I have a 7 yr old autistic son. During his first year of school, he showed signs of separation anxiety and would meltdown many times before school. Often times he would engage in selfplay, more the than the usual child. He was diagnosed soon after his first year of school. Because of his delayed speech, I started to learn and teach him sign language. Since his is extremely visual, signing became an effective means of communicating to him and getting a signing reply or getting the desired behavior from him.

The first year of him attending a school in our city (Roanoke) for (for lack of a better term) 'children with challenges', his teacher, Mr. Eric Largen, and I would exchange often on the nuances of my son (i.e. gaining his attention by getting eye level and re-establishing eye contact, sign language, how to transistion him to avert melt-down). Basically things or toolkits of things to employ. In one year, my son made a remarkable turnaround and is now a delight for his teacher and a delight for me. Anyone with an autistic child knows only too real the prospect of having to provide for that child throughout his life and knowning he'll out-live his parents. Many times I cry in helplessness and many times I hug him for even the smallest accomplishments. There were other teachers and professionals that assisted with my son's challeges. I have unfortunately forgotten their names, but not their contribution....I can associate each stage of development in my son's life with their individual deeds.