Parents and professionals can become Certified Sensory Street Kids Instructors. They can open their own Sensory Street Kids center in their community. Sensory Street Kids now has centers in Miami, Springfield, Washington. For more information on this, you can visit the Sensory Street Kids website.

Lea has also developed a blog to go along with her website. It’s called La La Language and provides articles on sensory activities, tips, and upcoming events for Sensory Street Kids. You can leave comments on her blog if you have questions or follow her on Twitter, http://twitter.com/sensorystkids.

Lea is also competing in the 2010 Startup Nation Leading Moms in Business. You can vote for her by visiting this link, http://www.startupnation.com/leading-moms-in-business/contestant/8852/index.php. I encourage all of my readers to go over there and show your support.

Connect With Other Autism Parents

Have you been over to the AutismLearningFelt Forum? I've made a couple of changes. I moved the Giveaways Around The Blogosphere into the forum. This is so that I don't have to keep up with the ones that have expired and delete them.

I am trying to pull in new members, and to get the current ones more active. Getting a new forum off the ground takes time, I know. I really want it to be a place where we can discuss anything and everything. Connecting with other parents of autistic children can be a big help. You can discuss things that they understand, because they have been there or are still going through that.

Any autism parent will tell you that, unless the other person is raising an autistic child, they can not truly understand what you are going through. Because of that, advice and support is best when they come from someone in a similar position as you.

If you are in need of support or just feel like chatting, come on over to the forum. I'd love to get to know all of my readers better. Feel free to ask me any questions, too.

A Label Doesn't Change The Child

Jean Myles, www.MommyToTwoBoys.blogspot.com, shares her story with me and my readers via an email interview. Thank you, Jean.

1. When was your three year old diagnosed?


Jaylen was diagnosed at 18 months.


2. Receiving a diagnosis at such a young age is great. Are you receiving Early Intervention services?


At 18 months Jaylen was getting a specialist to the house once a week and we quickly realized it wasn't enough. So he began ABA - DTT five days a week for an hour and a half. Then when he turned 3 he started an integrated PreK program run by special ed certified teachers where he also receives Speech, OT, and PT.


3. If so, can you explain what they are to my readers?


Oops, just did that above :)


4. Would you mind telling my readers a little bit about your child?


Jaylen was completely non verbal until 2, but now has a vast vocabulary, almost above age level. He still has some issues answering questions, and has instant and delayed echolalia at times.

He is very hyperactive, especially when there is a change in routine or he is overstimulated. He used to have very little eye contact and rarely responded to his name, but now does both more often than not.

Jaylen has emotional problems, mostly anxiety and cries often when frustrated or not sure of something. He also has very little empathy and can not "read" people. He used to have up to ten 30 minute or longer tantrums per day, but know has only 1 or 2 a week.

Sensory issues have become worse over time. He likes to squeeze into tight places, use a weighted blanket, and carry heavy objects.

He has difficulty playing with toys appropriately and to this point has no idea how to interact with other children other than to chase them and repeat what they say. However, he is getting good at turn taking games at home.

Jaylen is very bright, some of his teachers have even mentioned the term savant to me. Numbers, shapes, and letters are his favorite thing and he can easily become consumed in any activity involving them.


5. What has been the biggest help for you in obtaining information about autism, therapies and treatments?


The biggest help for us was his first placement. His coordinator, teachers, and therapists at his ABA school were just amazing. They were so involved in Jaylen's development. Since leaving that placement I have found several websites and mom's groups online that really help. A few books have also been helpful in reading about treatments and tips.


6. What has been your family's reaction to your child being diagnosed with autism?


The first day we were told something wrong was very tough to hear. Being a former teacher though, my husband and I both knew something wasn't right. But hearing it from someone else was hard to handle. The label didn't change him though. He is still the same kid, our same little boy, just now we know what is wrong and work hard to help him the best we can.

When You Need Support From A Friend

One thing that has been difficult for me is making friends with other moms. A mom with children that are not on the spectrum can be sympathetic. She can listen and offer advice. The problem that occurs with this is that she can not truly understand what you are going through. Her advice isn't coming from a place of true understanding of your situation.

I met another mom of an autistic child a few years ago. We hit it off immediately. She has a daughter that is almost non-verbal. She is about the same age as my daughter and younger than my son. The things that this mom is going through now are things that I have already dealt with in my son's younger years.

