Hi baby, first and foremost Hugs.

When my son Robbie was 21/2 years old he was diagnosed with autism and I was told that he would never talk (which he still does not), that he would never identify me as his mother (I would just always be any body to him) and that socially he would never be able to interact with people. I did the same thing you did - I allowed myself to mourn all the stuff the dr's said he wouldn't do and then I got him enrolled in the Birch Early Childhood Development program and I watched my child begin to defy all the odds that the doctors had laid out for me. He is now 26 years old and although he is non-verbal, he is a very intelligent young man who reads books, magazines, etc., he is very knowledgeable when it comes to technology and loves the computer - he understands everything you say to him and can respond back by writing and correctly spelling out words that stump his "normal" older brothers. He may have be developmentally and cognitively younger than his age, but he is an amazing young man who has come into his own. All he needed to achieve all this was the love and support of his family. As long as you, his mother, dad and siblings treat him with the same love and compassion you have for one another, there is nothing he won't be able to achieve, just at his own pace and according to his own ability. The key thing is to treat him as normal as possible both in the home and in society. We never used the medical term autism in our house or mute (because of his speech) we talked to him as though he had no limitations and he learned to hear us and respond to life as a verbal person would. He can take his own showers, clean his own room, dress him self, shop at the stores, order his own food from a menu (even if he only says hamburger or french fries). God is a merciful God and no matter what man says, God has a purpose and a plan for your child - I am a living witness as to what God can do. so cry your tears mama and then get to work, he already sounds like a remarkable child. Schooling is the key, find him a great program that will work with him and meet him where he is. I promise you all is not lost. Robbie did more for me than I could ever do to him. He humbled me and often made us as a family wonder, who really has the disability, him or us?

If you ever hit a rough spot and you need someone to talk to and i mean it from the bottom of my heart, you can count on me.

I can't imagine how you felt being told that news, but I can tell you I have a stepson who is developmentally disabled.... He has Fragile X... He is 26 but will never develop more than a 4 year old (and trust me 4 is being generous -- he can not bathe himself, be taught to wipe himself, cut his own food -- has a very limited vocabulary, and so many other traits we all take for granted..)

But on the other hand -- He can make anyone smile and laugh... He is so compassionate and caring.... My husband tells the story of a little girl who was in a car accident with her mother, and her mother died while she was in her arms... This little girl didn't speak for several years... One day my stepson needled her and picked on her until she looked at him and yelled -- "Will you just stop it?" It is said that you could have heard a pin drop in that school (one of my husband's best friends was a teacher there at the time)....

From that day forward this little girl was able to get counseling and grew up to be a very successful adult....

We believe that Kevin was meant to be who he is for a reason... Maybe to make that little girl talk.... And the joy he brings to others is amazing...

My husband and Kevin's mother fought for all the benefits our state would offer for Kevin... They researched and pushed and pushed and Kevin is well taken care of.... He still lives with his mother full time and spends every other week end with us... Sometimes comes for a week at a time....

Don't give up... The help is out there... Get him enrolled in every program you can as soon as you can... It will only benefit him... If you would like someone to talk to who has gone through this recently my best friend has a young daughter with autism and she would be more than willing to give you advice as well....

I hope you will be feeling better soon... Your son is perfect exactly as he is... He is the boy that God has made, and he will become the Man that God intended.....

Many hugzzzzzzzzzzzzz to you... Please let me know if I can help in any way.... Kathi

oh and when i ask him who i am? He verbalizes Tami Hepbourn and I start laughing and say - Robbie who am I to you and he says "Mommy" so you see, I am not just anybody as the doctors claimed I'd always be to him. He knows me as his Mama. Make a liar out of the devil, cause what he meant for bad, God will definitely turn it around for your's and your sons good. Love ya!

Thank you Kathi for sharing your story - this is exactly why i love this group it goes beyond weight loss into so many different realms and what is essential here is that we all have so much more than weight issues in common. I truly love you all.

