Share Your Experiences

 

credits 

Many people have raised eyebrows, stating that our kids have too much Western influence in their lives. I, myself have adopted many Western habits and find that it works for me. At the same time, I choose to hold onto some of my traditional roots that I find valuable.

In the West, many people seek the help of therapists to help cope with their struggles. Personally, I don't like talking to a stranger about my problems, but if it works for you, then I am happy for you. However, I feel that should a person should not be labelled for getting the help they need.

You will find that a person going through depression, who seeks medical help, will not disclose it out of shame. Don't you think that all the more they will need a good support system. But the society shuns people who has gone to "Woodbridge" as it used to be known. Many termed it the loony bin. It has since evolved and lots of professionals there help people who are struggling to have a better life.

Seeing a physiologist, psychologists or a therapist is only for the better, why should it be a taboo.

When Ivan was younger and we had umpteen appointments with doctors, psychologists, etc. I was open about it, but many parents gave me the look, as to why do you tell people??? I mean I am helping my child, so why should I be ashamed. Likewise, many parents today, choose to maintain a tight-lip policy when it comes to such things. But why?

I am not saying announce it to the world, but if you can help recommend some help to someone else why not, offer. It's only going to make the world a better place.

I have encountered parents whose children have a speech impairment, but when I ask about how the child is doing, out of concern, they deny the fact that he had any problems. Later, I hear that he is attending "speech and drama" lessons aka therapy.

You should never be ashamed of your child or situation, your child is in. How can you expect others to accept your child, if you yourself cannot. Embrace life as it comes and overcome the obstacles. Remember that you don't have to do it alone. Open up to a handful of people that you can trust and build a support system. Reach out to others that are lost and encourage them with your success story. 

I kindly ask if you would use us as a platform, to share your experiences, to encourage others. Write to us ripplezblue@gmai.com

Emotions After Baby

After childbirth, my emotions have been on a roller coaster ride. Some emotions I understand , but there are some that I am confused about and some that I am ashamed off. I found it harder to bounce back after baby number 3.

Breastfeeding

With my first two boys, I simply graced through breastfeeding them. I had to return to work after two months of maternity leave. But things are different now, I have been blessed to be a stay home mum with my third born. I had chosen to exclusively breastfeed, little Iggy, and with that came a lot of emotions, I was new to.

It was a struggle in the beginning, but soon it became a smooth ride. But after a couple of months, I began to notice something weird. With hubby away on a job assignment, I have the whole king sized bed to myself. Occasionally, I would allow Iggy to share the bed should I be tired for the night feeds. It would be wonderful bonding with him as he latched on to feed. But after the feed, I would move away from him allowing for some space between us and I would turn facing the other direction to sleep. It made me feel comfortable, but I felt bad. Should I not want to admire my baby when he is asleep? Why do I want to look away? At times I do admire him as he sleeps. But by the time its nightfall, I just want to be alone.

I felt guilty of being a bad mother... that was until I read this article. It helped me so much, so I wish to share it with you.

(“The baby is physically on you, sucking on you, cuddling you - leaving you ‘touched out’ by the end of the day,” Saltz says.)

Tell Him

Yet another great thing about this article, was about telling your husband how you feel. Of course he knows, that you have just had a baby, and of course he knows that you are going through some changes. But sometimes, it's nice to hear it from us, that we still love them the same and that we are attracted to them, but we are just not up to it right now. You will come around soon, let him know.

Being a new mum is tiring no matter how many times you do it. Look at this picture of me, in the third week of bringing baby home. Who thinks of anything but sleep! But after a couple of months, hubby will feel anxious about where he stands. Many new mums become obsessed with baby that they forget that they are wives too. Sometimes, we may be ready for intimacy but feel bad about how we look.

Hubby may not understand that you need your "swag" back too. Stretch marks and excess fat, don't make any woman feel sexy. So take some time, get back your groove and then, you are set. 

I was getting a pedicure when I read this article, I decided that I needed to share it with Peter, so I emailed it to him. I mean, how was he suppose to know my emotions, if I myself could not understand them. He read it and got a better understanding of what I was going through. 

