Parents of special needs children

jumper120
jumper120 Posts: 7 Member
in Motivation and Support
I just joined and wanted to see if there’s any other special needs parents to connect with for motivation and support. I’m 52 years old with 2 sons (27 and 19) and a daughter (24). Both of my sons are autistic and still live with us. My oldest is on the higher end while my youngest is non-verbal and on the lower end of moderate . My daughter is married, a special education teacher, and expecting a baby girl in November.

Replies

  • jennacole12
    jennacole12 Posts: 1,167 Member
    Welcome to MFP! I have a 6 year old with autism and 2 other boys that are not on the spectrum. Congrats on the grand baby that is so exciting!!
  • MELinTexas2018
    MELinTexas2018 Posts: 23 Member
    my daughter is autistic. welcome and feel free to add me as a friend - we are close in age, i'm almost 48.
    meals are a S-T-R-U-G-G-L-E for us in our house! OMGosh! picky eater doesn't begin to describe it. plus, meds make her gain weight. it's rough being on a diet in front of her. i try not to let her know.
  • samthepanda
    samthepanda Posts: 569 Member
    Hi. My son is 15 and has autism and learning difficulties. I also have a 6 year old daughter.
  • jumper120
    jumper120 Posts: 7 Member
    Both my boys also have a seizure disorder or epilepsy and are on meds just for that. Meals are a definite struggle. My oldest is a good eater except for veggies and fruit. My youngest is my picky one eating mainly pasta goldfish and other carbs but also likes some fruits. I have to admit I’m also picky and have the food palette of a toddler. Snacking is my downfall.
  • allmannerofthings
    allmannerofthings Posts: 829 Member
    Welcome I have 2 boys on the spectrum also. They are 18 and 22. They are both picky eaters and have almost no foods in common. One wants cold crunchy food only and the other warm soft food only. I have found it gets easier as they get older - the older one now gets all his own meals and probably eats healthier than any of the rest of us.
  • nareau14
    nareau14 Posts: 10 Member
    Hi!
    Both of my children are autistic. My son is 14 and nonverbal, my daughter is 10 and has delays.
  • dejavuohlala
    dejavuohlala Posts: 1,821 Member
    Hello and welcome. I had a severely disabled daughter who sadly passed at age 28 years, that was in 2004. I have nothing but admiration for such parents it's a hard road but so rewarding. Fighting for everything to give your child the best quality of life. I learnt so much from my late daughter.
    Any parents in this thread can add me for support. Good luck
  • Amandachanges
    Amandachanges Posts: 91 Member
    I have 4 kids, 2 girls/2 boys. Both of my boys (18 and 10) are on the spectrum. Feel free to add me. I’m a sahm, and I also homeschool.
  • MELinTexas2018
    MELinTexas2018 Posts: 23 Member
    jmlongfellow07 wrote: »
    My 3 year old son just got his official diagnosis of autism yesterday. We've known for quite a while, just been fighting with doctors and the insurance company to get them to acknowledge our concerns and give him a formal evaluation. Meals are tough around here because of his sensory issues. I'm hoping when he can start OT, they'll help with that (he'll only eat certain colors/textures). Welcome to MFP! 😀

