I've really given this blog a lot of thought--maybe too much. Earlier this summer, while on vacation with a friend, we discussed whether this blog should be about Autism or Aspergers. My son is so high-functioning that she thought maybe I should rename it for Aspergers. And so, over time, I thought of a possible new blog title: Aspirations for Aspergers. But I still felt stuck.
I finally determined that the reason I hadn't pressed forward with the blog is that I don't feel that we fit either camp very well. My son, Morgan, is somewhere in between, but he is on the spectrum--he hand flaps a lot and finds repetitive motion comforting, has difficulty with some basic tasks (potty trained at age 5), and loves techy things. On the other hand, he makes eye contact well, is socially accepted (even with a few quirks), and prefers to be with others, except when playing video games, and not in large groups. He'll attend large-group functions with us, but he usually doesn't prefer them. He's also an advanced reader and recently earned a Citizenship Award at school, so he's considered a "model" student.
I share this background not to brag but because I want to be clear about my experience with Autism. For anyone who follows this blog, please know that my background is with a very high-functioning child. Part of that success is because we as parents, and a team of excellent teachers and professionals, have done A LOT of work with him, and part of the success is due to his natural abilities.
My goal is to help my son build upon the talents and strengths he has. My husband and I work hard to further our son's education and to greatly supplement his classroom schooling. Perhaps our ideas will help other parents with lower-functioning autistic children. If we can help anyone, or be helped, during this blogging venture, we will feel truly blessed.
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