Re: PDD

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Posted By wbrolet on January 18, 2001 at 19:33:24:

In Reply to: PDD posted by Al on January 16, 2001 at 08:18:11:

This is sorta long, sorry about that!

Hello and welcome to Son-Rise. My son is Dx'd Autistic, however I have
met and interacted with many children with thd Dx of PDD. Truly there
are very few difference.. my personal opinion is thta the PDD-NOS or PDD
"label" is due to a doctors unwillingness to quote unquote label a child
so young. What I have found, even stated by our pedi neuro is that most
doctors don't want to break the spirit of the parents by having to tell
them that their child is "autistic".

I went to the Northern California Start Up in October 2000, of which
I sent a letter to the Option Institute which is located on this web
site but for convinence I will simply copy and paste..

A Brand New Start

Dear Bryn, William, Zoe:

It has been a week since I have been home after attending the Northern California Start Up. I am filled with excitement, hope, and a new
look on the future with each passing day. To say that week changed my life is a major understatement. Not only has it changed me, I
believe it has changed my son's future!

When I went to the Son-Rise ProgramŽ Start-Up, I was very eager after having waiting 5 months for it to be here. I learned more than I
ever imagined. For the first time I realize that I had spent most of my time looking at yesterday and not living in the present.

A little background: My son, Darren, is 2 ˝ years old. He developed normally with some milestones having been met early up until 13
months. It was at that time everything changed. My little boy slipped away. We lost all words, he cried much more out of frustration in not
being able to convey his wants and needs. His eye contact was gone, he started hand flapping, toe walking, played inappropriately with
toys, grunted, hummed, and was truly in his own world; not seemingly caring whether we were there or not.

After attending the Start-Up, I came home with all my new found knowledge, excitement, hope, faith, energy and excitement. Of course my
husband asked me, "What did they do to you.. you're different". I just laughed and smiled. Even though I am still preparing the play room, I
came home and started right away to work with my son. Within 3 short days I had gained more eye contact from him than I had had in the
prior 3 months! My son was non-verbal - but that was in the past. I had a new mindset. My attitude, as well as my approach, had
changed and so had my son. I joined him in his "ism's" and I got much eye contact and many smiles. He would indicate his desire to be
picked up by raising his arms and only an hour later, I was able to hear his sweet voice say "Up". This was the first time I heard that sweet
voice since he was 12 months old. I cried and celebrated and for that moment in time I knew this would only be the beginning! Within 7
short days, he had gone from completely non-verbal to saying: "Go", "Bye Bye", "I", "Up", "Mama", "Ride", "Box" and "No". He has also
become very aware of our joining him and he loves it. He actually seeks it out. He cries less and knows we love him unconditionally. We
step back and for the first time allow him to be our teacher. What a wonderful teacher he is. I am able to slow down and see the world
through his eyes and I can tell you my world has grown in leaps and bounds.

When I arrived home, as I mentioned earlier, my husband asked, "What did they do to you... you seem different". He watched me interact
with our son and saw results. He yearned for what I was getting. Within a few short days, my husband was asking more about "ism's" and
joining. He was on the floor joining our son and he too was able to have the eye contact and interaction that I had and was also able to hear
our son's sweet voice saying words! I lead by example and he stepped in to follow my lead. We are sooo excited about each day and
what it holds for our son and for us. We have been talking about my husband attending the Houston Start-Up in January 2001. While I
have shared a part of what I experienced at the Northern California Start-Up I attended, I am hopeful that he will attend and have his own
experience with Son-Rise. We both can be completely on the same page with a better understanding and focus for our son and for
ourselves; not only as parents but as husband & wife and as individuals.

I can never express my gratefulness for what you have given me: A new start, a new direction, a new focus, hope, faith, willingness,
eagerness, imagination, dreams, and did I mention hope & faith?!

I am starting a diary of Darren's journey as we begin our program. I invision someday taking him back to our pediatric neurologist and
proving him wrong. That doctor, who told us 2 months ago, that our son would not speak, not have eye contact, not dress himself, not feed
himself, would never be potty trained, would not interact, would not play with toys correctly, would not have friends, would basically not
succeed, will infact be proven wrong. And when he asks me what I did, I will proudly hand him the Son-Rise brochure and tell him that
Darren's success started with a dream, with hope, and most of all with unconditional love... With
the ultimate goal being able to say that Darren was ONCE autistic!

Love, Friendship and Gratitude,

Name: Wynee Brouelette
Occupation: Homemaker
State: California
Child: Darren,
Diagnosis: Autism, 2 ˝ years old

Since then I can tell you that my son's eye contact has gone from maybe 5% to at least 50%.
Words are coming, slow but sure. and interactiveness is becoming his middle name. I HIGHLY
recommend you attend a start up. As I told my husband, the week is a life altering experience.
I will add that my husband see's what I get from our and son and wants some of it, he has
spent a great deal of time learning from me and more importantly, learning from our son!!!
I hope that my husband will soon attend a start up so that he might have his own Son-Rise experience!

Good luck to you and remember... be it PDD or PDD-NOS or HFA or Autistic or like my son "severely autistic",
it's only a word and YES YES YES Son-Rise can make all the difference in thee world!!!

Please write back and let me know if you do Start up!!

