My Autistic Boy And Other Adventures In Fatherhood

As we move closer to Global Autism Day I suspect we’ll see lots of pieces for media story postings. I’ll push the ones I see to you. Here is another from a CNN employee who is a recently diagnosed Aspie.

I’ve been noticing more and more ‘changes’ since Demetrius has been on the Prozac. When he began his ADHD meds a few years ago EVERYONE EVERYWHERE saw the differences, but I would say these changes continue to be subtle and right there if you are looking for them.

He still plays with his hair, but when you tell him to stop, he is actually stopping. Last night (before I got home) he tried to turn the television on, and of course, was blocked. He pushed enough buttons in his attempt to ‘un-block’ the TV that it wouldn’t work until I got home and basically re-booted it.  By that time, TV time was over for him, and we just were able to catch the end of Hannah Montana. No fit, no melt downs. He just ‘understood’ and went in the basement and played. Sure, he fussed about having to get ready about bed :15 later, but what kid doesn’t do that?

This morning he wouldn’t eat his breakfast and Kim was fussing at him…so I told him if he didn’t sit down and eat (sometimes an issue with this boy) that I’d take his super heroes from him for one week (Grandparents - get over it, I have to discipline your grandchildren at some point) for repeatedly not doing what his mother asked. No fit, just sulking and eating bagel.

Of course, I noticed a few minutes later that I was being ‘webbed’ by him. (In Spider Man, when the Web-Slinger doesn’t want to hear somebody, he shoots some webbing into that person’s mouth to shut them up….Demetrius will do this also, it is a form of ‘pretending’ resistance!) But I can live with that.

So these are the little things I’m seeing. It must taste awful though, everytime he finishes it in his juice (which we mix the meds in), his eyes water.

All that said, I’ll leave you this weekend with Maya in her Hannah Montana get up. I just know I have a cheerleader in my future:

Hannah Montana Guitar, Headset, bracelets, glittery concert uniform…..