Teaching Your Special Needs Child about God

"Always pray for your child."

I've attended quite a few parenting seminars over the years, and one of the statements I've always heard from speakers of said seminars is the urgency to bring your child to the foot of the Lord's throne.

As a Christian, I do believe in answered prayers, of those petitions and praises that have been lifted up to Jesus from hearts that truly seek and love Him.  Of comfort to me is the promise that He always hears, as stated in 1 John 5:14 that "this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us".

It is of no question that my husband and I, on the day we were married, aim to raise the children that God would bless us with in the "discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4).  And that in itself is hard enough with neurotypical children.

But when we're talking about special needs children, how do we teach them as we are commanded to in the Bible?

Book Review: Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8

English Book Cover

Japanese Book Cover

A few weeks ago, I reviewed The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida.  The book, published in 2007 and translated to English in 2013, became a huge hit with parents of children on the autism spectrum, as well as many more of those who themselves were on the said spectrum.  Higashida was 13 when he wrote The Reason I Jump, which then caused a lot of skepticism as to how such deep thoughts and words could come from a non-verbal autistic boy.

In 2012, almost as if it was an answer to the skeptics, Higashida pens 自閉症の僕の七転び八起き (Jiheishō no boku no nanakorobiyaoki), using the same alphabet grid writing tool he used for his previous book.  David Mitchell and Keiko Yoshida, the husband-and-wife translating team from Higshida's previous book, return to translate this piece, and in July 2017 Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8: A Young Man's Voice from the Silence of Autism was published.

I had heard about this book around the same time I was reading The Reason I Jump, so when a recent trip to our local bookstore had me seeing Higashida's most recent title on the shelf, I could not resist snatching this up.

So at 20 years of age, what more did Higashida want to tell us about his world?

Building a Support System for your ASD Child

In the weeks since R's diagnosis, it's been appointments and assessments here and there.

It's also time for my husband and I to process what's happening.  I can't speak for him, but this time was beneficial for me as I got around accepting the diagnosis as it was.  Reading the books I've recently reviewed also really helped me in coming to terms with it.

Did I go through denial?  Yes.  Did I go through grieving?  Yes, absolutely.  A diagnosis like this is completely devastating for a parent of a child with ASD.  You had all these dreams and aspirations and plans for what you wanted to do and wanted for this child since the day of his/her birth, all the things you wanted to experience with him/her.

A diagnosis like this shatters that.

It's okay to process the grief.  That was why I said that reading all those books really helped.  I've since learned that a diagnosis of ASD is devastating, yes, but as I've read many times, it is not a death sentence.  Depending on where on the spectrum a child with ASD is, a parent's job is to advocate for the needed support services for said child.

That said, I will go on writing this article under the assumption that you are located in the Philippines, are a parent of a child that was diagnosed with ASD, and that you're looking for information on your next steps.

So in the context of the Philippines, what support services are available for children on the spectrum?

Book Review: Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew

Book Cover

After an intense read of something that made me feel like I was back in college, picking this one next was a good respite for my mind.

My wonderful friend J picked up this book for me, and as soon as I got it, I couldn't wait to open it and take in its contents.  The story of this book was that when my friend bought it from Book Depository, it was supposed to arrive within three weeks.  Well, those three weeks passed.  No book.  So my friend emailed them saying she didn't get it.  They promptly send a replacement copy to compensate.

Surprise, surprise, the first copy arrived a few days later.  Now we will have an extra copy lying around once it arrives.  I do have some plans for that extra copy though...

But back to the review.  Author Ellen Notbohm, mother of an older son with ADHD and a younger son with ASD, is writing from the perspective of a parent with special needs children, a perspective I so appreciate.

So, what are the Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew?

Book Review: Applied Behavior Analysis for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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One week.

That was how long I took to read this book.  I'm a fairly fast reader, and I can usually go through a book in a few days.

This.  Oh boy.  This.

Let's get into this, shall we?

Book Review: The Loving Push

Book Cover

Just yesterday, my sister and I were discussing about how a lot of people were making claims about curing autism.  We both agreed that autism is not something to be cured, but that it's something that needs to be managed and accepted.

And because of that conversation, my mind went back to Temple Grandin, when she said that the "world needs all kinds of minds".

So here it is, the second book my brother got for me.  It's also, thus far, the last book I have to read (though I do have another one on the way, it just hasn't arrived yet).

And how was this book?

Two words.  Inspiring.  Practical.

Some Self-Introspection Here

And because I mentioned it in my latest book review, here are my thoughts as I dived into my memories.

One of the big questions I had been asked since R's diagnosis, and the subsequent light bulb moment people have when they realize that, yes, I also exhibited the same behaviors as a kid, was "How did you get over it?"

I usually answered with, "I have absolutely no clue."

Now, I can say it's because I had people around me who accepted my idiosyncrasies, my quirks. When R was newly diagnosed, my husband told my mother-in-law that it's turning out that I might also be on the spectrum. Her reaction was pretty much, "Well, that explains her odd behavior in high school. But she turned out really well."

And I have these people to thank.

Book Review: The Out-of-Sync Child Grows Up

Book cover

After an information-heavy book by Temple Grandin, I thought it might be a good idea to give my mind a little break and get back to a book that I started a few months back, but didn't finish.

And well, I'm glad I went back to this book.

As I was browsing for material to read on SPD, since this book was purchased before R's ASD diagnosis, I looked up on Carol Stock Kranowitz, author of the highly-recommended The Out-of-Sync Child.  It also bears mention that she's also the author of The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, the companion activity book of the first-mentioned publication.  I also highly recommend that one, as it holds plenty of practical tips and activities for your SPD child.

But imagine my surprise when I found out that she also wrote a book called The Out-of-Sync Child Grows Up (emphasis mine).  Grows up.  At first I wondered if I should get it, considering that R is only in pre-school at the moment, and that maybe I don't need to read it yet as I do have a few more years before he hits adolescence.

Ah whatever, I thought.  Might as well get it.  No harm in looking ahead a bit and be prepared.

Little did I know, that I was reading it more for me than for R.

So let's get into it, shall we?