We lost touch with each other since summer. Our schedules are so busy, and it has been hard to keep the lines of communication open. I have talked with her every night over the last few days. She has been having difficulties with the public school system, therapists and is starting new services with her daughter.

She was feeling overwhelmed and needed to talk with someone that understood and could help her sort through everything. This is the great thing about our friendship. No matter how long it has been since we last talked, we can pick right up as if no time has gone by. We also know that either one can call the other for support.

It is very important to me to have her as a friends. She has been a great sounding board for me and I hope I have been the same for her. We accept each other and our children in a way that only two moms raising autistic children can. We both have NT children and we get them all together to play. That is, when our schedules allowed. We don't have to explain behaviors, and our NT children understand and interact with our autistic children.

The looks we share are of understanding and pride. Understanding of what each child is doing and pride of their accomplishments. We can relax in each other's company, and that is wonderful. I value this friendship and am grateful that I have her in my life.

What Makes a Mom Totally Stupid

How do you turn a mom into a complete idiot? You take one weekend with one sick child, 1 well child, and make that mom sleep deprived. You add in a Monday with only half a day of school and you get a mom who’s functioning, reasoning and thinking skills are drastically altered. Temporarily, of course, but until said mom gets some much needed sleep, said mom is going to do something really stupid.

And I did. Big Time. I had a phone meeting Monday afternoon with a potential sponsor for the BlogHer Conference. I was really excited about it. It was with (seed)+ and I had already reviewed their products and liked them. I would have loved to promote their products.

I thought the phone call went great. There was a moment when I thought they might have been unhappy that I said that my children thought they were eating junk food when consuming their product, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t until last night, when I played the conversation back in my head, that I realized what I said and what I was talking about.

I wasn’t talking about their product. I was talking about a different product. A food product. Their products are lotions, bar soap, and bar shampoo. Can you say “You totally blew it?” I knew who I was talking to, but for some reason, my mind took me to a different company and product. I know it was because I was sleep deprived. Unfortunately for me, that isn’t going to cut it.

What company is going to take a chance on a person that has done that? A very understanding company, perhaps? Do me a favor, let me know that I am not alone here. Tell me about something really stupid you have done, because you were sleep deprived. Don’t be shy, I know you have at least one story you can share.

One Sick Plus Girl Scout Cookies Equals Dead Battery

It has been a crazy weekend. My son did good recovering from his biopsy, but came down with a stomach bug. At first, I thought it was a complication from the procedure. He was vomiting. A lot. I called the Pediatric Surgeon on call at the hospital that he had the biopsy done, and he didn’t think it was related. He thought it could be the pain medicine or a stomach bug. My little boy didn’t start getting sick until Thursday evening and the procedure was Tuesday.

Of course, I had to leave a message for the doctor and he called me back at 4:30AM. I was not happy to be woken up at that time, especially since I had stayed up late waiting for him to call. I was relieved that it wasn’t a complication of the biopsy. I took my son off the pain medicine, but that didn’t help. It was a stomach bug.

It has been tough on my little boy. He would be really hungry and eat a little bit, then it would come back up. It got to the point that he refused to eat anything. Slowly, with crackers, sprite and sympathy, my little boy started to get better. By Sunday, he was eating and drinking again. So far, no one else in the family shows signs of having caught his stomach bug.

I also had to deliver Girl Scout cookies to the moms in my daughter’s troop on Saturday. Of course, it snowed Friday night. One of the moms didn’t show up and I haven’t been able to get hold of her. Sunday was Cookie Booth day for our little troop. It actually turned out to be a pleasant experience. We didn’t sell as many as we had hoped, but the girls had a great time.

I managed to piss my husband off by hogging the computer to play Evony. He really hates the game. He thinks I spend too much time on it. He’s probably right, but I enjoy it. He watched racing all weekend, except for when I had to call him to come get me because the battery in the truck died. At least we received our tax refund money Friday, so we had the $100 it took to buy a new one.

I have several reviews that I need to get working on this week and I still need to finish the book I am reading. Did I mention how sore I am from moving cases of cookies from place to place? Bayer has become my new best friend. That was my weekend. How was yours?

A Mom's Lesson Learned Raising an Autistic Child

My Lesson

By Meredith Myers

It was 6:09 pm on a chilly November evening when the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen came into this world, struggling with all her might to join our close knit family. My little beautiful angel girl had a rough day ahead on oxygen and then a few more under the UV lights to rid her of the jaundice that had set in. She could not breastfeed, something she just couldn’t get a hold of, but none of that mattered, all I wanted was to bring her home.

