by Mary Ellen Bogucki I think one of the hardest things that we faced with our daughter, Bree, was finding opportunities that she could participate in. Before we knew of her Autism diagnosis, we tried different “Mom and Tot” music classes or sibling swim classes. Unfortunately, they all ended the same way, with an intense meltdown by Bree and me wearing the perpetual red face of embarrassment. Eventually, I gave up, the rude comments, […]
by Colleen Berlingieri Does anyone else cry when they look through yearbooks? I was sitting in my living room this morning crying like a baby. My youngest son, Jacob, has given me his 6th grade yearbook to flip through. Jake: Mom! Are you crying? You are so weird! Me: Never mind – get me a Kleenex – some day you will understand! As I thumb through the pages I see this amazing kaleidoscope of kids […]
by Marguerite Elisofon Parents who raise kids on the spectrum learn early on what causes their sons and daughters to meltdown. Whether the trigger is loud noise, bright lights, clothing tags, or fear of elevators, families need an effective game plan to deal with the autism meltdowns provoked by sensory overloads. Sometimes maturity can help a child with autism outgrow certain triggers. Although warm and affectionate, our daughter Samantha hated holding hands as a […]
By Mary Ellen Bogucki These past few weeks have been filled with so much growth for my daughter, Bree, who has high functioning Autism. Immediately, I knew that this month I had to write about HOPE! For me, raising a child with special needs has meant we are often on an emotional roller coaster. In addition to Autism, Bree also has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety, and at times depression. We moved from […]
by Colleen Berlingieri Twenty-four years ago my oldest son Geordi (Geo), was born with big blue eyes, dark curly hair and chubby little cheeks that made you want to smother them in kisses. He was also born “fussy” – not wanting to sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time and not feeding well. As time went on, he was also late to sit, crawl, walk and talk. By the age of two, he […]