He was so sweet that he suggested that we started to work out together. He was so encouraging and showed me that he was there for me. I needed that. The first thing, he suggested was, that I ditched all my maternity clothes. As comfotable as they were, I was stuck in a rut. I had to get out of them. 

After that, it was healthy eating and exercise. I am glad I read this article, I hope it helps you too.

Here's the link

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/features/your-sex-life-after-baby

Widening Our Scope

A couple of years ago, when I was researching to start my business Hartwarmers, I realized that your brand reflects you. In other words you are your brand. Some businesses, build a fake front to lure you in. And I can understand that they are profit driven. But I think I rather stay true to myself. People who know me, will tell you that when it comes to me, I am an open book.

So even in my business and with my new project, Ripplezblue, I will follow through being me. I shall share with you my deepest emotions and fears too.

I had been debating with the fact, if I should add more topics into Ripplezblue, besides simply special needs.

I had just had a baby, and I am going through many emotional trials, just like any new mums. There are certain issues that I wish to share with you, as I realize that many can benefit from it. So I hope, my experiences can help many out there.

Tide Between Brothers

Hi,

I am the elder brother of Ivan and living life alongside him, is not a simple task. I recall when I was younger, I was not very happy about how things went. Ivan would sit daily in his corner and play on the computer, while I had to sit across him and study. I had always found that treatment was unfair to me, due to the fact that Ivan was free all the time to play and to enjoy himself, while I was tied down by homework.

Upon reaching primary school, my brother was not attending mainstream school. In total, he had only needed to study for less than fifteen minutes a day. I would complain to my parents and they will try to explain to me that he was different and so he will be needed a different approach. Of course, I was not happy with that explanation!

I used to get embarrassed when Ivan would do crazy things in public. I would even pretend as if I did not know him. There was a phase I went through in my life, where I would just take it as I did not have a brother and I showed him no concern, despite being his older brother. 

Recently, we just had a new addition into our family, baby Iggy. After the birth of my youngest brother, I learned that it was my responsibility to watch over both my brother. That's why I decided to step up and so what I had to do. I came to understand my brother, Ivan and had to come to accept our differences. we got along better. However, even now we still have our conflicts. 

Living alongside autism, is not simple but with support from family and friends, it can be achieved. These special children hold more than what meets the eye. Ivan's development has been an amazing journey, as we all work together as a family to improve him.

 Here, is a shot of the two brothers, taken on one holiday.

This article was written by a fifteen year old sibling of a child with autism.
A great thank you to El.

Iron Man 3

In everything there is always a follow up. It helps enhance the existing experience. With all the excitement from their 3D rides, Peter wanted to do a follow up with a full 3D movie.  And the one screening at the moment was Iron Man 3. This week Peter would be leaving for another job assignment. So before he left, he wanted to do a follow up with Ivan.

We introduced to Ivan the idea of sitting through a whole 3D movie. We told him that the show was called Iron Man. His brother El, helped him to download a game featuring the Iron Man. Ivan was very interested with the game and played it very well. 

The next step, was the movie. Peter took the boys down to the theater for the show. Baby and I stayed home, as we could not sit through. Ivan was excited, as he got his popcorn, and headed in.

In hand you will see that Ivan has his Lion King figurine one of this security items. He also had a couple more in his bag, along with his bottle of mineral water, his ear phones and Ipod, which are his basic materials.

 

  

Ivan had a great time at the movies! He spoke to me about the show and that he liked it very much. 

Peter shared with me, that as suspected, Ivan had used his ear phones during the show. It wasn't plugged in, but he wanted it in his ears. Always plan in advance your outing. Bring along whatever you think your child would need. 

It is important to plan an outing to the movies, that would minimize as much distraction as you can.