As a parent you have expectations or shall I say dreams of what is to come for your child. All of the milestones to make, the potty training, ABC’s and the like, but you’re never prepared when you find out your sweet little one may have a “problem”. At first knowledge that our child had autism we were of course, like many other parents, unsure of what to do. There was so much starting at the time on treatments, traditional and unconventional, where do we begin? The one thing that we did know for sure is that she was going to receive the most love that any baby ever has.

There were many rough days ahead, hard times trying to understand her cries, challenges with her digestion and other health problems, and most of all her inability to speak. But through it all, God has given us the compassion to help make strides with her that we never thought were possible. The patience to try and try again, the strength to keep giving her hugs and kisses even when she would push us away. The diligence to try everything that may help and read everything we can get our hands on. She has made astronomical leaps forward in every way possible thanks to that love that is deep inside us all. She has taught us so much, so many lessons of understanding that we would have never learned otherwise and we are eternally grateful to her for coming into our lives. Sarah has been a blessing that we could have never expected and what an amazing person she is! The important lesson here is to not forget to take that deep breath every now and then, love these babies and all their beauty with all you’ve got, throw out your old expectations and when life’s speed bumps come your way, dig in deep and hit them head on because what’s on the other side is amazing.

Raising an Autistic Child and Taking Care of Yourself

It can be difficult to take care of yourself when raising an autistic child. I spend most of my time and energy on both of my kids. With my son, I am also taking him to appointments several times a week. I am homeschooling him, too.

For the last couple of years, I have been putting off going to the doctor to have a skin abnormality checked out. I would tell myself that it isn't important. My mother and sister would insist that I needed to get it checked out, and I would dismiss their concerns.

The bottom line was that I didn't have the money or time to have it checked. Actually, that's not quite true. I didn't want to spend the money or take the time to have it checked. If I did, then I would be doing something for myself, instead of taking care of my kids. I feel guilty whenever I spend money on myself or do something just for me.

I know. My logic was a little screwed. If I don't take care of myself, who will? If I don't visit the doctor for regular checkups, something that is minor could turn into something serious. Then what? What happens to my kids?

I finally went to the doctor. At the appointment, four spots on the side of my nose were biopsied. The doctor is also having an appointment made for surgery to remove a basil cell carcinoma. The results of the biopsy results won't be back until next week.

Bottom line, I should have gone to the doctor when I first noticed the skin abnormality. I still feel bad about what this is going to cost my family. I am going to feel guilty when my husband has to take a day off of work to take care of the kids, while my father drives up and takes me to have the surgery. I know that I shouldn't it, but it is who I am. I am glad that this is being taken care of, and I pray that the biopsy results will be fine.

Given all of what I have just written, I urge all parents to take care of yourself. Take the time to visit your doctor for routine exams. Don't put it off due to time or money. In the end, you could be hurting your family a lot more if you don't take care for yourself.

Autism Moms Thursday Appreciation

Autism Moms Thursday is here again. Today, I want to take time to appreciate our kids. I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of time teaching my son and worrying about him. I make plans for what we are going to do everyday and how we are going to do it.

There are days when I have to make myself stop and think about what he wants. I will turn the day over to him and do whatever he wants. It could be walking around Home Depot. Up and down the aisles, especially the lighting aisle, over and over again. It could be going to the park and walking (as long as it isn’t in the middle of winter). It could be playing a game or watching a movie together.

I love these days. It’s relaxing to take a day and not have an agenda to accomplish. The joy on my son’s face when he has control is priceless. These are our best days. It seems that we actually accomplish more on days like these. It’s playing towards his strengths. Building on them. Theses days refuel us and allow us to go back to working the next day.

Parents are not the only ones that feel the stress of our lives. Our children also feel it. They respond and react to what is around them, just as we do. It’s nice for my son to be able to take control of his life, what he does. He enjoys being in charge. My son is getting older and needs a little more independence. When he is allowed to take charge, I can see a change come over him. It’s like he grew from being a baby to a pre-teen right before my eyes.

I hope you will participate in Autism Moms Thursday. Write a post that is about appreciating your child. Include a copy of the above picture in your post and enter your link into McKlinky. I look forward to reading everyone’s posts.