So sorry to hear what the doctors had to say to you about your son, I know other people who have had children who never spoke and when they fostered them they began to speak and communicate, God is an amazing God and he will help your boy to do his best!!
I hope all goes well for you, us Mother's know our kids the best, God knows them even better cause he made them!!
Keep smiling & believing!!
Hugs,
Eileen

Your story (and the others) brought tears to my eyes! I cannot begin to imagine what you are going thru...

It is good tho to see your strength return with the dawn! Good for you!!

As a PSY major at school, I am always learning that our Western Medicine is great at sticking people in boxes (INS company's require the use of the DSM, which categorizes people and their "stuff" into nice neat little boxes so INS will pay! It is a crazy system!)

Like others have said, you are on the right track! DO NOT let ANYONE tell you your son fits into and will forever more fit into some diagnostic box... He is an individual and is as unique as everyone else... No one knows for sure what he is capable of.

Here is a video about Rowan, a young boy "boxed" with autism... His story is AMAZING!!! So very moving!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xi18k0_the-horse-boy-the-horse-boy_shortfilms#.UYBau8oZnRk

Bless you and your son!

Sweetie - I'm so sorry but you can do this. My husband is a vice president of ARC here in NY and they see miracles and growth every day.

Please know that hugs and prayers are coming your way and you fight girl!!!!

Thank you for the encouragement and support. I realize this really isn't a gbs thing but it does affect me and my journey. I realize now that maybe I had turned a blind eye to the initial diagnosis and how severe it really was. Today it dawned on me that last year in preschool and this year in kindergarten all the therapists, teachers, etc have always remarked on what a wonderful child he is and how smart he is for what has befallen him and that I have done a remarkable job with him. I really didn't think that I was doing something that wonderful but I guess I really was. He is verbal although his speech is like that of a three year old but he does try to get his words out and point across. He can dress himself and is learning to bath himself so that is good. In school the teacher has told me that yes he is delayed but he is also doing better than some of the "normal" kids in her class. We are going to spend the summer riding on the truck with my husband and I know that will be a great fun time for him. When summer is over we are going to hit every program we can to help him become the person I know he is.

My greatest fear right now is that the baby comes from pretty much the same gene pool and I worry that he may have the same problems as I already see similarities between the two at this age.

Know that my thoughts and prayers are with you as love your son with every fiber of your being and help him to become the first best that he can be. He's blessed to have a mama who loves him so much!!

And congratulations to you on your 6 month checkup. A little sunshine amidst the tears.

Linda

Big hugs to you! Your doing a great job and everyone can see it :-) my hats off to you :-) my sister has 3 adopted kids thru the state.. They were all born with drugs in there system. The youngest was 2 months premature. I had never seen a baby so small. But we have been blessed they have just a few learning... An the youngest has speach problems.

Whew getting teary eyed at y'all strength :-) y'all are all amazing women :-)

My 3 year old son is also delayed, I know how hard it is when they are not meeting milestones. Fortunately my Oliver is in early education preschool, and my hope is that he starts communicating soon.

Tami, I love your posts, and you brought tears to my eyes with your encouraging story of your son. Thank you both, this group is amazing.

So I have to share this. I picked my son up from school today (usually he rides the bus home) and as I was in the lobby waiting for the bell to ring to dismiss for the day the school principal walked up to me and told me how proud they were of my little guy because he did so well on his IRI testing this last week. I broke out in tears and told her what the doctor said and she then told me to talk to his teacher. When I talked to the teacher I was told that my son did better than half his class. HALF HIS CLASS!!!! I told her what the doctor said and she just hugged me and told me she would believe that if he had a different mother but she knows I work with him and care about how he does and it shows in how well he does at school.

BTW my oldest son and youngest son are adopted. They have the same birth mother. I know she did drugs while she was pregnant with the oldest and I suspect she did so with the youngest.

He scored a 3 on his IRI and that score is at or above grade level for reading skills!!!!!!!!!!

Yay Anewelly - Keep the good news coming!!!