I always knew Joey was different, I just did not know why. He did not have any developmental delays. In fact, when it came to language he was leaps and bounds ahead of other kids. By age 2 he knew all his letters and the sounds they made. When he was 2 1/2 he threw a toy across the room and when he was reprimanded for doing so, he replied, "But it was defying gravity!" At age 3 he was reading.
But as thrilled as we were with all of this, we were also very concerned. He had sensory issues. He hated wearing clothing of any kind. He was a very picky eater. And certain sounds bothered him so much that just the sight of a hand dryer in a public restroom would send him running away screaming!
And then there were the meltdowns! Screaming violent fits like nothing I had ever seen before and I was a preschool teacher. Those meltdowns got Joey kicked out of two preschools.
I had Joey evaluated for the first time when he was two and they said, "Yes we see some things, but he may outgrow them." Finally when he was 3 1/2 he was diagnosed with Aspergers. At first I was relieved to finally have an answer, but then depression set in and I cried and cried.
Finally I realized this diagnosis was not a curse. It was a blessing. I educated myself on parenting a child on the spectrum and I became an advocate for my son.
He is 6 now and in a special program at our public school called Making Connections. It is a self contained classroom for children with high functioning Autism. He still has rough days, but it is getting better.
Tomball, TX