Unique and Thoughtful Valentine's Day Gifts

Are you looking for an out-of-the-box gift idea for Valentine's Day? Here are a few ideas to let your Valentine know you care.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT YOU, created by Kate and David Marshall, SRP $13.95, Bestseller – 90,000+ copies sold
Journaling pros Kate and David Marshall created this journal to celebrate love and offer a fresh way for couples to say "I love you." This fill-in-the-blank book prompts you to say what is in your heart, but may not always be at the tip of your tongue. Tell the most important person in your life just how much they mean to you by completing the scores of unique, evocative checklists, short answers, and phrases in this attractive gift book.

Here's 2 innovative Valentine's gift ideas:
a) Reusable Shopping/Travel Totes that zip up into their own little pouch in the shape of a heart. Here's a chance to live a greener lifestyle by using fewer disposable shopping bags. They're available here: http://wrapsacks.com/market/Totes
b) Reusable fabric gift wrap bags. These come equipped with a tracking label so you can follow the journey of your gift bag online as it's re-gifted from one person to another. See how many miles it travels, what gifts it carries and more with Track-a-Sack™. ...like a message in a bottle! Available in Valentine's fabric designs, see them all here: http://wrapsacks.com/market/giftbags

The Not Just Any Old Day™ Calendar Key necklace incorporates our “signature” calendar charm into a hip, stylish accessory that is not only beautiful but a wonderful conversation piece. Included with each Not Just Any Old Day Calendar Key is either a 30” silver plated ball chain or silver plated key ring. Retail price is $45.00. Purchase yours at http://www.notjustanyoldday.com/

Invincibelle® Spirit Hydrangea, new in 2010, the first-ever pink Annabelle hydrangea. You can order this now, but since it is a seasonal item, it won’t ship until Spring.
A gift that gives back: For every Invincibelle® Spirit hydrangea sold, $1.00 will be sent to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Help raise $1 million dollars for breast cancer research. Learn more at http://invincibellespirit.net/

Better Than a Love Song!
Treat your loved one to fantastic concert seats to see Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, John Mayer, U2 and many more top artists – while also benefiting admired charities, including Autism Speaks! For the same or better price you’ll find elsewhere, concert and theater seats on http://www.ticketsforcharity.com/ include a donation to one or more Partner Charities of your choice!

Between the Sheets Co. is a paper company with the most affordable
(and sassy) custom designed and personalized paper products. Our
placemats for kids, $18, serve up a fun meal for everyone! Placemats
are double sided, personalized and super easy to clean (you're welcome
mom!).

Surprise Industries crafts surprise experiences: a totally unique gift that's ideal for couples and families on Valentine's Day. Your surprise could be anything from weaving to cooking class, but you won't know for sure till you get there.
Here's how it works: Select a date for your surprise, receive a series of mysterious clues and an address, show up and dive in. www.SurpriseIndustries.com. Prices range from $25 and up per person, and surprises could be tailored to any preferences, restrictions, and budget. Please find a photo of one of our surprises attached along with our logo.

Name of the gift: A movie poster from Just Movie Posters.Com
Description: Available for purchase are theatrical, video/DVD release posters, mini-posters, odd size posters, movie poster postcards and gift certificates at Just Movie Posters.Com. Most items are $15 or less (shipping extra).

Gift Card Mall™, located in major retailer outlets including Safeway, offers a large variety of gift cards from popular department stores, restaurants and online retailers. Consumers can design their own gift cards on www.GiftCardMall.com by uploading a special photo or message – making their Valentine’s Day gift even more memorable.

VoiceQuilt
A Valentine's Day gift that transcends time and distance, VoiceQuilt provides the perfect way to say those powerful three words: "I love you." An heirloom-quality keepsake box that plays a collection of toasts, tributes and favorite memories, VoiceQuilt is especially meaningful as it preserves memories and carries them through generations. A VoiceQuilt keepsake is perfect for the gift giver that wants to give something meaningful. Costs range from $55.00-$100.00, and can be split between gift-givers.

Rocket Farms orchids have recently been called “An unlikely international superstar emerging in full bloom, offering a newly affordable home luxury in an era of tight money” in newspapers across the country”. These unique orchids live 3-6 months and are grown in moss so they only have to be watered once every 3 weeks. Rocket Farms orchids are available in a myriad of colors and patterns, including stripped and polka dotted. These orchids are available online at http://www.rocketfarms.com/ and at stores across the country (such as CostCo, Trader Joes and Whole Foods) with prices starting at just $8.

