Improving language skills

A year ago Max was official diagnosed with Autism.  He hardly spoke, but instead would cry and tantrum.  He didn't have more than 10 total words he used on a weekly basis.  He didn't have any words linked together and had a severe language delay.  Max has really had a major improvement with his language this last month.  He is starting to talk on his own without being prompted.  He has his own thoughts and remembers what he has said for future conversations. He isn't caught up to people his own age by any means, but he is making amazing progress.  And progress is progress. 
Max's conversations are 4-5 words and might even have multiple topics but he is trying on his own.  As his ability to communicate has improved his tantrums and frustrations has drastically decreased.  His understanding of the world he lives in has also increased.  He has a schedule, he has ways to cope when he gets overwhelmed and over stimulated, and he has people in his daily life that he trusts and are his safety net.

What our family is loving the most right now is how much he sings!  He sings songs he has memorized while he playing trains, while taking a bath, in the car, even at school while at recess or during a break.  It makes me so happy to know he feels comfortable using his voice.  His memorization skills are astounding.  Singing has really helped his vocabulary and speaking voice. 

The video below is Max helping Will and I sing "I am a Child of God."  It made me tear up and also make me realize how far we have come in just one year.  The next video is Max singing to the Sesame Street with no prompting. Just playing trains and singing. 

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. 

Singing

I love hearing Max sing.
He has always loved music.
Recently he has been singing everywhere and repeating songs he has learned at Pre-School.  He doesn't know all the words, but he has great pitch and can stay right on beat.  It is pretty awesome.
He knows the ABC's including the ending.  He will randomly sing it while in the car, in the shower, and even while watching his truck videos.  He loves the sound of his voice.

I wish I had a cute video of him singing.  But as soon as I pull out the camera he gets really shy and stops.  So instead you are getting a video of him doing a somersault.  This is his other new trick.  He is a monkey!  Since being at Pre-School for the last month Max has progressed in leaps and bounds.  His vocabulary is increasing, he is saying more things rather than just screaming for help, he is putting 3-4 word sentences together, and has mastered the art of saying "hello and goodbye!"  When I come home from work he is very serious about making sure he says "Hi Mom!"

Max is very black and white.  So when he learns something about a social cue he takes it very seriously.  We say hello and goodbye to everyone.  He knows that when someone leave a room or he leaves he says "Bye" and when we enter or someone walks into his area he says "hello or hi!"  It is funny sometimes because he will say hello and goodbye in the funniest places, or in a place where you don't really need to say either.  But again, black and white and very proud!

Will and I have looked back over the last year and thought about where we were a year ago.  We were constantly stressed, we were not happy parents, we were worried about Max, he was always having a tantrum and hurting himself, and no one in our house was sleeping.  Fast forward 365 days and we are still learning a lot, but we are happy, Max is learning and progressing, and we are better parents because we entered Max's world.  I am so happy he let us in!

Monkey Man Max