All people who've dealt with special needs kids whether it be your child, your neighbour's child, a relative or someone you've worked with...post your stories here! 
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Share Your Stories!
- Thread starter Lena75
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we5frogs
Child of God held in Jesus' hand
- Apr 26, 2005
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My youngest son was diagnosed with Aspergers at age 8 mostly because of the research and hard work of his counselor and I. Before that the doctors and other well meaning folks went the range from 'there's nothing wrong that better parenting would't help' to bipolar disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, etc. Except for with me, and a few others he came to trust, he was non-verbal until 3rd grade. I was told that he was uneducable, in addition to a lot of other equally troubling things that could have been very discouraging had I not trusted God and accepted my role in his treatment. We had other plans, and have worked together every step of the way.
Today he is a bright happy child, who will tell you all about how much he loves the Lord, and how the Lord saved him from himself. He gave his heart to the Lord about 3 years ago, and has been progressing so wonderfully that people who meet him today think he is just a smart, but unique kind of guy. They have no idea he has an autistic spectrum didorder, and might not know that he is impaired at all except for the tics as a result of co-morbid Tourette's syndrome. He is mainstreamed in many of his classrooms, doing well in school, has more friends than he knows what to do with at church, a best friend who doesn't know the Lord but regularly gets witnessed to by Gavin, and a girlfriend (although they are not allowed to date apart from group activities or outings with one set of paretnts or the other) from our youthgruop.
Its been an interesting journey, but one that has already given us wonderful opportunities to help and witness to others in similar circumstances. God never wastes a hurt, and this is no different.
you~Jesus~me
Charleen
Today he is a bright happy child, who will tell you all about how much he loves the Lord, and how the Lord saved him from himself. He gave his heart to the Lord about 3 years ago, and has been progressing so wonderfully that people who meet him today think he is just a smart, but unique kind of guy. They have no idea he has an autistic spectrum didorder, and might not know that he is impaired at all except for the tics as a result of co-morbid Tourette's syndrome. He is mainstreamed in many of his classrooms, doing well in school, has more friends than he knows what to do with at church, a best friend who doesn't know the Lord but regularly gets witnessed to by Gavin, and a girlfriend (although they are not allowed to date apart from group activities or outings with one set of paretnts or the other) from our youthgruop.
Its been an interesting journey, but one that has already given us wonderful opportunities to help and witness to others in similar circumstances. God never wastes a hurt, and this is no different.
you~Jesus~me
Charleen
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It doesn't really matter.Mirelys said:Special needs altogether or just those on the autistic spectrum?
Because I've worked with a special needs kid, but I want to make sure before I post irrelevantly
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Mirelys
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Last fall I worked as a paraprofessional in the local high school. My primary charge was a freshman who has brain damage--he looks rather like someone who has had a stroke, and doesn't communicate well (his speech is unintelligable for the most part, and his sign language is extremely lazy). He probably has some learning problems, but it's difficult to tell what stems from his condition and what is the result of poor education and behavioral problems. I mean, who wouldn't get frustrated with school when the teachers won't let you learn anything past addition? One class, they actually had him "learning" to count money and tell time, which he has been able to do since...well, forever. To illustrate what he is capable of if he was allowed to be educated: I don't know where he saw it, but he asked me how to do a certain algebra problem. I explained what a variable is and how to isolate it, and made up some sample problems. Took about 45 minutes to explain and practice, and then he could do them just fine.
He is angry and suicidal, but the counselors won't help him because his teacher says that he's just trying to get attention. Of course the teacher, who rarely bothers to listen to him and is not a psychologist, knows everything
If he could speak clearly, they would take his threats seriously.
He is also a very sweet and sensitive person. While he can be a total brat he is not malicious, and cares very much for people.
I just hope that he will be all right. My mom will be working in his school next year (she is an interpreter, and because of her I've known this kid since he was in second or third grade), so he will have someone to talk to at least, and he emails me also. Maybe someday he'll be able to overcome all this prejudice and make a life for himself, but he's going to have to fight for everything he wants.
