A first...

We have been trying to get Jimmy to go into a moonbounce forever. Today, at Manassas Park's Fall Festival, he did it. Had the best time. Someone had to go retrieve him to get him out. It's such a little thing, but a happy moment.

Spoke too soon... and "Night of Too Many Stars"

Shortly after my last post, Jacob pooped in the kitchen. But we are close.

Comedy Central is having an autism benefit on Sunday night at 8pm. "Night of Too Many Stars" will be hosted by our beloved Jon Stewart. I wonder if he would come do the Matthew's Center benefit in April? ;) We are looking forward to the show.

One Down...

Jacob is going peepee exclusively on the toilet now. He had a poop accident - he trailed pellets around the daycare - today, but not anything else. And he does poop in the potty. For all intents and purposes, as long as well continue to reinforce this weekend, we are there. He should be able to join the threes room after his birthday - he's on track to do it.

Happy happy happy...

Dreaming Big

So I am looking into when exactly Jimmy will be potty trained enough to get to go to the afterschool program. Yes, he isn't greatly successful yet - he's peed into a toilet twice. But I want to look forward to it. And why not? The afterschool program is essentially $50 a week. $50 versus the $140 that I am paying right now to have him "accomodated" at Childtime. Heck yes, I want him in the afterschool program. I wish they could just take him.

I also got a phone call that was soliticing donations for a place called Value Village. Turns out it is affliated with something called the National Children's Center, which has programs in DC and Maryland for developmentally disabled children and adults. I shot them an e-mail through their website at www.nccinc.org and I got a call back. Turns out they are considering extending their service area with programs in Virginia. I don't know much about them, but something is better than nothing.

Our respite provider has fallen off the face of the earth. Anyone want to come babysit my kids so I can clean my house?

Coach Gets Jail for Beaning Autistic Boy

Some people richly deserve jail. I think this man is among them.

To illustrate my point

I just finished giving Jimmy another bath. He had an accident while potty training. He snuck down to the basement and was fingerpainting on the wall with his own feces. He's five. I am not freaked out - in fact, I am resigned to the fact that he does stuff like this. But it still makes life difficult. Jacob doesn't do such things and he's two. I could say I want normal, but it isn't worth longing for. It doesn't seem like it is ever going to happen.

I am sorry I am so negative. It's one perpetual pity party today.

Frustration Level...

Extreme. I have been going off every which way and I trying really hard to put myself down. Trying to take some positive steps.

Still no success...

But we are still trying. With Jimmy. Jacob did go a few times yesterday and had a few accidents. Double the laundry.

Holding

Apparently Jimmy has become pretty good at it. He went the whole day at school without peeing or pooping. Not a single accident. Nothing. Until he went to day. Of course, they didn't send home the platinum padded underwear. Jacob is going to underwear and extra changes tomorrow. He has had enough success that I am willing to try.

Not much else to report. I was home most of the day with a stomach bug. Immodium is my new friend.

Thursday meeting in PW Co.

Since I know I have a few parents reading now, I thought I would post this...

Anyone in any state or county is invited to the October meeting of
the Prince William County Support Group For Parents Of Children
Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorders

THIS MEETING IS SPONSORED BY THE AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA's
NORTHERN VIRGINIA CHAPTER

OCTOBER MEETING: October 12, 2006 -7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

TOPIC: Financial Planning for Parents of ASD children

GUEST SPEAKER : Theresa Waddell

Theresa is the district manager of Waddell and Reed in Vienna, VA.
As an advisor, Theresa focuses on helping families with special
needs. She joined Waddell & Reed in 2000. Her mission statement is
to help her clients develop and implement a personal financial plan
that helps them to have peace of mind, clarity, and confidence in
their financial lives. Theresa and her husband Christopher, a
Waddell & Reed division manager, live in Arlington, VA, with their
three sons, two of whom have special needs. She is secretary of the
board of the Northern Chapter of the Virginia Society of CPAs; and
president of her Toastmasters club. Theresa and Christopher
volunteer for autism research and support organizations.

MEETING IS AT 8730 SUDLEY ROAD, ROOM 22, MANASSAS, VA

For more information about the meeting, contact Christine Hoch at
703-431-1558 or choch@comcast.net

U.S. government launches autism study

The study is funding for $5.9 million by the CDC. It's a small start in what needs to be done. Perhaps by identifying causes (and I am sure there won't be just one), better treatments can be pursued.

From the article:

"The study, the next of the agency's promised initiatives to look more closely at the disorder, would look for factors that may put children at risk for autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities, the CDC said.

It said 2,700 children aged 2 to 5 and their parents would take part in the five-year study. Researchers will look for infections or abnormal responses to infections in the child or parents, genetic factors, the mother's reproductive history, hormone levels, potential gastrointestinal problems in the child and other factors.

"We hope this national study will help us learn more about the characteristics of children with ASDs, factors associated with developmental delays, and how genes and the environment may affect child development," said Dr. Jose Cordero, director of CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities."