Celebrate In Pink
I’d like to introduce you to a very unique gift idea for Valentine’s Day…Notice that the “P” has a heart in it. This collection of tableware promotes socially responsible partying as we donate a portion of our profit to financially assist women undergoing breast cancer treatment. It is the perfect gift that keeps on giving.

KindNotes – ready-made and customizable jars of messages enclosed in mini decorative envelopes for the recipient to open daily. Choose from 500+ pre-printed messages or personalize them.

Comfy Cozy® magical GLOW-IN-THE-DARK pillowcases are Fun & Functional! The "Hearts of Love" design makes a perfect Keepsake Valentine's Day gift that will remind your Valentine of how much you love them all year long. Order at comfycozy.com for only $16.95 (add $2 for Personalization), the standard pillowcases are priced right and you don't have to worry about sizes. Enter Voucher Code 10%GC on the on line order form to receive a 10% discount off of your order.

Kangaroom Storage offers festive and thoughtful organizational wonders in RED and PINK to keep the ladies in your life organized and stress-free this Valentine’s Day! Our unique gifts are guaranteed to keep giving all year round. Whether for the crafty gal, sentimentalist or diva extraordinaire, we have the perfect gifts to keep girls and women of all ages organized, styling and smiling!

Candi Andi creates a line of cuddly hearts, stars and moons that are eye catching and great to hold and relieve stress. The products are "Eco-friendly" and are filled with an all natural organic lavender blossom and flaxseed mix or lavender and buckwheat hull mix that emits a calming scent, and can be heated or chilled for therapy/relief. The calming attributes of the entire Candi Andi product line make for a healthy mind and body.
Prices range from $4.00 to $128.

This is a gift guide, put together to give you ideas for Valentine's Day. All descriptions are from the companies of the products listed. No compensation was given or received for inclusion on this list.

Doing It All

written by Chynna Laird

When I was younger, I often heard the words, “You can’t…” These words can crush a child’s self-esteem to the point where they believe them. Not for me. In fact, hearing those words did the opposite: I worked my hardest to prove people wrong—that I could do it.

As women, we all wear many hats and all of those in our personal collection are a bit different. Mine are Wife, Mother, Student, Writer, Author, Self-Employer and Household Engineer (It just sounds classier that way!). Of course there are several Sub-Hats I wear under each of those categories but the most important one, for me, is mothering my exceptional kids. Whatever I do in my life I do because I want them to believe “I can”. Every day, they face something that makes them question that belief but I always tell them, “If you’re trying, you’re doing.” That’s become my theme phrase.

Of course, we have to be realistic too. With my determined “I can” attitude, I often put myself in the position of filling my plate so high I can’t get through it. So the key is to find that healthy balance among all the hats we wear so none of them will get too tight.

Here’s what I’ve learned to do:

Prioritize. Prioritizing is much more than just putting things in order. It’s understanding which of your hats requires most of your focus and placing everything else behind them. In my life, my kids and their needs are number one. If their needs aren’t being met, they get out of sorts and everything else falls apart—then I can’t get to the other stuff anyway. Of course, priorities change as time goes on so just check in with yourself every so often to be sure you’re on the right path.

Knowing limits. The main lesson I learned over 2009 was that I couldn’t take on millions of new projects expecting to give them all the best of my ability. It’s difficult trying to give 100% to everything you’ve got going. What happens is that not only do you end up producing poor quality work you wear yourself out. Know what your limits are and only take on what you can put your heart into at that time. Sometimes I can tackle many things, other times maybe only one. Understanding this eased a great deal of my stress.

Balance. In some ways, I’m so fortunate to be able to work at home. I can start and stop a project (as long as the work gets done!) without getting into trouble from the boss because that’s me! Most importantly, I can be here for my kids whenever they need me. I give myself a time requirement to get work done then I tell my kids that, “If you give Mama ____ time to do this and this, we can go down into the Sensory Room and play!” or whatever else they want to do. All work makes us grouchy but all play gets nothing done. Be sure to slot in time for both.

Squeeze in mommy time. This is for the work-out-of-home moms. When I was younger, I stayed with my Dad and step-mom, Robin. She was an amazing Mom who worked but spent the precious few hours she had after work with her two young children. “I feel so guilty,” she said to me one evening. “Merlyn (nanny) is raising them, not me. I’m missing them growing up.” I told her that it’s the quality of time she spent with the kids, not the quantity that they appreciated. Her kids are both grown now and never talk about her not being there. They talk about the fun things they did when she got home. That’s what they remember. Whatever time you can give them, they’ll always treasure.

