Ch-ch-ch-ch changes!

Living with ASD is pretty tough, but like with most lifelong conditions, life is what you make it. Sometimes you can get worn down with negativity and woe-is-us, but it really doesn't have to be like that.

I've had a bad week and have been evaluating life. Looking back over the last couple of years since Williams devastating diagnosis, we see how far we've come. Its only when you compare him to his peers that you see how far behind he is developmentally.
Answer : don't compare! Why should it matter who starts reading or who says their alphabet first. There's no prizes for that. But perhaps one day Willy might win 50 quid in a banana-eating contest.

Some of our good points:

Support
Williams school keyworker was at a cookery session this afternoon with us and she was telling me how much his speech had come on and how great he's been. Watching her interact with him is very special, she obviously has a "knack" with him and he really is very fond of her. The work that school put into the kids is second to none.

Personality
Theres a lot of personality starting to show now and we've waited a long time for that. If I say "Love you William" at bedtime, he tells me to "shush shush". He loves playing with my hair and hiding in it, he mutters under his breath when he's miffed and insists we go for cake when we visit Sainsburys. He loves fart noises and hates tidying up.

Speech
Teaching William words can be fun. I was watching the school doors open and close today, and teaching him "the door is closing" and "door is shut". I hadn't banked on his version of "shut" to sound like "shit" so that was a fail. He's already learned "Christ's sake" (my fault) so better avoid shutting doors for a while.

Brothers
The boys are changing so much, there is now some interaction between them and William toddles after his big bro like a little sheep to play outside (and find biscuits). He does still need a great deal of adult support to do basic activities and can't follow instructions, but they can play on bikes together outside and giggle like any other siblings.

Its a giant leap from the withdrawn little boy who always sat alone playing in a corner 2.5 years ago. He still has days like that but we're used to his ways now and we accept that. I guess we all have days where we just want to sit in a corner and not be bothered, I know I have!

"Shit the door Wottingers!"