Here are some tips:

• Choose a school day to visit the movies, you will be able to avoid the rush of patrons
• Choose the first show for the same reasons
• Pick the last week of screening to avoid  a degree of the hassle and noise
• If possible choose a theater that has free seating, you child may want to choose a seat himself
• Prepare a jacket, as the theater would be extra cold with lesser people
• Bring along ear phones, or anything that you think your child would need to reduce the light or sound, should it affect your child alot
• Always talk to your child about going for the movies, before going
• Bring along security items that will help keep your child calm

If you find that your child cannot last through out the whole movie, it's okay. In the beginning, Ivan couldn't either. Either Peter or I would follow Ivan out and walk around the mall, until the rest had finished watching the movie. Should the theater be rather empty,I would allow Ivan to walk around a little. See what works for you, and what helps your child to be comfortable.

Good luck and enjoy experimenting new things with your child!

Stepping Out Of Our Comfort Zone

My last trip back in Singapore, was a quick one, but I managed to take my family to USS Sentosa. It was interesting, but we had to consider many things. We were a family of five, that comprises of one fifteen year old teenager, one thirteen year old boy with sensory issues and autism, and a little baby boy.

Having a son with autism, is always a challenge. As a parent I am sometimes guilty of looking at the cons rather than the pros. I want to change that and start looking at the positive. Every child is different, Ivan is special. He is a wonderful child, but has sensory issues, and autism, that he struggles with.

As his father, it is my duty to get him to explore as much as possible. Planning family outings used to be all about Ivan. But now we have a little one that we have to consider too. I wanted to bring the family to USS to enjoy the rides. So one of the biggest challenge with Ivan was to bring him for the 3D Transformer ride at USS. It is not easy and of course it was a great risk to take. Once, we were strapped in, we could not exit. Since, it was our first trip there, my wife suggested that we should not push Ivan, she is rather protective of him.

Since Ivan was a huge huge, fan of Shrek, my wife used that to ease in the outing.

While I was getting us tickets, my wife got Ivan some Shrek merchandise.

My elder son and I went for the 3D Transformer ride and it was awesome. I wanted to bring Ivan too, but after a discussion with my wife, I decided that we would prepare Ivan with this trip first. So I brought him to watch the Shrek 4D show instead. It was to get him to understand the graphic and movements in a 3D atmosphere. Ivan was a little unprepared in the beginning but as the show went on I notice him enjoying the new experience, by reaching out for the scene, as he watched in 3D.

Our first trip was a success, and I believe we had laid the foundation for the 3D ride.  So this time, when I returned to Singapore, we took another trip down to USS, Sentosa. I brought a bigger group of family reinforcements this time.

I was very determined that this time I was going to get Ivan onto the 3D ride. My wife asked me why I was so sure, I told her I just knew it. I had a gut feeling that he was ready for the 3D ride. It was a gamble I wanted to take. I spoke to him continuously about the ride. I ensured him that I was going to be with him all the way. I held him close throughout the whole ride, in order for him to feel protected and comforted. Although, he was afraid, he was able to watch the whole show and completed the ride.

Hurray, I was so happy that Ivan had made it. It was a huge achievement for our family. I pushed him and he excelled. I was so thrilled, that I wanted to share it with other parents my experience too.

As parents, we know our children best, but sometimes, we underestimate their strength and focus on their shortcomings. Let's step aside, and encourage them to grow.

I wish to share a few tips from my experience.

1. remove the fear from your heart before embarking on a new experience

2. know that it's not going to be easy, so take it easy if it doesn't go as planned

3. have prior conversations with your child about the new experience you have planned

4. pick a time that is off-peak so that you will have less people and less waiting time

5. bring along a "safety blanket" for your child

6. if your child is afraid of loud sounds, bring along ear mufflers

7. hold on and physically, assure your child as much as you can

8. if at first it doesnt go as planned, try again when you feel your child is ready

I hope my expreince has encouraged you to try new things with your child too.

by Peter Gomez

Give-Aways

Ripplezblue, is kick starting our give-aways. Our very first item, is an Ipod Nano.

So as our first step to reaching out to families that have a child/ children with special needs, we are giving away an Ipod Nano. (yipee)

Why an Ipod Nano?