He is angry and suicidal, but the counselors won't help him because his teacher says that he's just trying to get attention. Of course the teacher, who rarely bothers to listen to him and is not a psychologist, knows everything
If he could speak clearly, they would take his threats seriously.He is also a very sweet and sensitive person. While he can be a total brat
he is not malicious, and cares very much for people.I just hope that he will be all right. My mom will be working in his school next year (she is an interpreter, and because of her I've known this kid since he was in second or third grade), so he will have someone to talk to at least, and he emails me also. Maybe someday he'll be able to overcome all this prejudice and make a life for himself, but he's going to have to fight for everything he wants.
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Sorry Lena.. I told you I'd post here.
I'm a counselor at a special needs camp every summer, and I've done so for the last three years.
There's a boy there, he's 12 years old. I love him to death. He has autism, and he's non-verbal. But he's very smart, and he uses sign language, and he's very very very good at it.
At every meal, the director of the camp leads the kids in asking them how their day is going, and how they are, and saying grace before we eat.
Well Vinny loves to 'sing' (even though he just sways to the music and claps)... he wanted to take over the little introduction one day at lunch....
So he stood in front of everyone, and signs "Good afternoon everyone" and they all say "good afternoon Vinny"... he wasn't happy, we got a thumbs down... he signed it again, "Good afternoon, everyone!" and everyone yelled "Good afternoon Vinny"... he still wasn't happy. He gave us a thumbs down, and cupped his ear.... he signed again, and everyone SCREAMED "Good afternoon Vinny"... he was happy. He clapped, and had a big ol grin on his face.
Then he counted to three with his fingers for us to start singing grace.....
Just a precious couple of minutes that I will remember forever....
I'm a counselor at a special needs camp every summer, and I've done so for the last three years.
There's a boy there, he's 12 years old. I love him to death. He has autism, and he's non-verbal. But he's very smart, and he uses sign language, and he's very very very good at it.
At every meal, the director of the camp leads the kids in asking them how their day is going, and how they are, and saying grace before we eat.
Well Vinny loves to 'sing' (even though he just sways to the music and claps)... he wanted to take over the little introduction one day at lunch....
So he stood in front of everyone, and signs "Good afternoon everyone" and they all say "good afternoon Vinny"... he wasn't happy, we got a thumbs down... he signed it again, "Good afternoon, everyone!" and everyone yelled "Good afternoon Vinny"... he still wasn't happy. He gave us a thumbs down, and cupped his ear.... he signed again, and everyone SCREAMED "Good afternoon Vinny"... he was happy.
He clapped, and had a big ol grin on his face. Then he counted to three with his fingers for us to start singing grace.....
Just a precious couple of minutes that I will remember forever....
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Here's one about my son who is autistic. Keep in mind he loves Looney Tunes!
Last week one day my daughter came frantically running and screaming into the house as if something REAL awful had happened. Well, I ran outside with her to see what was the matter....oh, we have a fenced in LOCKED area especially for our son....and she ran to a tree and pointed up. Well, our son had taken 2 of her precious beanie babies and threw them into the tree and they'd landed right on a robin's nest! Great! There's no lower branches so I couldn't climb the tree to get it down. So, I went and got our old, wooden, rickety ladder that has 2 rungs missing from the bottom. So I finally managed to get myself up there. Just as I could reach the dolls...the ladder was shaking big time! I look down and there's my son with a plastic, blue toy saw, frantically trying to "cut" the ladder down with me on it. PLUS he had this huge grin on his face....yep, thanks to Looney Tunes! I realize that he is one smart cookie and we really have to watch what he does. But the things he comes up with! 
Last week one day my daughter came frantically running and screaming into the house as if something REAL awful had happened. Well, I ran outside with her to see what was the matter....oh, we have a fenced in LOCKED area especially for our son....and she ran to a tree and pointed up. Well, our son had taken 2 of her precious beanie babies and threw them into the tree and they'd landed right on a robin's nest! Great! There's no lower branches so I couldn't climb the tree to get it down. So, I went and got our old, wooden, rickety ladder that has 2 rungs missing from the bottom. So I finally managed to get myself up there. Just as I could reach the dolls...the ladder was shaking big time! I look down and there's my son with a plastic, blue toy saw, frantically trying to "cut" the ladder down with me on it. PLUS he had this huge grin on his face....yep, thanks to Looney Tunes!
I realize that he is one smart cookie and we really have to watch what he does. But the things he comes up with!
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