    my daughter has SPD and was in food therapy for a while. ((((HUGS)))) i feel ya! (just got daughter's Dx in april)
  • tonkacrew3
    tonkacrew3 Posts: 51 Member
    Hi
    My daughter does not have autism, but bipolar I and extreme anxiety. I also wonder if she doesn't have a form of autism (being on the spectrum somewhere) since she displays many of the symptoms (I have found that bipolar and autism are now being closely linked and sometimes even comorbid). Our days are riddled with rages, severe anxiety and just rough patches. The stress and heart pain have lead to stress eating and (sigh) I have lots of weight to lose. Anyone else have this circumstance? I am eating right and exercising but, I find that I don't have the same circumstances as others on this app and don't receive the encouragement I like to give and receive as well. The love for my baby is moving me to show her that eating well will help her medical issues and mine as well (I never tell her she has to do so though, I am leading by example only). I am an encouraging friend, if anyone would like to join me. 😊
  • DcZoe_305
    DcZoe_305 Posts: 16 Member
    5 year old son the spectrum i know the struggle feel.free to
    add anyone.
  • hud54014
    hud54014 Posts: 3,777 Member
    Hi there. I have two boys, one (almost a teen) on the spectrum. He was diagnosed with Autism and ODD, so the early years were rough. He is in his 2nd year of middle school, and is almost fully mainstreamed. I hope you find the support you need here! Feel free to add me :)
  • hud54014
    hud54014 Posts: 3,777 Member
    jmlongfellow07 wrote: »
    My 3 year old son just got his official diagnosis of autism yesterday. We've known for quite a while, just been fighting with doctors and the insurance company to get them to acknowledge our concerns and give him a formal evaluation. Meals are tough around here because of his sensory issues. I'm hoping when he can start OT, they'll help with that (he'll only eat certain colors/textures). Welcome to MFP! 😀


    I remember having a the same difficulties getting services for my son. It became such a hassle I learned how to do ABA and Floortime and worked with him daily. If you can find the time, it’s not that difficult to learn. Best of luck to you.
  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
    Hi. My daughter is 33, not on the spectrum, but DD-Blind. She is non-verbal and is like a potty trained 2 year old without vision. Very picky eater - doesn't like to chew, but will eat Goldfish crackers all day.

    My 13 year old grandson is on the spectrum and doesn't like "squishy" food. The good news is he is almost fully mainstreamed.
  • ShellyPru84
    ShellyPru84 Posts: 56 Member
    My son is almost 7 and on the spectrum. I also have 3 neurotypical girls. My son has been receiving ST and OT since age 3. He was nonverbal till 3 and just recently started having conversations. It’s a work in progress. We’ve fought to keep him mainstream in school and he is making great strides. I could go on and on. It’s tough and I’ve cried and prayed over that child but I wouldn’t change him for anything. Good luck to you!
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,513 Member
    Hi I have 2 children
    13 year old girl with cerebral palsy, delays, subglottic stenosis, lung disease and school are fighting for an autism diagnosis to get support as outside of the home she displays selective mutism and she lacks empathy and has no brain to mouth filter so is now being physically bullied at school

    My son is almost 3. He has lung disease too (both born at 25 weeks) he's non verbal and has been referred for an autism assessment. He's like Tigger on speed and has to be watched 24/7 as zero awareness. He's breastfed which is a godsend on the days where every food is the wrong food

  • IHaveMyActTogether
    IHaveMyActTogether Posts: 945 Member
    Amandachanges wrote: »
    I have 4 kids, 2 girls/2 boys. Both of my boys (18 and 10) are on the spectrum. Feel free to add me. I’m a sahm, and I also homeschool.

    2 girls, 1 boy. We also homeschool. Our boy is special needs (not specified), but is truly an amazing kid.

    He's overcome so many obstacles, and gone further than most people thought he ever could. Don't put limitations on your kid in your mind, no matter what experts say. They can accomplish more than you think they can. Sometimes people are so focused on what their child can't do, that they overlook and don't give the kids a chance to fully develop what they CAN do.

    Just wanted to shine some light:

    James Earl Jones had a stuttering problem all the way through high school. He is now known worldwide for his speaking voice, acting and narration in major films.

    Temple Grandin, an autistic woman, revolutionized the cattle industry by combining her intuition about cows and her engineering skills, not only busting through her societal expectations of people with special needs, but also as a woman in a nearly all male field. Amazing considering her teachers thought she was dumb as a box of rocks.

    Too many Olympic athletes to count have asthma, a life threatening condition that can flare up with physical exertion.


    JUST BECAUSE IT'S HARDER FOR YOUR KID, DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN'T BE GREAT IN THEIR OWN WAY, EVEN IN THEIR AREA OF STRUGGLE.


