April is Autism Awareness Month!

All of my wonderful blog readers know that I blog about a disease near and dear to my heart, Type 1 Diabetes. However, that isn't the only one that means something to me. In my family, my mom and dad have 5 kids. My older sister Krystal (28), then me (26), Malory (24), Hailey (18), Gabe (15). After 4 (I might add super, wonderful) daughters, my folks finally had a boy. So I urge you to keep reading and follow his story. Welcome to our other Holland...

~Gabe (2 months), Hailey (2 years)

Initially, Gabe developed absolutely normal. He was saying words, "mamma, dadda, cow, ball, bampa (grandpa)." He was my little buddy. I was a tomboy and enjoyed finally having a brother to pal around the farm with. But he started "losing" his vocabulary around 18 months old. He stopped making eye contact. He changed. I was 14 and I remember his meltdowns. We stopped being able to go places as a family because crowds and noises were too much for Gabe. It was hard on all of us. I remember watching the other kids his age and wishing Gabe could be like them. When he was 2 he was dx with autism. He had no vocabulary. We couldn't communicate with him. He lived in his own little bubble and we didn't know how to penetrate it. It seemed like he didn't even know his family existed. The doctors told my mom Gabe would never recognize her as his mother. He wouldn't know how to love. They actually gave her a pretty grim outlook on life with a child who has autism.

But my mom didn't take that as the end all. She started researching. She started reading. She joined committees. She learned all she could. We implemented several things early on after his dx. There were 3 things specifically that really seemed to help us get into Gabe's world. After integrating them, we started seeing progress. He began talking. He began playing...actually playing with other kids and toys. Using his imagination! He went to school. He learned.

~Gabe as a vampire for Halloween--I did the fancy paint job. :-)

~In school he has always been in mainstream classroom with the help of an aid through elementary school. In middle school his aid came as needed. As he grew, eventually the need for an aid diminished. Now, in high school, he doesn't need an aid at all.

~Gabe around 5 years old.

~Gabe had no fear of anything. He didn't understand danger. Or cold for that matter. He got outside in the winter once in only his diaper. The fact that he was freezing didn't register to him. It was like he couldn't feel it. This is a picture of Gabe after he scaled a tree to look in a nest. I had to go after him. Scary, eh?

~Gabe with his sisters...ummm don't mind my grouchy face. At 17 I thought I was too cool to get pictures taken with my family. Nevertheless, Gabe always had the support and love he needed. We all learned about autism and how we could help Gabe.

~Hailey was and still is one of his biggest advocates at school. They are only 2 years apart and she is great. This picture was not too long after his dx.
~This is me with Gabe at my wedding 7 years ago. He is such a bright spot in our life--notice his smile? Early on we couldn't get him to smile for pictures. I really believe it took all of us to help Gabe get where he is today. Which is where you ask?
~A 6'5" sophomore in high school. He has friends. And hobbies. Likes and dislikes. He has crushes on girls. He goes on dates. He has full communication skills.

~This is my mom, Hailey, and Gabe a couple of weeks ago.

-Gabe has many special talents and gifts that make Gabe uniquely Gabe. He loves his family. He loves to lift weights. He does 500 sit-ups every night--no joke! He has an awesome 6 pack! He is an avid outdoorsman and very independent and self sufficient. He is fully capable of living on his own after high school. Holding a job and having a family.

-Through the years people have asked us if we would change Gabe if we could. I've always been torn with this answer. He has gone through a lot growing up with Autism. Lots of tears. Lots of bullies. People who don't understand how a person with autism's brain works. People who don't understand nor do they care to TRY and understand. He has dealt with rash judgments and rude comments. But all of these things have worked together to make Gabe who he is today. Does he still have characteristics of autism? Yes, some. But he is no longer the introverted little boy he was at dx. He has grown into a great young man with so much potential.

I hope this month proves to be a very effective campaign to teach more people about the special people who live with autism. I hope they learn how to interact and help them. I hope they learn to love them and see them as a person and not define them by their disability. I hope this month helps more people focus on the ABILITY part of disABILITY.

In addition to my family, I have several friends, wonderful mothers, who are parenting some very special kids who have autism. I love them all and am so very proud of them. Cheryl, Amanda, Shelia, and Mom keep up the great work ladies. You are wonderful advocates. (I hope I didn't forget someone!)

For more information about autism and to learn the warning signs--because early intervention is key--please visit http://www.autismspeaks.org/