Sean's first fly (Autism)

          So many times I convince myself to try to bring my 3y11m (he is going to be 4 nxt month) autistic son, Sean, to expose to the outside world..stay at home is not going to help... One of the idea is to fly, let's start with short trip.... Earlier preparation is very necessary..I read abt airlines at develop countries, they hv more services and programs for autistic children compare to Malaysia, including earlier visitation from departure room to the plane, that's mean inside the plane...I hope in future Malaysia also has this kind of services and programs... After yesterday's experience with Sean, I really feel for other autistic children, It's not easy for them...besides, ppl who handle this special kids must hv strong preparation in physical and mental, strong courage and patience... Somehow, at 1st I almost gv up that make me burst into tears, but I don't want to let my weakness control me...with God's help, I put myself together to fight him back....in my heart keep saying, "I'm sorry sean, it's mommy's turn to win this time, ok?".....I won....finally......thanks to my family and friends for all the support, that's mean a lot to me...

          The 1st fly experience is not always perfect...our journey back to hometown was fun, excited, happy, sad, angry, shocked, confused, panicked, shouted, screamed n cried...all these feelings and actions combined together...

          I carried Sean till in front of the plane's door, as Shenna followed us behind...Then I held his hand to enter the plane, only a few steps closer... HE STOPPED, (my heart starts racing).. Suddenly he started to scream (I knew it!!), I pulled him hard as we entered the plane...he struggled hard too, trying to escape...rolling and kicking on the floor, crying, shouting n screaming whatever u wanna call it...I was panicked, so many things kept playing on my mind...WHAT IF they kick us out of the plane?WHAT IF the flight delay bcoz of Sean?HOW do I handle him for another 50 min if he continue like this?..without realizing it, my tears fall...damn it!!!...a few trials to get him to the seat, failed...everybody started to feel annoying...the final trial, I took out his tab to trick him...as he sitted on my lap, I held him hard and sang his lullaby song tru his ear n massage his back gently, he stopped crying, feel calmer as b4....finally, I won...;))..I surrendered all so that he could sit comfortablely on my lap till the end of the journey, he refused to sit alone..nvr mind dear, as long as he stays calm, that's all matter. .... As for me, I still feel so silly to cry, shy shy shy...damn it!!

The whole journey he stayed calm..I will nvr 4gt this experience that taught me a lot......thank God for being with us....Amen..;))

Just arrived at kch international airport, Sean with his sister, Shenna. Sean looks cool in the pic..:)

Autistic Sean with amazing surprises

          2 days ago was a busy day for me, my mom in law and sis in law were here for a short visit. We went for a walked/window shopping at one of the shop here. Sean was following us of course. We walked pass the kids department, there were a lot of kid's shirts hanging. While we were busy talking to each other, Sean ran to the shirt. He pulled my hand and pointed to a number 3 on the shirt and said, "tweeeee!" My niece heard it too, and she said,"Is that three?I think he said three." I was blurred. This couldn't be, because all this while I just teach him counting from 1 to 10 orally/verbally without showing him all those numbers. Still couldn't believe it, so we searched for another shirt with numbers on it, just wanted to test him. We found one, it's number 8. I showed him that number. Amazingly surprise, he said , "eight"...O.O...OMG!!.. At home, I wrote down all those numbers from 1 to 10 in a piece of paper, and showed him, then he started counting from 1 to 10 with his finger pointed at the numbers, he got it all correct!!

          Yesterday, I bought a new ABC's puzzle for Sean. I thought it would be better if I started teaching him ABC in this few days. Back from his class, I showed him the puzzle. He grabbed the puzzle quickly and clumsily before his sister, Shenna could take it from me, all the pieces of puzzle fall a part on the floor. He quickly seated on the floor and picked up the pieces of puzzle one by one. Suddenly he pointed to a letter 'H' and said, "edge", and a letter 'K' and said, "ke..ke..ke..kay"...This time I totally couldn't believe it, I haven't teach him ABCs yet!! Hello!!... Once again I test him, I put all of the letters on the floor randomly and asked him to choose from A to Z...A bit slow but he did it!!!..He knew, he recognized, NUMBERS and LETTERS.

          What's playing in my mind?? I wonder who teach him?? Then I remember one of his teacher ever told me that Sean knows numbers and letters well, which I took it for granted (ok my bad). That's mean he knew it earlier (do you agree?). I strongly believe that he learned it by himself, silently from his tablet. He knew it and recognized it, but there is something in his brain that prevent him from speak it out which cause him delay in speech. Till today he still can't pronounce 1 and 7 correctly. See here my previous post. I still not really satisfy with all this, this morning I went to Sean's class and met his teacher, according to her, they do learn numbers and letters, but only through songs. By the way, Sean still don't know how to grab pencil correctly. So, what do you think?..:)

          But anyway, I love all the beautiful and amazing surprises. Hope more to come in future. Thank GOD.

"MOMMY" - Sean an autistic boy

          It was on 21st June, 2013, my son Sean, a 3.5 yr old autistic boy, my one and only son, my love my heart my soul and my everything......he has a lovely surprise for me that morning, the word that I wish he could call me someday...finally he calls me "mommy"...:'')...It was like a dream comes true, I'm so happy for him. This video was edited on the same day, I managed to film it, he called me a few times "mommy". Even till today he still grabbed my hands if he needed something, but I'm grateful that he did call me "mommy" sometimes. Thank God for everything.