Happy Son-Rising!!!

Follow Ups

Name:
Subject: Re: Re: PDD

Comments:: This is sorta long, sorry about that! : Hello and welcome to Son-Rise. My son is Dx'd Autistic, however I have : met and interacted with many children with thd Dx of PDD. Truly there : are very few difference.. my personal opinion is thta the PDD-NOS or PDD : "label" is due to a doctors unwillingness to quote unquote label a child : so young. What I have found, even stated by our pedi neuro is that most : doctors don't want to break the spirit of the parents by having to tell : them that their child is "autistic". : I went to the Northern California Start Up in October 2000, of which : I sent a letter to the Option Institute which is located on this web : site but for convinence I will simply copy and paste.. : : A Brand New Start : Dear Bryn, William, Zoe: : It has been a week since I have been home after attending the Northern California Start Up. I am filled with excitement, hope, and a new : look on the future with each passing day. To say that week changed my life is a major understatement. Not only has it changed me, I : believe it has changed my son's future! : When I went to the Son-Rise ProgramŽ Start-Up, I was very eager after having waiting 5 months for it to be here. I learned more than I : ever imagined. For the first time I realize that I had spent most of my time looking at yesterday and not living in the present. : A little background: My son, Darren, is 2 ˝ years old. He developed normally with some milestones having been met early up until 13 : months. It was at that time everything changed. My little boy slipped away. We lost all words, he cried much more out of frustration in not : being able to convey his wants and needs. His eye contact was gone, he started hand flapping, toe walking, played inappropriately with : toys, grunted, hummed, and was truly in his own world; not seemingly caring whether we were there or not. : After attending the Start-Up, I came home with all my new found knowledge, excitement, hope, faith, energy and excitement. Of course my : husband asked me, "What did they do to you.. you're different". I just laughed and smiled. Even though I am still preparing the play room, I : came home and started right away to work with my son. Within 3 short days I had gained more eye contact from him than I had had in the : prior 3 months! My son was non-verbal - but that was in the past. I had a new mindset. My attitude, as well as my approach, had : changed and so had my son. I joined him in his "ism's" and I got much eye contact and many smiles. He would indicate his desire to be : picked up by raising his arms and only an hour later, I was able to hear his sweet voice say "Up". This was the first time I heard that sweet : voice since he was 12 months old. I cried and celebrated and for that moment in time I knew this would only be the beginning! Within 7 : short days, he had gone from completely non-verbal to saying: "Go", "Bye Bye", "I", "Up", "Mama", "Ride", "Box" and "No". He has also : become very aware of our joining him and he loves it. He actually seeks it out. He cries less and knows we love him unconditionally. We : step back and for the first time allow him to be our teacher. What a wonderful teacher he is. I am able to slow down and see the world : through his eyes and I can tell you my world has grown in leaps and bounds. : When I arrived home, as I mentioned earlier, my husband asked, "What did they do to you... you seem different". He watched me interact : with our son and saw results. He yearned for what I was getting. Within a few short days, my husband was asking more about "ism's" and : joining. He was on the floor joining our son and he too was able to have the eye contact and interaction that I had and was also able to hear : our son's sweet voice saying words! I lead by example and he stepped in to follow my lead. We are sooo excited about each day and : what it holds for our son and for us. We have been talking about my husband attending the Houston Start-Up in January 2001. While I : have shared a part of what I experienced at the Northern California Start-Up I attended, I am hopeful that he will attend and have his own : experience with Son-Rise. We both can be completely on the same page with a better understanding and focus for our son and for : ourselves; not only as parents but as husband & wife and as individuals. : I can never express my gratefulness for what you have given me: A new start, a new direction, a new focus, hope, faith, willingness, : eagerness, imagination, dreams, and did I mention hope & faith?! : I am starting a diary of Darren's journey as we begin our program. I invision someday taking him back to our pediatric neurologist and : proving him wrong. That doctor, who told us 2 months ago, that our son would not speak, not have eye contact, not dress himself, not feed : himself, would never be potty trained, would not interact, would not play with toys correctly, would not have friends, would basically not : succeed, will infact be proven wrong. And when he asks me what I did, I will proudly hand him the Son-Rise brochure and tell him that : Darren's success started with a dream, with hope, and most of all with unconditional love... With : the ultimate goal being able to say that Darren was ONCE autistic! : Love, Friendship and Gratitude, : Name: Wynee Brouelette : Occupation: Homemaker : State: California : Child: Darren, : Diagnosis: Autism, 2 ˝ years old : : Since then I can tell you that my son's eye contact has gone from maybe 5% to at least 50%. : Words are coming, slow but sure. and interactiveness is becoming his middle name. I HIGHLY : recommend you attend a start up. As I told my husband, the week is a life altering experience. : I will add that my husband see's what I get from our and son and wants some of it, he has : spent a great deal of time learning from me and more importantly, learning from our son!!! : I hope that my husband will soon attend a start up so that he might have his own Son-Rise experience! : : Good luck to you and remember... be it PDD or PDD-NOS or HFA or Autistic or like my son "severely autistic", : it's only a word and YES YES YES Son-Rise can make all the difference in thee world!!! : Please write back and let me know if you do Start up!! : Happy Son-Rising!!!