Knowing and Understanding the Full Picture.....

special moments with Laura
can made all the day's anxiety disappear

Our kids are very prone to facing medical anomalies, and A.J. is no exception.

From the time he came into our care at only 2 & 1/2 years of age, we have addressed so many medical and personal issues, most being out-of-the-norm to many children.

Before we even knew about, could acknowledge, or address the symptoms and diagnosis relating to A.J.'s Autism, we had to understand and decipher the initial concerns relating to the neglect he faced prior to being with us, leaving him not only malnourished, but also facing many delays, plus additional emotional and physical difficulties.

Not knowing where to go or who to turn to for help or support, we faced the groundwork ourselves, working hard to help him, step by step, to gain confidence and trust with everyone and everything around him, addressing each and every issue one-by-one, at 'his' pace.

He was later diagnosed with Early Developmental/Environmental History Trauma and Generalised Anxiety Disorder, helping us to understand a little better what he was dealing with.

We were slowly working on the continual stream of concerns, helping him to correct and overcome each of the different effects when we faced the first of many major full blown 'meltdowns', and the journey into the Autism realm begun.

Throughout those years unbeknown to us, we could have and should have had access to supports and assistance, although we were turned away and denied the knowledge from everywhere we went.

Because of this A.J. suffered so much more while struggling to face a system refusing to acknowledge his disability as a true and real diagnosis.

The lack of support has exacerbated the issue and left A.J. with extreme emotional upheaval, that would find him going from a highly excited, bubbly and chatty, content child, to displaying a flat, blank mannerism, presenting minimal to non-responsive actions, or a robotic drone when he does respond.

This will occur when everything finally becomes so overwhelming with all he is facing, at any given moment, having too much to deal with, he would suddenly release his emotions forcing everything to spill out in an uncontrollable emotional mess. Responding with babbly nonsense comments and behaviour that comes out of nowhere.

No-one can explain why, other than being a chemical reaction from an overload of input throughout the day, while trying so hard to keep it together and maintain external balance.

This can happen in a split second, with no for-warning or reasoning. It's just what happens!!

This will then cause others to think he is being rude, arrogant, or inappropriate, without anyone understanding or accepting his 'behaviour' as being a legitimate symptom of Autism, or more specifically Sensory Dysregulation.

The Definition of Dysregulation - an abnormality or impairment in the regulation of a metabolic, physiological, or psychological process.

This perfectly describes his total infant history completely.

It seems the more we try to make others aware of what Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing, Anxiety Disorder, ADHD/ADD, and so much more is all about, things that our not-so-little-man still faces, the more they seem to put it all in the 'Load of Nonsense' category, leaving A.J. in more of an emotional vulnerable state.

After many years of 'going-it-alone', we've finally reached the light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel moment when we were fortunate enough to be living in one of the first areas selected to roll out the start of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Unsure how we would go, considering his age and the progress he was finally beginning to achieve, although we were ecstatic when we received the confirmation notification that A.J. was approved for inclusion to the NDIS and additional assistance.

This meant he will finally be attending personalised appointments with -

Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy , Physiotherapy, and Psychologist.

These supports will help focus on - his anxiety helping him to maintain social life skills, hand co-ordination + strengthening exercises focusing on pencil grip and muscle movement, assistance focused on his lumbar scoliosis pain and discomfort, support to help with his dietary and other  issues that display him as still being below average for his age with weight and height, and so much more.

We are finally beginning to attend the first of many support sessions, services A.J. should have accessed years ago, one's that are still needed as much today, one's that will help make his day so much easier, yet one's that many still question

" why are you wasting your time with such nonsense?" or

"hasn't he grown out of all that by now?"

Knowing he has come so far in the past few years is one thing, and I am so proud of A.J. for the focus and determination he has gained to achieve the progress he has made.

Although without being there day-after-day, every hour-minute-second, not seeing the 'meltdowns' real and true effects caused after a long trying day at school with the noisy hustle/bustle environment, the pain and anxiety experienced trying to keep up the pace that so many others take for granted.

The long term effects from these and more are never seen, these are what is known by many as -

"the Invisible Illness" something that is a reality for so many, although many others believe doesn't exist.