    For those who are spiritually inclined, this is interesting:

    - God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the weak things of the world to confound the strong. - 1 Corinthians 27

    - For with God, nothing is impossible. - Luke 1:37

  • sophia_sade85
    sophia_sade85 Posts: 8 Member
    I have 3 kids and 2 are on the spectrum. One high functioning and one low functioning. Ages 5 and 9 both boys. I definitely understand. Feel free to add me.
  • Bartacles
    Bartacles Posts: 12 Member
    Great to see so many others here. We have 3 girls, 2 adopted. A 12 year old bio with type 1 diabetes, an 8 year old adopted with moderate limb differences and a rare genetic disorder, and 6 year old adopted with SPD, extreme oral aversion, PTSD and a feeding disorder. There have been some rough patches for us, but things are more stable now. Happy to connect with specials needs parents.
  • kcpond
    kcpond Posts: 661 Member
    I have 2 boys that both have some form of special needs. My oldest has an attachment disorder and has an Intellectual disability while my younger has adhd. Both show signs of anxiety. Both have there strengths as well and they are both high functioning but have difficulty with academic type learning.

    Feel free to add me if you like.
  • moniex5
    moniex5 Posts: 3 Member
    Hello! I am 44 and have 5 sons (24, 22, 12, 12, & 8) and my second son is special needs. He is on the autism spectrum and has health issues (congenital heart defects, brain atrophy, legally blind in both eyes, but his right eye is better, horrible eczema, and has hormone imbalances) It has not been an easy road with him needing so much of my time and to see all the doctors and specialists over the years I let myself go. My oldest has asthma and it was very bad when he was younger so between him and my second son I got to know the staff quite well at Children's in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, we had to place my second son into a group home as he became too violent and it was hard to keep him and his brothers safe. The group home is a 2 bedroom townhouse. He has his own room and has a roommate in the other room and 24 hour staff to tend to his needs. He also goes to a day treatment facility and goes on outings. Plus we have him here on the weekends for visits.

    Besides wanting to better my body I have decided to further my education to get a the job of my dreams and help my family financially. I am in school to become an Early Childhood Educator. I will have a dual licensure in Regular and Special Education when all is said and done. I have 5 semesters to go. I received my Associate's Degree in January and started my program that month. It was tough to do as it was 18 credits and 75 hours field experience and also being a mom and a wife. I have two more 18 credit semesters, two 17 credit semesters, those will also have 100+ hours of field experience, and my final will be 13 credits and student teaching.

    I would also love the support!
  • allison8668
    allison8668 Posts: 885 Member
    Hi all - I’m one of you! My youngest is 16 going on 3 or 4. She is nonverbal and has developmental delays, cognitive disabilities, adhd, and was recently diagnosed with autism. She also had scoliosis and had to have spinal fusion surgery this past January. She needs assistance to walk, do stairs, eat, get dressed, etc.

    The autism diagnosis was unexpected and I think that I’m still in denial about it. I haven’t really read up on it - which is something I normally would do. Try to find out everything I can about the situation. I’m just saying to myself that the doctor gave the diagnosis so that we could get home services for her from behaviorists. Of course, doctors don’t do that. I don’t know the reason for my attitude.

    The only thing that keeps me sane is cardio. I get my sense of freedom back when I’m running, walking, biking, hiking, etc. Feel free to add me as a friend if you’d like.
  • OddDitty
    OddDitty Posts: 248 Member
    jumper120 wrote: »
    I just joined and wanted to see if there’s any other special needs parents to connect with for motivation and support. I’m 52 years old with 2 sons (27 and 19) and a daughter (24). Both of my sons are autistic and still live with us. My oldest is on the higher end while my youngest is non-verbal and on the lower end of moderate . My daughter is married, a special education teacher, and expecting a baby girl in November.

    Hi there. I have a 42 year old special needs son who lives with us. He is mildly mentally challenged but needs lots of help with some daily things like transportation, handling money, etc. My son follows my lead in the food department and I realize that what I may do moderately he will do in extreme. So he and my husband are both doing this change with me.

    I have to remind him to slow down and chew. Have had to do that since he was a little fella. But he's the light of our lives and we love him to bits and thank the Lord every day for him in our lives!

Categories