10/06/2019
Another beautiful story of my lovely family of Ride for Autism from my dearest Ruth Godwin
a beautiful grandparent 😍 (North Carolina, USA)
This bright, active, engineer in the making is Wyatt . Our first grandchild, he fit the world's ideology of perfect for the first two and a half years of life and drastically changed after his sister's birth. He went from a sweet, easy child to a heartbreaking terror. Biting, headbutting, screaming with any small change in his routine was a daily battle. Both sets of grandparents were involved in his daily care and we wrote it off as maladjustment to having a new sibling.
It took us several months and worsening of behavior and preschool to come to a consensus that Wyatt was struggling with something more. For a year and a half we tried to find someone to evaluate Wyatt.
His Pediatrician had no sympathy or helpful insight into his behavior. When my daughter and I took him the see her she said "He is a boy." "He is seeking attention." as he picked up the heavy stool in her office and threw it across the room. At that point I picked him up to remove him from the room so his mother could discuss the situation without distraction and the Pediatrician said " You are giving him what he wants.” She is no longer part of his care team.
Although evaluations are not typically done until the child is 5 years of age, we found a psychotherapist that would see him just prior to his fourth birthday. It was determined that he has Attention Deficit Disorder and is on the Autism Spectrum. Wyatt will be five in October and we have yet to determine the degree of Autism. His gifts are revealing themselves. IQ 118, above average fine motor skills, and he is following directions well. He is recognizing emotions better and will tell his sister "You are frustrating me."
All this did not happen over night. It has taken a conscious effort from all of us -parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers and therapists.
This is where Ride for Autism comes into the story. As Wyatt's story was unfolding I noted a post on NAS Daily Global. I joined the group because of Mohammed Ehmad's post about Autism in Pakistan and the efforts he made to educate himself and bring that knowledge back to his homeland. I know if I have a question Mohammed is click away. For once in several months I did not feel alone. Because of his boldness I began talking and being open about our challenges and received some very good advice and empathy.
Some things you have to live through. Maintain hope and approach each day anew. I found that having a diagnosis is not as important as observing our child and letting him set the pace for learning. A diagnosis just tells me I must teach in a different manner.
Eyes wide open I can see what trigger's Wyatt's emotional outbursts. I can help him express his feelings and give him a safe place to build LEGOS or magnet structures away from little sisters hands.
A world away but I am not alone as I learn to meet the needs of my gifted child. I will never say to another person "I apologize he was not _____, He is autistic, special needs, disabled."
He is magnificent and perfectly made, He is Gifted and a blessing.
Blessings to you Mohammed in all you do to raise awareness.
🙂🙂