Remember yourself. This is something I still forget about—setting a bit of time aside for me. A lot of Moms, especially those with children who have higher needs, forget to take “Me Time” or even feel guilty taking it. With all that you do, it’s crucial to take a bit of time to do things just for you. Pick up that book you’ve left dog-eared on the couch and go somewhere peaceful to read. Have a nap. Take up an art or music class. Go to the Opera. Whatever you’re in to you must take a bit of time each day for yourself to recharge and remind yourself of the person you were before work, before you became “Mrs. ____”, before children. In this case, it’s okay to be selfish for one hour (or however long you’re lucky to grab) out of the entire day.

These are just a few ways I’ve learned to keep all my hats not only fitting well but also keeping them in good, working order. You really can do it all. Just pace yourself, know what you can handle, and be good to yourself.

Autism Moms Thursday Christmas

I know it has been a while since I have done an Autism Moms Thursday. Sorry about that. For this one, I thought we could share Christmas stories or pictures. Here are a couple of pictures from Christmas Eve at the in-laws. It was nice to see my kids and their cousins together. Of course, they had to figure out which presents were their's. If you want to participate in Autism Moms Thursday, copy the button above into your post and link your post below.

BlogHer 2010 Conference for Bloggers

There are several good blogger conferences each year that I would love to attend. Currently, the buzz is on the Disney Social Media Moms Conference. I received an invitation to attend, but can not afford to. Even if I could raise the money on short notice, I would also have to consider the fact that I would have to bring my husband and kids.

This would be great, except that it is impossible for me to attend the conference activities and leave the kids with my husband to manage. Since my son is autistic, it really takes two of us together to do things in public.

The conference that I am working on attending this year is the BlogHer 2010 Conference in New York. This will be a huge event that will allow bloggers to get together and learn from one another. I am really looking forward to it.

I am trying to get sponsors to cover the expense of going. I would like my husband to go with me. This will only work if my parents will be able to watch the kids. My father would be alone with them while my mom is at work for two of the days. This may be too difficult for him. If push comes to shove, I may have to make it a family trip and my husband will have to entertain the kids in the hotel room when I was doing things that they could not participate in.

So far, I have one sponsor that has covered my event ticket and hotel deposit. Jones Dairy Farm has been supportive of my blog and is sympathetic with families raising an autistic child. Their reaction to the new autism rates is just one of the reasons that I am proud to have them as a sponsor. “The recent autism figures released by the CDC really help shed light on the increasing number of families who are struggling with this disorder,” said Philip Jones, president of Jones Dairy Farm, a six generation family business best known for all natural breakfast sausage. “If our gluten-free certified products help parents in even a small way, then we couldn’t be more pleased. Jones Dairy Farm is glad to be able to provide protein-rich foods that both kids and adults love to eat.”

I am in need of more sponsors to make attending this conference possible. If you are a company that would be interested in sponsoring me, please feel free to email me at tammy@learningfelt.com. No amount is too small or too big. By sponsoring me for the BlogHer 2010 Conference, your company will benefit in advertisement on my site and having me as a representative at the conference. New BlogHer guidelines prevent me from being able to hand out your promotional information, but I am allowed to wear clothing with your company info on it.

Who Can Help My Autistic Son

Who can help my son? My son is ten years old. He is nonverbal. His is autistic. Who can help my son? He can not write. He needs hand over hand assistance to write letters and numbers? Who can help my son? He has a short attention span. He has difficulty following verbal instructions. Who can help my son?

He can dress himself. He is not able to bathe himself. Who can help my son? He has sensitive hearing. He doesn’t like his hands and fingers touched. Who can help my son? He is extremely intelligent and bores easily. He isn’t able to demonstrate his knowledge unless he is using hand over hand to access a communication device. Who can help my son?

He has OCD. He flips through books from back to front. He doesn’t play with toys. He wants what he wants, when he wants, and there is no reasoning with him or changing his mind. Who can help my son? He has a limited list of acceptable foods that he will eat. He can operate the tv, the remotes, and his radio, yet he can’t or won’t operate a gaming system. He wants to, but is determined that someone else does it and he watches. Who can help my son?

