Martin was more pleasant this afternoon and evening than he's been in recent memory. He did not throw a fit, scream out in distress, or slam a door. I'm not sure what made it happen, but it sure was nice.
I'm gotten so used to frustration and fits that those things are the norm. That's not to say that Martin isn't a nice little kid. Sometimes he's positively angelic. But even more than typical kids, children on the spectrum seem to struggle so mightily when things don't go their way. It's the anger and frustration any of us would feel, coupled with the confusion that comes with having a language processing disorder.
I'm always reminding myself that even though Martin has made so much language progress, it's still not natural for him. He must feel - everyday - like some of us feel when we visit foreign countries and lack language fluency.
My hope is that Martin will someday catch up to his peers in language proficiency. Most of the professionals we work with think this is an achievable goal. In some respects, he has the chance of moving from the PDD part of the spectrum to the Asperger's end, which is marked primarily by social difficulties. Though I don't know what it's like to have an Asperger's child, I can't help but think that social awkwardness is easier to deal with than deficient speech. But maybe parents of kids with full-blown autism look at my experience and think it's a cakewalk.
Whatever the case, I'm glad for a good night. Thank you, universe.
yes, i'm thankful that Jaden doesn't have as many language processing issues (he has an Asperger's label)...he has some - very often, he struggles with coming up with the right words to describe what he's feeling, what he'd like to say...i don't know how parents with non-verbal children do it & i applaud them! of course, everyone on the spectrum is different - has their own personal struggles & hurdles to overcome...i think regardless of what label Martin has, he's very lucky to have such caring & dedicated parents! & he'll come out on top in the end, no matter what! :0)
ReplyDeleteMy son is largely non-verbal, but we are working on it. The worst part about it is that sometimes he cries and cries, he is SO sad, and I have no idea what is bothering him. I remind myself that some parents have it worse, and that a lot of four year olds aren't great at expressing themselves. But it still is a pain in the hole!
ReplyDelete