Well, in the past, when Ivan was younger, I had problems settling him down on the trains and buses. We don't own a car and it was too costly to take the taxi, all the time. Trains and buses, were economical for us. But Ivan would get very distracted during the travel.  He would want to turn around and look out of the windows, or sometimes, he would want to get off his seat and walk around. He would hum, laugh and sometimes scream too. I would be very embarrassed as the other passengers gave me disapproving looks.

I started to get him toys to occupy himself, but it helped only for a few rides. As Ivan did have sensory issues too, the sounds around him triggered a lot of frustrations too. Then I discovered the Ipod. It served all the pruposes. I downloaded soothing music to calm him down. The earphones, helped block out the surrounding noises. I also downloaded pictures of his favourite things and used it like a PECs program.

Just recently, Peter, mentioned how, useful the Ipod has been in Ivan's life. And that's when we decided that we should, give away a few. So we are starting of with one give away to start the ball rolling.

 http://www.apple.com/ipod-nano/

How do you qualify for this give away?

Write in to us, on one challenging experience you have encountered with your child with special needs. 

Tell us your child's diagnosis and how you are helping him/her?

You may choose to stay anonymous if you want. When we publish your article, your names will be changed, all personal information will be confidential.

The story that touches us the most will receive the Ipod-Nano.

Closing date for this give-away is 31st July 2013.

You will be notified via email, should you win the prize.

So start writing and send your articles to ripplezblue@gmail.com.

Thanks 

The Hidden Talents Of A Special Child

This is an article written by a very passionate SPED teacher, who eventually became a close friend and confidant of mine.

Whenever someone asks me, what a special child is like, they will usually relate to them as autistic and someone who is sub-normal.

However to me, they are truly special in their own way.

So what are they really like?

How special are they?

What hidden talents have which others may not be aware?

I will share with you about a ten year old boy with autism who can memorize and relate to you all the train stations in Singapore plus code and tell you which line it is! I can't tell you how often I forget sometimes in Singapore plus code and tell you which station comes first and I need to refer to the standing chart on the platform. Sounds familiar?

Whenever I am lost or not sure to go to a destination, my first thoughts were to ask him whether this bus number heads there. He is so knowledgeable, like a walking bus directory. You can simply ask him about a bus number and he will tell you it's destination with no mistakes!

Whenever I am lost or not sure to go to a destination, my first thoughts were to ask him whether this bus number heads there. He is so knowledge like a walking bus directory. You can simply ask him about a bus number and he will tell you its destination with no mistakes!

How about another nine year old girl, with Down Syndrome, who can draw a picture of Walt Disney princesses a thousand times a year? She can draw it again and again because of her obsessions with Walt, Disney, she must be undisputed the best Picasso in the world! She even won an Art competition before!

Another seventeen year old boy with autism, who has very good auditory and listening skill, is so talented on the piano. He does not know the theory behind the notes of the piano, but could play a tune after hearing it only once! He will definitely win the "Singapore's Got Talent" show if they do have such a variety show in Singapore. I will be first to register him in the competition!

Another sixteen year old boy, who is non-verbal with severe intellectual difficulties, can catch a ball thrown to him as quick as lightning. He could juggle the ball without dropping it on the floor. He could also jump on the big gym ball for over an hour with both legs lifted off the floor with no aid! If he is a baseball player, his team will definitely be Number 1 in baseball! He could also do something else special, he has a photographic memory with numbers. I have told him my hand phone number once and he could write it out within few seconds! AMAZING!

Another hidden talent is this sixteen year old boy, with Asperger's syndrome, who knows all about Geography. I am never a fan of maps, but I think I am a great fan of him. On one occasion, I was teaching Geography and I gave a quiz on countries and their capitals. He was really fantastic, because he knows countries. He could even point out on the map, the location of these countries and cities and the continents they are in.

I could easily count more than a dozen students with hidden talents, which are too many to list in this article.

So next time if someone ask me what is a special child like, I will beam with pride and announce that a special child is one with hidden talents, special abilities, interesting character and amazing personality.

