D is for Diagnoses

D is for Diagnoses

Getting any kind of diagnoses can be such an scary experience for anyone. I know it was for me when I started getting diagnosed for the multiple disabilities that I suffer from. However, when you're dealing with your child and getting some kind of diagnoses for them. It's life changing in so many ways. It's one thing dealing with your own diagnoses. But now your child, the very person you are responsible for and care for is now

being diagnosed with something that will forever change your family.   

   When we first got the Autism diagnoses for my son it was pretty scary. It was around 2009 when my son was 3 years old. Actually just shy of 3 years old that we got this diagnoses. He was diagnosed with Severe Autism. He was non-verbal, a flight risk, had no communication skills of any kind at all, would just repeat sounds, spin in circles all day, and well the list can go on. The major behavioral issues at the time where hard to deal with. 

   But he was my world. I was not going to let this diagnoses define our family. He has gone through intense therapies from the first week of being diagnosed. I researched and researched and found that kids with early intervention were most likely to talk over kids that got intervention later on in life.

   I was very blessed to live in a state that provided every service under the sun for my son. He had speech therapy, Occupational Therapy, both in early intervention in school and out of school as well. Physical Therapy, Music Therapy, HAB, Respite. You name it he got the service. 

   My dad and I were talking about this just last week. It was not till a few short years ago that we really seen any type of huge progress. We were worried that everything that I researched just was not going to work. And that the doctors were right. That he would never speak. And then just shy of my son turning 7 years old he started singing his ABC's and started speaking to us in short 3 and 4 sentence words. He started meeting mile stones that I thought I would never see him meet.

   He is now 9 years old. He does have along with the Autism, Receptive and Expressive Language Disorder, Sensory disorder, OCD, Mood Disorder, ADHD, Mild CP, Congenital Heart Defect, Severe GI issues (unspecified), GERD, Cyclonic Vomiting Syndrome, Severe Asthma and Allergies just a name a few things. But he is speaking. And while he is 9 years old and only on a Kindergarten level. I am not sure if he will stay at that level or if we will see him thrive. And while it may be hard for him to hold a conversation like a normal person and easier for him to talk about his favorite show, super hero, or minecraft. He has come a LONG way. 

   The diagnoses may have been scary and life changing. And his health issues are always a worry for me. But he is progressing. I was told he would never speak, I proved the doctors wrong. I am ready to prove them wrong with him learning to read and write as well. 

   So while a diagnoses may be scary. Don't let it overcome you. Don't let it define you. And most importantly stay strong. There is always light at the end of the tune. From my experience you just must be willing to make the journey and do anything possible to help overcome that diagnoses.