Where It All Begins...

Okay, here I go... I’m not sure where to begin and to be honest I’m a little scared to do this. I am not a writer and after 11 ½ years I have so much to say and share. I’m not going to start with the usual “from the beginning” stories. It was the usual not meeting all of his childhood milestones. Preferred playing by himself rather than others etc. etc. etc.

Skip forward to May of 2011. After a second visit in three years to his neuropsychologist (after the first he was diagnosed with PDD NOS) we received the current diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome. For those of you who don’t know, Asperger’s Syndrome is an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interactions alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of interest and behaviors. Also, many have a lot of sensory issues as well. Josh is extremely sensitive to smells, tastes and touch. He tends to eat the same things every day and yes he can tell if you switch brands! However, he has an extremely high tolerance for pain. If he says something hurts we pay close attention!!! He also sticks to the same routines every day and likes to follow a certain schedule. He has come home filthy from head to toe but refusing to take a shower because “he doesn’t shower on Fridays”. Transitions are difficult for him. If there is going to be a major change in his routine we warn him ahead of time. The same is done at school. The TOUGHEST thing for my Josh is his restricted areas of interest. If you want to see an 11 ½ year old fall apart, just move his 'stuff'! It’s not a pretty sight and the meltdown can last… Lucky for the public at large he chooses to have these mostly at home.

Although he struggles socially he is very well like by his classmates. It may often look as though he is playing with them when in fact he is playing alongside of them. Yes, there is a difference! I have been told, and have also seen for myself, that he prefers to play with the younger kids who he can relate better socially to. When you first meet him you don’t notice anything but a polite and extremely well mannered young man (I wish I could take credit for all of that but). Spend the day with him and you’ll soon realize he has some differences.

Most of us think before we speak (at least we have the ability to do so). People with Aspergers don't do this. There are no filters in their minds so watch out you may be surprised at what comes your way. I now have to learn to live with Josh in a literal world. That’s not easy when the world is full of sarcasm, slang and irony. I must admit it’s hard to get mad at a kid who can insult you and apologize in the same breath. Here’s an example, out of the blue one day last year Josh said to me “Mrs. Jansen is prettier than you mommy. I’m sorry I’m not trying to hurt your feelings but I just had to tell the truth.” I laugh every time I remember that! I could write for days about Josh and his “truths”. He can’t help but be honest. If he does tell a lie you can count on him ratting himself out at some point. It could very possibly be at 3:00 a.m. (that’s happened).

Okay this is quickly turning into a biography on Josh and that’s not my purpose. My purpose and the purpose of this blog will be to share what I have learned through Josh and his unfiltered beautiful mind. You can only imagine after all these years what I have heard and learned from this child. He makes me stop and rethink everything. How does someone his age hold so much wisdom? He has no idea that he has been the greatest teacher I will ever have. My father in law used to say talking to Josh was like talking to one of his older friends. Where does he come up with this stuff???

For those of you who are on facebook you know I’m constantly quoting Josh. I can’t help it. He’s so damn funny while being extremely serious.   I always here are you writing this down or keeping a journal, and I wasn’t. Now I am and I have realized there a lot of lessons to be learned from Josh and all kids on the autism spectrum. In the weeks to come my hope is to continue writing about what I have learned from my very own “little professor”. He has a very unique take on most subjects.

I feel like I am leaving you without really getting started. There is one lesson though I would like to share with all of you. I have learned that individuals with Aspergers should not be thought of as having a disability but rather a different ability, and perhaps the world would be a better place if we all could try to be more like them instead of the other way around.

Thanks for taking the time to read this intro to my blog. In the upcoming weeks I hope share special lessons I have learned from an Aspergers point of view. I hope you’ll learn something too while having a few chuckles as well.

Ann