Hopefully, this could enlighten some of those who have not worked with any children with special needs or have ill-informed or mis-perceived knowledge about them. More importantly, I believe we could utilize some of these talents, and have more masses in the public will sincerely appreciate the true beauty of these hidden talents, and have more gracious acceptance of them, living among us in Singapore. One day, they will be harnessed in a productive way, and contribute to our future economy.

Writer's Profile:

Olivia is currently a Special Needs educator, teaching in a private school. Having taught for the past seven years, she hopes to share some witty and interesting articles about her interactions with and observations of the children she has worked with, in the past. Some of them have autism, Asperger's syndrome, Down syndrome, Dyslexia, Intellectual Difficulties, Global Developmental Delay etc. More importantly, she hopes to help the public gain more awareness of children with special needs.

Writer's Phrase:

A child with special needs is just like normal child who needs love, care, patience, and a lot of nurturing. Take away their label and make them special as they are to us, as to you.

With a great thank you to Olivia

It Gets Emotional

credits 

Upon the arrival of a diagnosis, there comes an involuntary surge of emotions. They may not be kind and may come one after another, or they may hit you a couple at a time. We are all different, and we process information, experiences and pain at a different pace. Our emotions may get the best of us at times. I feel that lady in the painting, with the colours signifying my blast of emotions.

- Disbelief

May be the first you could experience. Could it be true? Could my child really have this condition? Could he just be a late bloomer? Could the doctor be wrong? Maybe he is too young to be tested?

- Confusion

Now which do I chose? Who is the best? Am I doing the right thing? Can I afford all this? Can I continue with my job? When do I get help from? Who can help me?

- Denial

It's not happening to me? It will pass? I just have to go on with my life and it will disappear. Maybe if I just act blur, it will pass.

- Information overdose

Articles on the internet, so much of terminology. Books, information from cover to cover. Blogs of people and professionals. Advice from caring friends and relatives who may or may not know what they are talking about.

 

- Numbness

A surge of so much of emotions, that the only thing I can feel is numb. Some how the numbness, is less painful. I would rather linger in the numbness then to face reality.

- Isolation

Leave me alone! I can't take this anymore! I just want to be left alone. I need some time to myself to process all this. I don't feel like talking to anyone... forever!

- Loss

My child will never have a normal life. The hopes and dreams I have for him are all dead. Mourning the loss of what could be. My perfect dream child is gone.

- Shock

Oh my God, this is really happening, to us. A rise in heartbeats and you start to hyperventilate. You need a hug badly. You may be faint hearted and collapse when anxiety hits you too hard.

 

- Anger

A sense of rage. An anger that for some reason, you cannot direct. You feel that you are angry with anyone and everyone. You are always angry, with the universal for just being. You could be angry family that never was they to help you. Or maybe with God for not removing the situation.

- Guilt

Eventually, the anger directs you yourself. Did I do something wrong? Did I cause this? Could I have done something differently? You wallow in guilt and self pity for a while.

- Sadness

Lots of tears, they stream down abundantly.

All these are legitimate emotions that you can feel. Don't feel bad. Given the situation and responsibilities that you are shouldering, you can cut yourself some slack. Allow yourself some alone time to "lick your wounds". But be sure to pick yourself up when you are done. I always tell myself this, when I burn out, "You have already hit rock bottom, you can't possibly, go any lower. The only way to move is up." This always helps me, to pick myself up.

I would advice you to cry your heart out, smother yourself with chocolates and wine. Run a long warm, scented bath. Take deep breathes and tell yourself, you can do it. Have a good nap and wake up to a brand new day.

Guests

 credits

Seated at the dinner table,

was a guest we could not refuse.

She was not invited, but she came to stay.

She ran a wreck in our household.

She called the shots to her fancy.

We were stranded and hands bound.

We open our mouths, nothing but despair came out.

We were hostages taken in our own house.

At the dinner table, we set one extra setting.

She sat at the head of the table, and lead dinner.

A chaotic mess, each time.

But Faith, came as a centerpiece.

Soon, came a calmness, that lingered.

Then came Hope and empowerment.

Now we await Peace to enter our home.

Peace that will stay in our hearts,

Alongside Autism.

