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We realized something was different about EJ from birth.  He cried a lot, the doctors said it was just colic, but the colic never went away.   EJ hit all his milestones on time, in fact he even hit some early.  He walked at 9 months.  For us it was not like some families explain that they had a normal child that suddenly left.  EJ did develop, but his development began to plateau.  He spoke but his language did not get any clearer.  He was able to walk but not ride a bike or run with our falling down.  He was very clumsy, always falling or knocking things over.  He was always on the go and was very impulsive.  He could not sit still for very long, which made teaching him anything extremely difficult.  He did not seem to have a strong interest in other children, but was very keen on adults.  He was always trying to be part of the adult conversation.  He had hand flapping since he was very little, however, we did not see this as a sign at the time.  When I would speak to my doctor about my concerns he would say things like, boys will be boys or he will grow out of it.  He didn't grow out of it.  EJ did not decline or regress but he continued to not progress at the rate of his peers.  We then decided to put him in preschool because I just could not teach him.  He would not hold a pencil, had not interest in drawing or writing.  He could however operate a computer at two years old.  (something that he still has a strong interest in).  After a month in private preschool the teacher expressed her concerns to me. She was a mother of two special needs children herself and felt strongly about the fact that Ej needed additional help.  He was running around the room unable to sit still.  Had no interest in playing with the other students, knocked over their blocks, spilled juice everyday.  EJ though out his life also had proximity issue, he would stand too close when talking or suddenly grab and squeeze a person if he really liked them.  He also was always touching his hair or someone Else's hair or had his hands in his mouth.  The list went on and on.  So began our journey.  We started taking him to a psychologist, our pediatrician was no help at all so we had to find someone on our own.  The psychologist said, that his behaviors were so sever that she could not treat him and that he would need to be scene by a psychiatrist.  In our area child psychiatrist are very hard to come by, but EJs preschool teacher gave us a recommendation.  At the first meeting the doctor expressed her concerns for EJ having what she called Pervasive Developmental Disorder... I had never heard of it.  She said she didn't have enough information to give him a diagnosis at the time but would continue to watch him.  She also diagnosed him with ADHD and Anxiety.  Because he would have panic attacks.  Over the next 6 months the doctor tried several different types of ADHD medications which just made EJs behaviors worsen.  He also started to regress at this time.  He was so unhappy going to school each day he would cry the whole way there. Finally EJ completely shut down, he sat on my lap one morning as I tried to drop him off at school sobbing into my shoulder.  He refused to speak or let go.  After talking with the teacher we decided that EJ would need to take some time off to help get him to a functional level.  I pulled him out of school and dedicated the next several months to finding him help.  Over the next 6 months I contacted early intervention and had them do evaluations on him.  We found out that he had a communication delay and a motor skill delay.  His self help skills were also delayed. We obtained a psychologist and as well as a mobile therapist to work with him.  Finally in May 31, 2007 EJs doctor said that she felt because of all his delays, behaviors and the fact that the medications were not working that EJ was in fact on the autism spectrum.  Since that time EJ has started Kindergarten with a TSS (an aid to help him in the class room) while he has the option of an Autistic Support classroom, EJ does quite well spending his entire day in the mainstream class.  He receives Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy at school weekly.  He also receives private Occupational Therapy.  EJ since has been diagnosed with Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Dispraxia and Anxiety.  Currently he is not on any ADHD medications and his aggression has decreased dramatically.  He is doing better every day.  He is making such good progress.  It has been almost a year since his diagnosis and he is a happy little boy, who now enjoys participating in sports such as soccer and kung fu.  He still requires daily assistance, and may for many years to come, but with the great progress that he has made in one year we expect that it will only get better from here.  Yes, we still have periods of regression followed by periods of progression.  EJ is a difficult child but he is worth every second of it.  We are so thankful to have such a loving, wonderful child in our lives, he is everything we hoped for and more.