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Can Immunizations Cause Autism?

Samuel and Jackson

“Oh no!!” “Is he going to be okay?” Screams reached my ears as I quickly pulled Jackson off the potty Thursday. Blood was flowing down our 18 month old’s face. His eyes were puffy little slits he was crying so hard. Samuel had fallen head first on the rocky driveway, and head wounds are scary: so much blood. Pressure applied, bleeding stopped, finally we could clean him up a little and really see how severe the blow had been: a dime-sized gouge, but deep. A quick call to the pediatrician, and we were on our way to the doctor’s office. Continue reading “Can Immunizations Cause Autism?”

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Running for autism

Bridgeway House 2010 Autism Run

I started training for the April 18th, Bridgeway House 2010 Run for Autism on April fools day. Was I a fool for attempting? I survived the 5K and kept up an easy jog while pushing a stroller (with some help with two of Jackson’s biggest fans, and my encouraging friends, Jaymie and Nakita). Jaymie’s words, “Pace yourself. I’d rather finish well than not at all” kept me steady until the end. It was not pretty: the red face, the huffing and puffing, Jackson losing a shoe somewhere before the midway mark, his annoyance at wearing only one shoe finally reaching a fevered pitch before I could hear it above my labored breathing, more huffing and puffing…. Continue reading “Running for autism”

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Following his lead, building bridges in the world of autism

Following his lead

“Following his lead” I shook my head as I stared at the page in front of me. I was sitting in a parent training class at Jackson’s school desperately looking for a new way to progress with Jackson at home. I had thought, “I’m a great parent and a natural teacher, I can do this.” But after months of frustrating non-interactions, I realized I needed a new strategy. So here I was, hoping to gain some new secret insights on how to convince Jackson that words are valuable for getting what you want, and interacting with your family is way more fun than flipping around your sister’s matching Valentine’s socks. Continue reading “Following his lead, building bridges in the world of autism”

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Easter with Nemo (Autism & OCD)


It’s 11:30 am, and Jackson and I have ditched church. On Easter. Sara and the crew probably suspect we are roaming the back halls. We tried that. But Jackson was out of control. So now we’re watching a flock of birds fly over the east Australian current, carrying rumors of a desperate clownfish who “will stop at nothing to find his son.” (Pretty soon they’ll be inside the whale. What a great scene!) Continue reading “Easter with Nemo (Autism & OCD)”