| Siobhan's Story: |
| Siobhan was born in December, 2003. I had a normal pregnancy. From the start, it was hard to get her to smile. At times it seemed as if she didn't even realize who I was. It didn't appear to matter if we were even there at all. Physically, Siobhan developed normally... but something seemed "different" about her. By 18 months, she wasn't really speaking yet, and she had very unusual ways of playing. She would line things up, or group them, or fixate on 1 toy for hours... even days. She was my first child, so I didn't really have anything to compare this to. The word "Autism" circled around in my head like a shark. I didn't know what Autism was, or anything about it... But my heart knew. When Siobhan's brother, Orlando was born in December 2005, I instantly saw a difference in them. We took her to the doctor, and were sent to a Pediatric Neurologist. The Neurologist just confirmed the diagnosis that we already knew. What did I feel? Everything. Anger, frustration, sadness, helplessness, relief that it wasn't something worse, and love. I loved her, and I was determined not to just give in and let Autism have my sweet, beautiful baby girl. Siobhan's name means "precious gift" and that's what she is. Autism is a part of her, and I accept that, but I won't let it define her. |
| Since then, Siobhan has been in Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy. I sat in on most of her sessions, and continued to work with her at home. We put Siobhan on the Gluten / Casein Free diet in August, 2006. We instantly saw very positive results from the diet. Her eye contact tripled, and she was suddenly "aware" of us. It was like she woke up! We've now made the entire house Gluten / Casein Free and Organic. The whole family is healthier these days, thanks to Siobhan. Siobhan loves dancing and music, painting, and playing in the water. She's a big fan of Dora the Explorer, the Wiggles, and Little Einsteins. She's a wonderful, amazing little girl. There are some days that are harder than others, and you just think there's no way you can get up the next morning and start it all again... but you do. Then there are those sweet moments... like when your child looks at you and really sees you for the first time, Or when they actually engage you in an activity they're doing, or say "Mommy" for the first time. Typical families sometimes take these precious moments for granted. They are momentous occasions to be celebrated in families like ours. Is life with Autism easy? NO. But it's the only life I know, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Siobhan has enriched my life and led me to many different opportunities and new friends I would have never encountered. She continues to inspire me in countless ways. I'm currently writing a book, The book is to inspire parents to look at Autism in a more positive light... and help them to truly believe their children can improve dramatically & even recover. |
| The Son-Rise Program® I attended the Son-Rise start-up program in February, 2007. The Son-Rise Program teaches an educational treatment modality which includes joining children instead of going against them. The program places parents as key teachers, therapists and directors of their own programs and utilizes the home as the most nurturing environment in which to help their children. The Son-Rise Program dared to suggest that respect and deep caring would be the most important factor impacting a child's motivation to learn, and from the beginning has made love and acceptance a meaningful part of every teaching process. Employing this attitude, we first seek to create bonding and a safe environment. We then apply sound, time-tested educational strategies pioneered by The Son-Rise Program. We have seen unbelievable results with this program in just a short time. I truly feel it's worth looking into for any family, regardless of the child's age, or the severity of their Autism. |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
