KUTV-2 News Story on Giant Steps

Here is the link for the news story that was done tonight on KUTV-2:
I will have more information soon about the Auction.
I am so proud to be a part of Giant Steps Preschool. I am so proud of our family.
Max is growing and learning, what more can I ask for? 

http://www.kutv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/For-those-who-can-get-enrolled-program-making-giant-steps-for-families-facing-autism-71995.shtml#.VMmv8naEotw

"Max has found a voice at Giant Steps, you can see it in his eyes."  -Poppi.

Being a friend

Kids just understand each other.  They just do. 
Cousins understand each other more than anyone and they make fantastic friends. 
I was not close with my cousins growing up so I missed out on having friends that were also cousins.  Max is lucky, he has cousins that are close in age to him and also live close.  He has built in friends.  A build in support system. 

Will and I were talking just last week about friends.  Making friends is a fear I have and I am sure I will always have for Max.  Making sure Max had a good support system at school, and in life in general is really important to me.  Max doesn't really socialize at school with other children.  He stays to himself and in his own world.  His best friends are his trains, Gerald the Giraffe, and his favorite TV characters. 

But then this past weekend we were at the BYU Bean Museum with his cousins.  We were reminded, (again) that Max does have friends.  He has friends that love him, support him, and understand him.  And we are so lucky that they are his cousins. 

Cousin C is who I would call his best friend.  They even hold hands when they are together.  She chases him, and teases him, and loves him.  I tear up when they hug each other.  She does so much for Max, she is teaching him how to socialize.  Cousin C also has helped me realize Max does and always will have friends.  They will love him for all his quirks. 

Fire Station #3 - Giant Steps Fieldtrip

"Firetruck!" and  "Am-lance!" was all Max wanted to see once his class entered the Fire Station #3 in Orem.  He couldn't even sit still to watch the 10 minute fire safety video.  He was bouncing everywhere and smiling the whole time.

We have been talking about the Fire Station Field Trip all week.
On Monday Max got really sick.  He has a high fever of 104 and turned out he had strep throat.  Max has hardly been sick.  He only went to the doctors once for illness in 2014 and has only been really sick maybe three times in 3.5 years.  Of course he would get sick on the week of the most beloved Giant Steps field trip.

By Thursday he was healthy enough to go back to school, and by Friday you wouldn't even have known how sick he was. 

I was so happy his field trip was on a Friday afternoon.  This meant I could also go because I only work in the mornings on Fridays.

Firetrucks mean a lot to Max.  He connects with them, just like trains.  This was such a fun day and I am so grateful for the Fire-station for allowing his class to come and visit. 

No shoes, no shirt, no problem?!

Max hates wearing pants, or clothes at all for that matter right now.  He likes to be free, and just in a diaper.  He even sleeps just in a diaper.  And it has been cold in Utah!

He is three and a half, and we have been told that it is a toddler thing.  Or is it?
No clothes, no problem, right?

The problem is that he doesn't feel cold. (Or hot for that matter)  Just like his taste buds are super sensitive and he tastes flavors very intensely.  His sense of cold and hot are also heightened.  We talked to his teacher about this and she believes that Max doesn't have a sense of cold.  So why should he have to wear clothes if he isn't cold?  His hands will turn bright red in the snow, but he doesn't care or complain.  His brother on the other hand, cries at the first sign of cold snow.
  
SENSORY PROBLEMS AND AUTISM
Sensory experiences that parents don't even notice may be extremely frightening or unpleasant for a child - the feel of a certain fabric, sounds of certain frequency, particular colors or seemingly bland foods. The child's reactions can easily be interpreted as wilful misbehavior. Along with this will frequently be difficulties in movement, coordination and sensing where one's body is in a given space, leading to clumsiness and difficulty with tasks such as dressing. (From http://www.autism-help.org)

Max does recognize hot things.  And when he sees the oven on, or the stove, or a fire on the TV he says "Firetruck" and "hot"!  Firetrucks are always involved when it is hot.  Just like when someone gets hurt he says "Ambulance"!

So what do we do?  We allow him to help pick out his clothes.  We don't fight him.  Pick your battles, especially inside the house.  But clothes are a must when he goes outside, or to school.  He wears very soft cotton, nothing with tags or anything that itches.  His shoes are the same for everything.  He wears the same shoes to school as he does for church.  He understands they are his shoes and doesn't argue.  He doesn't like socks at all.  As soon as we come in the house he says "Shoes, socks, off" and lifts up his foot.   We try to dress him right in the morning, we have a better chance of him keeping clothes on during the day this way.  But this is hit or miss too.

So if you see a naked toddler running around Provo he most likely isn't cold.  He is just perfect.