First, I have to say that reading your "Welcome to My World" brought tears to my eyes. It could be our story. My son, Sean, just recently turned 5, but we've known for 4 years that he was at least 'different'. By 15 months, he still wasn't saying ANY words, and didn't seem to have an interest in the world around him like his brother did. At that time, he was diagnosed developmentally delayed. By 20 months we had him in speech, and at his 2nd birthday it seemed that a light switch came on and the child was speaking in intricate sentences. Still, while the most affectionate, cuddly child i'd ever known, he also had the most severe behavior issues I'd ever witnessed. It took another year, and a dramatic turn for the worse for me to have someone agree it was more than just toddler behavior. At 3 yrs 6 months my son was diagnosed PDD-NOS and ADHD. We had him assessed for OT and it made a HUGE difference in him. We also discovered a milk allergy, and quickly made changes to his diet which seemed to alter his behavior over night. We also learned that he processes things differently. I can't say "get dressed." It has to be a 'when, then" statement. When you get dressed, you can go play.

We start kindergarten next week, and we are both a little apprehensive. I created him a new school book complete with pictures of all the rooms, and staff to prepare him. His brother will also be in the same building, but he's nervous. They had a pre-k camp for a week in June and he only lasted 2.5 days. He had horrible behaviors, attacked the teachers, and the last day had a complete meltdown. They had read a story and completed an activity on turtles (which he loved.) On the playground, he found one. He wanted to put it in a box to show mommy and they wouldn't allow him to, and he didn't understand. When i came to pick him up, he had no idea he was in trouble, only excited that he'd found a turtle. When i explained why i was there, he was so upset "saying I'm a stupid head." Broke my heart. Later when i could discuss his behavior he said the school was 'scary' and that he had no friends and no one would like him. He has so many fears and desperately wants to be liked and involved. His social skills are not usually accepted though.

Sean has always been on the go....he was 4 before he ever slept through the night because he couldn't settle down long enough to really sleep. He has a real need to be jumping, running, crashing, etc. Often people just don't understand it because he seems so 'normal' and he gets treated poorly for being a 'brat.' Since he was a year old, his one true fascination in life is bugs. He is constantly collecting them and 'amylizing' them as he says LOL. He can get a book now and identify his finds and tell you a great many details about them. His life in general is very scientific in nature--he is naturally inclined to think that way. Perhaps its because science tends to be fairly black/white, and he, as many spectrum kids, lives in a literal world. We went to the mountains and my car was slowly climbing a steep one. I said, "come on car, quit crawling up the mountain." He responds, "cars don't crawl mom....they have wheels and roll." LOL He is the light of my life and tells me daily that i am his best friend and he will love me forever. He gives great hugs and tells great stories, but it's his insight that astounds me. One week when he was about 4, I had been secretly having a 'why me' week. We were in the car (where the best conversations always happen) and he says "Mom, God uses me." "What, how's that?" I replied. "He uses me to give you eyes so that you can see." WOW!!! He does indeed. I am blessed to be his mother, and am not sure I deserve the honor, but I am truly seeing life in a different way.