          This short film shows the differences between b4 and after his EIP, OT and speech therapy. Enjoy and thanks for watching.

3 yr old puzzling boy - (missing pieces - Autism)

This video shows that how Sean completed his puzzle all by himself. Enjoy and thanks for watching.

Counting from 1 to 10 - Sean

I teach Sean counting from 1 to 10 everyday. These are the results..

Part 1- 30th April, 2013

Part 2 -  20th May, 2013

Part 3 -  26th May, 2013

Thanks for watching...

Speech Therapy (Autism)

          Delayed language or speech is one of the most common developmental problem in children. There are many causes of language and speech delay, the most important is hearing loss, and the other most likely causes including cognitive impairment (e.g. Intellectual Disability, Down Syndrome), Autistic Spectrum Disorder (Autism), neurological damage (e.g. brain infection/ injury or cerebral palsy), psychosocial disorders (child abuse, neglect or lacking of environment stimulation), and anatomical (e.g. cleft lip or palate). - (References - Speech-Language Therapist by Francesca Bierens)

          Sean is included in Autistic Spectrum Disorder. In my previous post I did mention about Sean's Audiology Test, Sean's hearing is normal (from the result). His next appointment would be speech therapy and his 1st speech therapy was on 8th April 2013, located at Sibu General Hospital. Recalling back, that day was a good sunny day, everybody was in a good mood including our little Sean. As we brought him entered the therapy room, the 1st thing he did was grabbing a box of blocks, ignoring other toys on the table. He was so happy jumping up and down while flapping his both hands, laughing loudly regardless of the therapist there. Everybody pass by saw his actions would smile. I'm proud of this happy child that I have. Thank God.

          After that, he was examined by the therapist briefly, she tried to play with him with other toys but he refused, still preferred the blocks. At that time, Sean started to line up the blocks on the floor, just exactly like the way he did at home. She let him do it, as there's no use in forcing him to do something that he refused to do. Then the therapist interviewed us about Sean's behaviour at home, how he communicate with us at home, how many word that he knows, the way he plays toy and etc. After she recorded all the informations about Sean, I showed her Sean sang "Girl on fire"s video. here. She was very entertained by it, and we laughed a lot about that. Then lastly she summaries all that Sean really delay in speech, he needs speech therapy consistently. She suggested that if it's possible to make it once a week 4 - 6 times?..my husband and I just looked at each other because we both knew that it was impossible, so finally we decided to make it once in 2 weeks started from 29th May 2013. So if it going on for 4 times, that will be 8 weeks period of time, and if it going on for 6 times, that will be 12 weeks period of time, same as 1 year. It's not easy we know but we just need to try.

Activities that encourage development of speech for children:

1. Play pretend games, express your feeling through your face or gesture when you play. (e.g. "wow!so delicious"-happy face, "i'm so full!!"- rub your tummy...etc..)
2. Play take a turn games so that he is aware that he has companion or somebody is around.
3. Play as a team.

Please do visit here for further information, it might help your little one.

Sean's class activities

          It's been a while that I didn't  write about Sean. Well, he is doing just fine. Busy with his EIP (Earlier Intervention Program) class and OT (Occupational Therapy) class, which are 3 times a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As I said earlier on my previous post, Sean was having audiology test at Sibu, Sarawak General Hospital. Well, the result was normal, there is nothing wrong with his hearing. We're relief though, that's a great news.

          Sean's classes have been going on for about more than a month now. He is doing great even though sometimes he refused to go into the class room. Just like some other normal kids, he too has a mood. Every Wednesday is OT class. He likes that class very much. There's a lot of things to play, such as puzzles, blocks, toys, swing, jumping spring and so on. This can tell through his smiling face all the way and excited laughter, jumping up and down happily, at the same time flapping his hands and banging/shaking his head.
At his EIP class which is on Monday and Friday, so far he learns how to write, how to focus etc. The teacher's comments about Sean:-

1. Lack of concentration. (Look up at the ceiling fan most of the time - obsession towards spinning objects)
2. His sensitivities caught his attention to almost every moving objects in the class. Unable to focus well.
3. Unable to grab pencil to write in a correct way. He has weakness at his fingers, cannot hold pencil in a correct way for one period of time.

There are still a lot of things that need to be done about Sean. He still can't talk at the age of 3+ make us difficult to figure it out what is in his mind. But there're also some improvement after he attended those classes.

1. Better eye contact.
2. Better response when we call him by his name.
3. Better response in classes activities.
4. Ability to differentiate objects by its colour.
5. Ability to solve simple jigsaw puzzle.

We are hoping for the best, always on the positive side. May he recovers soon. God bless.

P/s: He still arrange his toy car and blocks in a straight line though. Yes, he still doing it daily.

Beautiful Autistic Child - Sean -

Thanks for watching...

Trip to Sand Therapy (Autism)

Date: 22/3/2013
Location: Similajau National Park

Sean sings in his own language (Autism Language)

This video is just for entertainment. Sean sings "this girl is on fire" by Alicia Key in his own language, Autism language...enjoy and thanks for watching.