When Ryan was perhaps five he developed a sudden, and somewhat debilitating, fear of white vans. Taking walks around our neighborhood was a common activity back then, but all of sudden we had to plan our route to avoid passing any white vans. Ryan would tense up with fear and insist we go a different […]
Read more "White Vans and Shots on Goal"Ryan sits on the living room couch, munching blueberry waffles that are completely plain, just the way he loves them. Amidst the pile of crumbs that accumulate, he is watching the previous night’s hockey highlights on NHL Network. He already knows all the scores — and the shots on goal totals — having checked them […]
Read more "Between Now and Then"So often, I get caught up in the BIG things of autism — sleep, behavior, social interaction, meds, etc. — that I overlook the little things that are more a subtle part of our family’s journey. Worse, I forget. I forget the unique behaviors or original ways of thinking or truly amazing powers of my […]
Read more "Cars"When teaching my kids to appreciate a new sport, I always try to find some small detail of the game that might otherwise go unnoticed and get them to focus on it. I figure that if they can master a few small details, they can use it as a basis from which an interest can […]
Read more "Buckle Up for a Bumpy Ride"We took Ryan to the neurologist this week. It was Veronica’s idea, but I was fully on board. (You were right, honey — it was your idea. Please remember that I admitted it.) We needed a neurological opinion about Ryan’s ongoing facial tics, now frequently augmented by a nasal snorting sound. It’s an issue we […]
Read more "A Three-for-One Deal at the Doctor"
Pucks and Puzzle Pieces 