[my4fireflies]

Maybe this isnt the right place for this? I'm just wondering if there are any families out there that are raising kids with special/extra needs. I have 4 kids, 2 are dx'd with autism (they are 16 yo twins). One twin has a heart defect and some learning disabilities, probably due to extreme prematurity. They were born weighing 1.8-2.5 lbs. The other twin has had lyme disease for a year. It's been really rough on him. My third son has debilitating anxiety. It's been a REALLY bad couple of years trying to help them through some rough times. Any other parents here face extra challenges with your precious ones?

 

[Wendy]

My first were twins born at 24 weeks, weighing less than 2 lbs each. They both had/have disabilities. My daughter is blind & my son has learning disabilities. He has about a 3rd grade math level. It is hard at times, but I wouldn't trade them for anything! They are both 23 now.

 

[my4fireflies]

Thank you for your reply Wendy. My twins were 29 weekers with twin to twin transfusion syndrome. One was 2 lbs 8 oz and the other was 1 pound 10 oz. The smaller one had a heart defect and had open heart at 11 days old. They were dx'd with autism at 4 years old. We have been having A LOT of behavioral challenges with them during these teen years.

 

[Wendy]

I can't help much as I didn't really have any behavior issues with any of my kids. I know prematurity can cause a lot of things.

 

[Kristabelle]

My little guy was born full term and had a pretty uneventful infanthood. Other than surgery for pyloric stenosis at 4 weeks and some nasty reflux through his pre-weaning days, he was pretty typical. He stopped developing normally at 17 months and began to regress. He stopped talking completely and went back to mimicking sounds like an infant. Everyone thought autism was the culprit and it still may be. At 6, he's been tested by numerous specialists and he doesn't quite fit the bill so they like to say he's on the spectrum with learning disabilities.

He needed an extra year so he's repeating kindergarten again and he's so far on par with his class mates. He's in speech and OT to help and it's easier to have conversations with him now. In some ways he's 6 and in others, he seems much younger. He is a bright little boy though, and loves to tinker and read. He's quite good at both!

He does have ADHD though and is on three different medications and a psychologist/behavior therapist to help. He is prone to extreme mood swings and depression (this pops out as clinginess and being super emotional about everything) so he's carefully monitored and we make sure to communicate with him about his feelings and stay patient with him on his off days.

 

[kasilofhome]

It is worth it. My son will turn 20 in a week he is in his senior year at high school. What worked for him was under doctors advise to pull him from public school till he had the maturity to equal his peers.

We homeschooled and this is his 3rd year back in a pubic school. He is doing great no one is hiding his age, he is fully educated as to being alone with any minors. Often when traveling on team sports he beds down with the coaches vs team mates if there are rooms vs sleeping in a schools gym with coaches and students together.

He is being Surprized by school friends with a pizza party. When he was with his age kids as a youngster he had no friends because his skills sets did not set well with social skills. Things would have gone very differently had he stayed in a group that were also too young to understand.. now he is were he can succeed.

 

[Kstornado11]

My seven year old son has Cerebral palsy & is visually impaired. Honestly I have learned more from networking w/ other parents of kids w/ CP than all the doctors& therapists combined.