Here are some of the posts made in the past about when I had concerns, and other posts about him related to Autism-
Autism Awareness month(2011)Jayden's lining up habit
Hyperlexia
Jayden's MRI
My thoughts on Autism
Jayden has come a long way-even since my last post! He has lost some of the traits that had me worried in the first place- like echolalia, lining up everything, and hand flapping(although, he does do that on occasion sometimes). Two and a half years of Speech therapy has helped him gain more and more vocabulary, and he is communicating with his peers efficiently. He initiates conversations(although many conversations revolve around Angry Birds). We are still working on eye contact, but it is better.
Even though my older two are homeschooled, I have chosen to send Jayden to a regular public school. Right now, he is thriving. He has friends. The school provides Speech therapy, Occupational therapy, and Social Emotional/Behavorial therapy. He is only taken out of the classroom for Speech Therapy. He has an aide who also assists with another boy in the class. They help Jayden adapt by writing his schedule out everyday. If there is a change in the routine, they write it out for him, and he goes for it! They have been impressed with his reading abilities. He's doing the 1st grade curriculum. He probably could be in a higher level, but his comprehension skills are not as great as his decoding skills. I will keep him in public school unless I find it isn't working for him anymore.
For the most part, Jayden can be pretty easy going. He is still sometimes bothered by loud noises. He's definitely bothered with transitions. He is a fun source of entertainment with some of the things he says and comes up with. He is still loving, and I'm glad that he can express that- as I know that some children with Autism can't. I love my little guy!
Here are some facts about Jayden at age 6:
Favorite color- red
Favorite toys- Angry Birds!
Favorite activities- playing on Mom's phone or his iPod Touch- especially Angry Birds, playing on the computer, playing Angry Birds games in his room
Best friends- Allison, Nixon, Drew, Quinn, Ella, Fatma, Perseus
Favorite food- El Monterey Beef and Bean burritos(pretty much the only thing he eats- as he has food sensory issues. He will only eat that brand and flavor, too).
That's all for now! And I've almost finished this post at the time of his birth- 8:05 at night. Happy birthday, Jayden! Love you!