He rebels against being made to do new things. He fights against being made to work and attend to tasks. Yet, if he is being asked to do something he likes or gives him what he wants, he will do it. Ask him to get a food item out of the pantry to good his favorite meal, he’ll do it. Ask him to get a cup so that he can have a drink, he’ll do it. Ask him to get an item off of the table you need, because you need it, he won’t. Who can help my son?

Really, is it too much to ask? I want practical help. I want real assistance. I don’t want pie in the sky solutions from quacks that think that because a certain therapy has helped other children, it will help my son. I want a real evaluation from people that have years of experience working one on one with autistic children instead of an evaluation from doctors that only sees a child once. I want a real plan of continued therapy that won’t bankrupt me. Who can help my son?

Am I the only one? Let me here from other parents. Let our voices, our pleas, be heard.

Holiday Specials from Mom Businesses

Little Painted Polka Dots

"Little Painted Polka Dots, hand painted, hand painted art, hand painted plaques, personalized plaques, hand painted letter plaques, hand painted name plaques, kids room decor, kids room art, little bunny tutu, toddler tutus, pink tutus, custom made tutus, custom made name plaques, whimsical art, personalized art, commemorative plates, birthday plates, 1st birthday plates, specail occassion plates" and more

Offering 15% off OR free shipping (to US residents only).

The codes are:

Free shipping - FREESHIP
15% off - XMAS15

Design By Jessie
Camera Strap Covers and iPhone, iPod, iTouch, cell phone or Camera Covers
25% off from dec 1 to the new year.

Paty's Loveys
Use code xmas for 10% off until 12/31/2009. Purchase like usual at Wonderland and Etsy and I will refund the 10%.

Every purchase made from 11/20/2009 until 12/31/2009 will be entered in a drawing to win a free 4oz handspun skein, shipping will also be on me.




From December 19th - 31st, 2009 50% off my entire store at:

Scrapolicious Scraps at Glam n' Glitter

Scrapolicious Scraps at Scraps with Attitude:

Simple Creations:

You will get 20% off your order before shipping. Purchase online, you can pay later, or email me your order and I will send you an invoice. This also includes custom order. Does not apply to the Tu-Ars and Just Right Potatoes Sack Combos.

Learning Autism---Favorite Things

Today, I'm curious as to what some of your children's favorite things are.  The photo with this blog post is my wonderful teen posing in three of her favorite things.  One is taking photos, the other is dressing up.  She likes skulls, too.  I don't know why.  I suppose it is just a phase.  I know I went through a phase when I was younger that included unicorns!  Each to his or her own.

I think special needs children must have favorites that seem more important to them than favorites would seem to other children.  Maybe it helps them stay calm, maybe it helps them laugh, maybe it perks up sad spirits.  Whatever the case may be, please share some of your child/ children's favorites with us.

I remember when my now-grown-and-married son was a young child.  He went through phases where he would have a special favorite stuffed animal.  This would last for months, then he would change his preference.   We went through a pink elephant, a large stuffed dog, a stuffed monkey, a favorite blanket, and a small stuffed donkey, to name a few.  But whatever it was, it had to be in his possession wherever we would go until he decided the time was up.  It was such a small thing to honor, and it gave him peace of mind.

Some Moms tend to worry or become exasperated when their child chooses a "must-have" favorite item or a must-have activity.  It can become a pain sometimes, but the mental and emotional security it gives the child is well worth the little bit of frustration we may endure.

Happy Tuesday and Happy Paperwork!

I don't know about you other moms, but one of the things that makes me happier is sorting and organizing.  There's a sense of accomplishment in knowing things are in order at least in one area of my chaotic world.

This morning I have been finalizing the end of my daughter's 10th grade year of homeschooling.  I had to sort through and throw away old test keys, old classwork, old informational pages, and pile up books we will no longer need to send some other lucky homeschool mom.  It took me about 3 hours, but I actually ended up with empty cabinet space.

Learning which paperwork to keep and which can be thrown away took some inner discipline as well as knowing what would still be necessary later on.  It's really hard to chunk potentially needed papers/books.  But, being a book addict, I know I will have those replaced in no time!  We are heavy readers around my house.  One of the incentives to getting rid of unneeded books and paperwork is the fact that somewhere there is another mother in dire need of what I have.  Since I love to pass on great information and help others, it makes it easier to let go.

Who says we have to wait until spring to take charge of our messes?  A happy mom makes for a happier household.  Get busy and good luck, ladies!