- Selina Gomez 

Pretend Play

You may be surprised to know that not all children are into pretend play. It can be challenging to a child with special needs, say autism, to engage in pretend play. They live in a very tangible world. Anything that is abstract is almost incomprehensible for her. 

Will they ever be able to pretend?

What is important about it? And why do children pretend?

"one reason children pretend is that it helps them make sense out of the world. As children play and replay familiar events, they understand them better."

 

credits 

The ever famous, pretend play would be the Teddy Bear Tea Party. The child is usually the hostess, while the stuff animals, teddy bears and dolls, attend as guests. Usually, pretend play starts off with a food theme, since it is an everyday encounter for a child. The act of eating, preparing of the food, serving, and eventually hosting of a party, are stages they evolve from.

When you play hostess at your party, you are also a role model for your child. She watches you and learns what you serve and how you handle the party. In turn, she will fantasize it and re-enact it, how she sees it, through her eyes.

As pretend play emerges, a child is about two years old, it will help the child make sense of the world around her. "As children become familiar with a specific imaginary theme, they begin to recognize, at least in that limited context, the difference between reality and fantasy."

If your child is challenged with pretend play, give it time. She will eventually get there. After a long wait, Ivan now pretend play, very well. He has story telling and narration to go with it as well.

Book: Your Child At Play: Two to Three Years by Marilyn Segal, Ph.D.

A Stranger That Came To Stay

The year was 2002.
Venue was the hospital, Child Development Center.
The doctor, introduced me to Autism.
She followed us home that day, and will be staying with us forever.

She was going to be a house guest, one that we had to accommodate.
She would be calling all the shots and we had to abide.
As good hosts, we had to accommodate her.
The only way, we were all going to live happily under one roof,
was if we could understand what she wanted.
So like every other relationship, it took time for us to get to know her.

I would not say that we are besties, but we have learned to be civil to one another.
We acknowledge her existence, and she senses our resistance.
With external help, we have learned to cope and grow side by side.
We have learned never to take anything for granted, no matter how small or big, how quick or slow.
A simple smile or a warm hug, they are all priceless now.


Honestly speaking, we are thankful for the many blessings that came with her entrance.
In our fast pace lives, we learned to stop and smell the roses.
We learned to live for each day with thanks.
We rearranged  our priorities and bonded well with our children.
We learn to overcome challenges as a family.
We stand abreast to face the next trial that comes before us.

And with a lot of cursing and swearing, we learned to finally worship in faith and receive with open arms.

picture via pinterest
-Selina Gomez

Does One Size Fit All?

What do you think? 

Autism... I still recall when this word was first introduced to me, years ago, I was at a total loss. I had never heard of this before. Back in the day, should something be amiss in a child, he would be termed retarded. And I asked myself, was my little boy retarded? How could I have not seen it?

A lot of questions filled my head, and a lot of pain filled my heart. I asked around, spoke to doctors but no one could give me a proper explanation. So, like anyone else today, I turned to the one source that would answer my question. The Internet! Yes, the internet was able to help me understand a little better. I read the terms and characteristics. The more I read, the more fearful and worried I became.

I took everything literally, but what I never understood, was that although my son had autism he was still a unique little boy.

"Every person who has autism is different. No two autistic people will have exactly the same symptoms. Some people have severe autism. A person with severe autism may not speak. He may not be able to do everyday tasks, such as dressing himself or using the bathroom by himself. He may nit be able to do everyday tasks, such as dressing himself or using the bathroom by himself. he may do odd or upsetting things, such as bang his head against the wall or chew on furniture.

Other people have less severe symptoms. They may be able to learn to do things to take care of themselves. They may learn to read and write. However, it can take a very long time for autistic children to learn new things.

Book: How to deal with Autism by Lynette Robbins

 
The  extract taken above explains it in mere layman terms. This is as simple as it gets. I slowly learned that I needed to take everything I read with a pinch of salt. Not everything was applicable to my son. So, I sieved out only important information that would be helpful to my son.

So, if you are a parent, who just found out that you child has some form of special needs, here's what I wish to share with you.

