Please remember that this is the very beginning of my journey and many things I express on here are from a newbie mindset. I had absolutely no idea how to go about everything the right way. Things and ideas were thrown on my left and right. Especially the medicine. I discovered later that the medicine they had me give Chaz was what was causing his depression and I immediately took him off of it. At this point he was in a self contained classroom. The teacher was told me if I didn't put him on medicine they don't want him there. Chaz regularly was throwing chairs in the classroom and turning over tables in fits of rage. He would stand up and cuss his teacher out. Often the teachers had to hold him in a bear hug and hold in his arms to calm him down. Chaz was very violent and to the point where I had to hide the knives in my house. These entries were at a very desperate point in my life but it's obvious in my writing that I was tryin very hard to stay positive.
Chaz's Update
March 29, 2006
I went to see Chaz's doctor yesterday because I had been observing Chaz since he last went. I had a few more things to tell her that I had noticed he struggled with. Once I shared them with her and she was watching Chaz in her office, she again confirmed that he is very much has "Asperger Syndrome". Much more than we had originally thought. Also, OCD (obsessive Compulsive Disorder) which actually comes with Aspergers. It is not easy to diagnose Aspergers (Autism) because you have to be everything on the list to be diagnosed that. You can't just have a couple or even a few things. The one thing that stops him from being "Rain Man" Autistic is his developed speech. He talks well and is not delayed at all in his development.
The Dr. prescribed him new medication including a new one to help calm the OCD and ADHD. I went to the pharmacy to pick it up but something the pharmacist said stopped me right in my tracks. One of his medications is addictive and needed special authorization. I went home troubled thinking about it. Number one, Aspergers is not curable. So does this mean he will always need these meds? Do I want those kinds of things in his body for so long? Charles and I talked about it. I slept on it. This morning I decided that I will not put him on these meds. I will go a natural route. Yes, it will cost me more money. The medical field will fight me, the school will fight me, and even some people in my life will. But I have to think about what is best for Chaz. God made Chaz special. Aspergers is not just "a curse". There is a positive side. They tend to have a photographic memory and are very intelligent. Do I want to suppress that with drugs? I would rather only rid the negative symptoms. I found a proven natural route to go so we will be going in that direction. If his school will not agree with me, I will pull him out and school him at home until I find a school that will support us in our decision.
Today the school is having a meeting about Chaz and coming up with an IEP plan for his education which is good. But this nutritional route I am putting him on will keep him in a regular class room. The state does pay for someone to come to my house and specially tutor him and give him speech therapy. They also will take him on field trips to teach him how to respond socially to situations. What is proper and what is not. The state will even pay to have someone come to your house so you can get out once a month alone with your spouse. That is great since Chaz is quite a handful for us. Now, when we have just Ryan, Kyle, and Ivy going places, it is extremely, 100% different than if Chaz is with us. The others are calm, obedient, happy, and easily can be taken places. Night and day difference. So, I am glad that we are finding some answers and I really feel at peace the route we are taking.
Our pastor, Pastor Aulson, showed a science video series by Dr. Hovind that gave us some answers. Dr. Hovind is also a Christian and he lives by the natural method of treating symptoms. Now, this won't cure Chaz of Aspergers, OCD, and ADHD but it will stop the symptoms of it. But you have to remember that meds won't cure him of it either. I met a mom that had 2 Asperger sons and she went the same route we are going 2 years ago. Her sons now have absolutely no symptoms because of it and are in regular classrooms getting excellent grades. www.autismcenter.org is an excellent site for helping Aspergers or Autism without the meds. Since this journal is on my website, I wanted to provide a site to help other moms in the same boat. Take care and God bless!
*Asperger Syndrome*
Individuals with AS can exhibit a variety of characteristics and the disorder can range from mild to severe. Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see. It's important to remember that the person with AS perceives the world very differently. Therefore, many behaviors that seem odd or unusual are due to those neurological differences and not the result of intentional rudeness or bad behavior, and most certainly not the result of "improper parenting"
*Asperger Syndrome*
Individuals with AS can exhibit a variety of characteristics and the disorder can range from mild to severe. Persons with AS show marked deficiencies in social skills, have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. They often have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject of interest. They have a great deal of difficulty reading nonverbal cues (body language) and very often the individual with AS has difficulty determining proper body space. Often overly sensitive to sounds, tastes, smells, and sights, the person with AS may prefer soft clothing, certain foods, and be bothered by sounds or lights no one else seems to hear or see. It's important to remember that the person with AS perceives the world very differently. Therefore, many behaviors that seem odd or unusual are due to those neurological differences and not the result of intentional rudeness or bad behavior, and most certainly not the result of "improper parenting"
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