Alex

Alex was born in the Spring of 1994. He was a great baby and had no major illnesses other than multiple ear infections between the ages of 1 and 4. Alex reached all of the developmental milestones either at or before the expected age. He was talking by his first birthday and has always been very intelligent. In the Fall of 1999, when Alex was in kindergarten, his teacher requested a meeting with us. She claimed that in all her years of teaching (30+), she had never had a child like Alex. She said she was very concerned about his lack of focus and that he seemed to live in an imaginary world. She recommended that we take him to our pediatrician for a full evaluation. My husband and I were quite taken back and perhaps a little bit insulted. We knew Alex could be eccentric, but we certainly didn't think there was anything wrong with him. We assumed that since he was bright, that he was simply bored with what she was teaching, and we let it go. The following school year, Alex's first grade teacher called the same kind of meeting. She explained that Alex was having a hard time staying on task and she claimed to be seeing some strange behaviors. She asked if we wouldn't mind if the school psychologist observed him. We allowed it, and thus our journey began. After observing Alex, the school psychologist provided me with some reading material on Asperger Syndrome, a neurobiological disorder in the autistic spectrum. She said she was in no position to make a diagnosis, but we should consult with our pediatrician, as well as a private psychologist. As I read the materials she gave me, my jaw was on the floor. Alex was jumping out of the pages at me. It was remarkable! Shortly thereafter, Alex was diagnosed by his pediatrician with Asperger Syndrome and that was later confirmed by another psychologist, whom Alex still sees on a regular basis. The main problems that Asperger's poses for children are: impaired social interaction, difficulty seperating fantasy from reality, intense fixations and restricted interests, and poor problem-solving skills. I have often said that living with Asperger's is like riding a rollercoaster. We are up and down and all over the place, but we are making progress in many areas. We are fortunate that we live in the Liverpool Central School district where ALex has received tremendous support. His IEP allowed him to have occupational therapy, speech therapy and one on one support from a special education teacher. I am happy to report that as we near the end of fourth grade, Alex has tested out of both OT and speech. We are very proud of him. He has, however, recently been diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (which affects how he perceives what he hears), so there will be new adjustments to his IEP for next year to allow him to use an auditory trainer. I can't say enough about the wonderful teachers Alex had had, and I don't know where he would be without his special education consultant. Alex has also benefited from a social skills program he attended. He learned important skills regarding conversation, turn taking, manners and friendship. Alex struggles daily with his emotions and has issues with organization and responsibility because he is very distracted by internal stimuli. He is bothered by loud noise and food texture and does not like to wear shirts or socks. He also has a hard time with sarcasm and dealing with his younger brother. But Alex is a really great kid who is loved immensely by his family. He is very affectionate, funny, smart and creative. He enjoys swimming, bowling, yoga, reading and any sort of Lego challenge. He loves to travel and stay in hotels. He also loves pizza, Harry Potter, music and his two crazy dogs. Our vision for Alex is that he will become a happy, well-adjusted young man, who is capable of meaningful relationships, and someone who will become a productive member of society. As our journey continues, I think he is well on his way.