The 9 yr old autistic boy that was picked up at school for throwing a chair and taken to juvenile detention is now back with his family!!
I have no idea what legal avenue they’re going to persue, but I’m just glad they have their boy back.

Things like this make me SO angry! I received this message today (Thursday May 20, 2010) from an acquaintance, concerning an autistic boy:

A mom I know has a 9 year old son with Autism. He had a melt down today at school and threw a chair. School staff called the police. They are not charging him with anything but they have taken him, for a week to 10 days, to our juvenile detention home. They have denied the mother permission to talk to her son, or see him, and they refuse to release him to the center where he was at before that is for mental illness and issues like these. They have told her that she has a short period of time (something like 3 hours) to get them his meds or they won’t accept them or give them to him. I can’t imagine that this is even legal but I do not know the specific juvenile laws regarding this in Kansas.

Peggy, do you have, or know of, any resources that could help her that knows this area of expertise? She wants the child moved to the facility where he can get help, and she wants to be able to visit to calm him. Please let me know if you know of anyone who can help.

Thank You!

My son’s teacher had the students write the top 10 reasons they love their moms.
This is my son’s list –

10 – She takes good care of me.
9 – She helps me do things.
8 – She is a great cook.
7 – She looks out for me.
6 – She is really funny.
5 – She spends alot of time with me.
4 – She’s nice to me, even when I’m bad.
3 – She understands how I feel.
2 – She is AWESOME!

and # 1 – She loves me very much!

I couldn’t ask for a nicer Mothers’ Day gift than this.

I wanted to take a moment to wish a Happy Mothers Day to all the wonderful moms out there! Remember, anyone can be a mother. But it takes someone special to be “mom”. 

The following is for all of the mom’s of kids on the spectrum -

“As they ‘meltdown’, we hold them.
As they face adversity and struggles, we fight for them.
As they get older, we hope for them.
As they are, we love them.”

I salute you.
Happy Mothers’ Day.

I’ve added a new link under Autism over there —->

This is a great Facebook group. The leader, Jen Donatella, who has 3 autistic sons, started this group, and is very active in the autism community here in NE Ohio. If you’re a member of FB, check it out! 

So, how’s your day-after-Easter Monday going?  Mine is just fine, thanks!  I’ve not had to go anywhere I didn’t want to go, do anything I didn’t want to do. I’m just sitting at home, enjoying not being in the car (for some reason, I’m really beginning to hate driving!), messin’ around on the computer, wasting my day away.  How nice! 

My program, General Hospital, comes on shortly, so I’ll be taking a computer break now.

ta ta! 

And to all of my Christian friends, Happy RESURRECTION Day!!!

Christ is risen, hallelujah!

Today is World Autism Awareness Day!
Remember, if you do not know anyone who has Autism, you soon will!

A few facts:

• Autism is not a disease. It is a neurobiological (brain) disorder.
• Autism now affects 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys.
• Autism prevalence figures are growing.
• More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined.
• Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
• Autism costs the nation over $35 billion per year, a figure expected to significantly increase in the next decade.
• Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood disorders!
• Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism.
• There is no medical detection, or cure, for autism.

April is Autism Awareness Month. Join us in this campaign to bring awareness to the near-epidemic that is autism.

My 10 yr old son and I were standing out on the balcony on the top floor of our house last night, looking out over the city of Youngstown, Ohio.

There were literally THOUSANDS of blue lights! The Home Savings tower, City Hall, churches, porch lights on homes, etc etc.

I said, “that’s for you, son. All for you, and millions of others with Autism, Aspergers, etc.”

We were both awestruck. It was a beautiful sight!

Tomorrow, April 2, 2010, is WORLD Autism Awareness Day.

Our porch lightbulbs are changed to blue bulbs, and many of our neighbors have joined us in this as well, in honor of Autism Speaks’ WAAD Light It Up Blue! campaign.
We are wearing blue both today and tomorrow, and attending a couple of local events here in Youngstown.

I am so proud, even in awe at times, of my son. He is smart, intelligent, bright, funny, does great in school, is a total computer geek, and is the love of my life.

He has Asperger Syndrome (a disorder on the Autism spectrum). I celebrate his uniqueness.

I celebrate my son!