5 DAYS LATER
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18 months old as Mr. Buzz
Gabe went in for surgery Monday to have tubes put in both ears. We never could tell if he had an ear infection unless he vomited or we just happened to be at the doctors and he noticed. Gabe was just so easy going as a baby. We wondered when asked his history of ear infections how many could have gone over looked? My husband and I guessed 4 or 5 documented in the last two years. Our concern was not that he had ear infections, but every time we went to the doctors he always had "some " fluid in his right ear. I decided to see a specialist. I always try to approach his medical needs without mentioning that he has Autism. Sometimes I get the feeling that some doctors want to write off most symptoms as a side affect of Autism. Here's one classic example from an ENT,
"He only has a little fluid in his right ear. I also notice he is not looking at me when I talk to him, is there anything else you want to tell me?" (No eye contact screams Autism to most doctors I've met)
On the INSIDE I was saying....."Are you kidding me?He's not looking at you, probably because he can't HEAR you."
On the OUTSIDE and more diplomatic side, I said "I just think it would be in my son's best interest if he had a solid foundation to work from when it comes to his development in speech. Don't you agree?"
Luckily, she did. But as a mother, I felt almost as if there was a biased against giving a child with Autism proper medical care if a symptom falls under the Autism umbrella of diagnosis. My son can't possibly have a hearing problem, because ALL children with Autism have poor eye contact and do not listen. What an absurd correlation!
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Whew..Deep breath.......on a brighter note, Gabe has added in 5 days many more sounds and words to his vocabulary. Here they are in all their glory..!
POP!........ (What a waffle does when it is ready from the toaster)
Go! .............(Said with great enthusiasm as he runs around the house with his sister)
Daddy......... (75% of the time in reference to my husband)
MOM.......... (as he sat next to me. He still does not have a word for me)
"CKk"......... (first sound in the word cookie. VERY important sound to my son :o)
"CKR"......... (cracker)
"No".......... (I never thought I would be so excited to hear this word)
Bubbles...... (He is now actually ending his words..Before it would be Bubba)
Car.............. (He said this in March and then it never was said again until now and he plays with cars all the time)
"EEEE!"..... ( We say.."Who wants it?" he pats his chest and says EEEEEE! (Me!) First real interactive word with someone. )
"Book"....... (He used to say "Ba", but now there is a clear "oo" sound!)
"Ball"......... ( with an "Ll" !)
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He had about five words before "Tica tica" (tickle tickle), "dada", "mama" (Not in reference to us, but said when mad or upset), "ca" (car), "Ba" ( ball or book). That's it and some signs. Look where he has gone in the last 5 days!!!!!!!! I'm crossing my fingers....and my toes :o)