• take a deep breathe
• pray for strength
• read as much as you can about the condition
• speak to other parents in similar situations
• spot out which applies to your child
• love and enjoy your child
• it will  not be perfect, but in this world nothing is!

Take heart, my friends.

Do You Know Them All?

It can be very scary, when you are seated at the doctor's office and you are awaiting for him to tell you, "It's all going to be alright. your child will grow out if his condition." OR
"Your child is fine, there is nothing wrong with him, give him time."

But instead you hear, "I think your child has a condition called autism."

My eyes opened wide, and I felt my jaw hang loose for a second. I tool a slow swallow and grasped for air. Then I asked, "What is autism?", "Is he sick?", "Is he retarded?"

The doctor gave me a fairly brief explanation and sent me off. I felt numb all over, my heart was beating so fast, as if I was running a marathon. I stood motionless for awhile. I felt a surge of emotions. I knew one that I could identify was - devastation. I knew that Ivan had been diagnosed with something bad. But how bad, was bad....?

I went on the internet and tired to equip myself with the new term... to my surprise, I saw all these terms.

• nonverbal learning disorder
• attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder
• attnetion deficit disorder
• Tourette's
• obsessive-compulsive disorder
• sensory processing disorder
• gastrointestinal problems affecting behavior
• mental retardation

Only when I found out that my little boy had certain needs, did these unusual terms became visible to me. The only thing they seem to have in common is "disorder".

If you are a new parent, being exposed to these terms, don't be afraid. They cannot defeat you or your child. Be brave and read more,  you will soon find them to be just a bunch of words. Equip yourself with as much knowledge as you can.

In the months to come, you will find that we will comb through each topic to give you a better insight on these terms.

From Diagnosis To Prognosis

Have you ever wished that you had a crystal ball, that could give you answers. Hmmm... wouldn't that be nice. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. One never knows what the future holds for our family and ourselves. Especially, when you have a child who has special needs, you worry about everything, the future holds for him. Just like the picture below, a diagnosis was given and my world looked just like that in the ball, upside down!

 via Pinterest

When you have just received your child's diagnosis, it can be overwhelming. The rational thing to do, would be to see what the next step is. But I know I didn't. Immediately, I sought for a prognosis.

What's A Prognosis ?

Wikipedia states that "Prognosis (Greek πρόγνωση - literally fore-knowing, foreseeing) is a medical term for predicting the likely outcome of one's current standing." 

The Online Dictionary states two examples

a. A prediction of the probable course and outcome of a disease.

b. The likelihood of recovery from a disease.

No professional would be able to give you a prognosis based on the immediate diagnosis. You child would be part of the spectrum, either mild, moderate, severe or profound. Based on the diagnosis, you have just received, it is impossible to predict the outcome. There are no equipments to measure your child's advancements. No crystal ball to give you a definite answer.

Honestly, at that point of time, I wasn't really bothered about all the details, all I wanted to know was one thing. And that one thing was, would my son snap out of this? Would he be able to lead a normal life? Attend school like his brother? Have a family one day? I wanted so much for someone to say "Yes, this is just a temporary situation." But that was not the case. Reality bites, that's true. And it hurt, it hurt bad.

Speech Language Pathologist

Whose Who?

It is important to know, whose who in the medical team, that can help you and your child. This is a continuation from an earlier article.

Always, keep an open mind. Although, the professionals may know their job well, they may not know your child as well as you. That makes you the professional, where your child is concern. Be your child's advocate, speak for him. Have second opinions when needed, but I would advice you to follow your gut.

As I am a passionate mother, but not working in the medical circle, I am furnishing you with details, I got from this great book. 

Speech Language Pathologist
Here in Singapore, they are better known as a Speech Therapist (ST).
Simply put... he or she is also a professional with a master's degree, with a background in communication disorders... They perform evaluations, deliver a diagnosis, carry out therapy, and recommend "homework" for you.

For further reading, do check out the library near you for this great book.

Book: Speaking of Apraxia by Leslie A. Lindsay, R. N., B.S.N.