As the mother of a child diagnosed with severe autism, I am no stranger to the fountain of “whys” that accompany this challenge. Seven years ago, my son was born a happy, healthy 9lbs 4oz baby with no complications. Most of my laboring was done at home, and I arrived at the hospital within...
Note: Albany.com is not responsible for posts and comments written by non-staff members.
Grief and Orgasms
Have you ever grieved? I once heard someone talking about orgasms – yup I’m going there for just a second – one person asked, “Have you ever had an orgasm?” the other answered, “I think so”. The response was, “If you’re not sure, then you haven’t.” And so it is with grief. Oh, you...
A Voice for Our Children
A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara at his home in Rotterdam, New York. I was eager to sit down with the man who authored and sponsored the Autism Action NY bill, a...
Schindler’s Cookies – “I didn’t do enough”
If you want to see an over dramatization of how many mother's feel at the end of the day, just watch the ending scene of Schindler's List. As he is being thanked for saving hundreds of people, he begins to...
My Son is Like Yours
At the end of the Summer I was invited to join my aunt on a three-day vacation to a resort only a few hours from home. Wanting to get in one last adventure before school started, we excitedly went out...
When the World Becomes Your Tissue
Raising a special needs child often gives rise to issues that you wouldn't usually even consider if it wasn't happening in your own life. One of these for me is how my son, Corbin (4yrs old ASD) responds to a...
Music Class for Special Needs Children
A couple months ago I noticed that my son, Corbin (almost 5yrs old/preverbal/autism) was serenading me regularly. While I usually couldn't make out the songs he was singing, it was a beautiful rendition of something that he was hearing. Sometimes...
Peanut Butter Jelly Time – Picky Eaters
If you have a toddler, a child with autism, or a child with sensory issues than you are no stranger to extreme versions of picky eating. My friends with children on the spectrum would kill me for complaining because admittedly...
Albany on the Spectrum
Community means a lot of different things to many different people, but for me it means the support, and love that my family needed at a time when life as we knew it was beginning to unravel....