Thank you for stopping by and visiting Zackery's pages. It is my hope to not only educate and inform people about Autism but to give you a first hand look at how our family deals with Autism in our lives everyday.
These pages I dedicate not only to my son, but to all people with Autism and their families
In our children there is HOPE
In us our children have STRENGTH
In each other we must find and keep the WILL to go on and do for them all we can so that we all can be happy!
~~Theresa~~
I Am The Child Who Cannot Talk
You often pity me, I see it in your eyes. You wonder how much I am aware of...I see that as well. I am aware of much...whether you are happy or sad or fearful, patient or impatient, full of love and desire, or if you are just doing your duty by me. I marvel at your frustration, knowing mine to be far greater, for I cannot express myself nor my needs as you do. You cannot conceive of my isolation, so complete it is at times. I do not gift you with clever conversation, cute remarks to be laughed over and repeated. I do not give you answers to your everyday questions, responses over my well being, sharing my needs, or comments about the world around me. I do not give you rewards as defined by the world's standards...great strides in development that you can credit yourself, I do not give understanding as you know it. What I give you is so much more valuable...I give you instead, opportunities. Opportunities to discover the depth of your character, not mine, the depth of your love, your commitment, your patience, your abilities, the opportunity to explore your spirit more deeply than you would ever go on your own, working harder, seeking answers to your many questions, creating questions with no answers. I am the child who cannot talk.
Author Unknown
What is AUTISM???
Autism is a developmental disability. It is a neurological disorder that affects language and social skills. It also brings with it unusual behaviors usually labeled as self stimulatory behaviors such as hand flapping or spinning. It affects each person who has it differently as it is known as a spectrum disorder. In Zackery's case most affected are his language and social skills, he has a few self stim behaviors but not many. Each person with Autism has strengths and weaknesses in development. Zack's strengths are in motor skills...he has excellent balance as well as the ability to perform fine motor skills. He also has the acute ability to see how things fit together for instance being able to pick up a puzzle piece and know right where it fits by sight. Zack's weaknesses are in language, having only about a dozen words at the beginning of program, and in social skills, not looking at people or wanting to be near people. His one true self stim was the constant lining and stacking of any object he could find. Before program began he would line and stack toys for hours. Having Zackery in program has helped all of his deficits as well as improved his strengths.
Follow these links to the rest of Zack's Site