News from the front...

We continue to meet with resistance from Jimmy on the whole toileting thing - about three minutes in to his five minute sits, he starts to cry. But...

Jacob has been to the toilet three times today and has been successful three times. Has peed twice and pooped once. Of course, the poop was only because I caught him trying to squat in the hallway, but he was so happy when he did it right on the potty.

Hey, I take my joy where I can find it.

Enslaved to the toilet....

That should be our weekend, in four whole words. Trying to get two boys to use it exclusively. The safe money is on Jacob learning first. Jimmy hasn't been successful once this week.

In related news, I have to book Jake's third birthday party this weekend and throw out all his bottles. He is too old for them now. I have been losing the battle of the wills until now. I am resolute.

Day three

Well, I actually reverted back to diapers for the day to allow me to regroup. They switched him to underwear though at both the school and the daycare, which they promptly threw out when it got poopy. That's going to get expensive, especially after I bought 10 pair of the padded training pants at $4 a pop at JCPenneys. I bought every last pair they had in a 4T. It's not just the expense, but the availability of this stuff. These had better not go in the trash.

The school now has three complete sets of clothes, six pair of underwear (padded), several vinyl covers, three pairs of socks, and a stash of extra diapers. Daycare has bag of supplies as well. I have it organized and under control. For the moment. Laundry looks to be a nightly occurance for a while.

I need the weekend. Badly.

Day two of the potty....

4 soaked changed of clothes,
3 loads of laundry to do,
2 wet leather shoes to clean,
1 pantless boy running around my house,
and not a single success on the toilet.

Hey, it's only day two.

What really irks me...

Is that the Combating Autism Act might die in the House of Representives while they are busy tending to this nasty bit of dirt. I don't know who to be more angry at - the politicians or the media.

Potty Training Day 1

Feels like day one million. The school got the protocol and followed it all day. Instead of actually using the toilet, Jimmy held it until 2pm, when he soaked everything. He had another accident at daycare - the manager who was to be filling in didn't come down from Delaware. The one that was there couldn't access the center's e-mail and apparently didn't think to call the area manager. So he had another accident there as well. He was back in diapers when I picked him up. It was likely just as well, but he had a massive case of the explosive poops at about 7:15. It was nasty.

Feces - I know you guys come to read about feces.

I did call the Hill today. The three members mentioned in the post as well as my congressman, the Honorable Frank Wolf. I asked his office to ask him to talk to Joe Barton about getting the Combating Autism Act out of committee and voted on this session. I know things don't work that way, but I figured it was worth asking.

Manassas JM article link from May

A link to May's article on Jimmy!

Achy Achy

I have a ton to do still, but I am fleeing to bed. I am achy all over. I don't know if I have a bug or it's just my allergies, but I am miserable. Looks like I am going to have to get up extra early to get extra clothes and underwear ready for school or daycare.

My thoughts on my earlier post regarding the Combating Autism Act. I am extremely disappointed that it looks like it will meet an untimely demise. I will be making some phone calls tomorrow, those listed in the e-mail. I know many of you care about Jimmy very much - I would ask that, for him and all the other kids like him, try to find the time to pick up the phone in the next day or two. It would mean a lot to both of us.

Chairman Barton Stops Combating Autism Act - For Now

This came to me via e-mail. I don't think any party can claim to put children first when their leadership tries to kill a bill with over 200 co-sponsors.

Chairman Barton Stops Combating Autism Act - For Now
Remaining Hope with Boehner/Hastert

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (TX) will not consider the Senate-passed Combating Autism Act in the House this session. He remains steadfastly unmoved and unimpressed by over 200 House members and a unanimous Senate. Without regard to the merits of our bill or the desperate state of our children, he indicated he would not even consider it without passage of his NIH Reform bill—an impossibility this Congress. In the end, his personal legislative agenda outweighed the needs of hundreds of
thousands of children with autism. He would only consider a bill devoid of any NIH provisions, including environmental research, and that is unacceptable to the autism community.

Let Chairman Barton know how you feel! Call Barton today and let him know that it is unacceptable for our elected officials to put personal, political interests ahead of your sick children! Call Rep. Barton today at 202-225-2002. Keep calling until you get through. Let's jam his phone lines and make ourselves heard.

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (IL) has thus far refused to intervene on our children's behalf. His Office of the Speaker website states: "At home we put children first, and Republicans are doing just that in the House". Ask him to back that up and put S.843 on the House suspension calendar! Call Speaker Hastert at 202-225-0600 and ask him to do what's right for children with autism.

Majority Leader John Boehner (OH) has been unwilling to stand up to Chairman Barton! Let him know you expect him to show the leadership it takes to do the right thing for hundreds of thousands of children and put S.843 on the House suspension calendar. Call Majority Leader Boehner at 202-225-4000 today and make your voice heard!

Our fight is far from over! Call all three representatives today and let them hear the full voice of the autism community. We will speak for our children, because they cannot.

Thank you for your support! For complete information about the Combating Autism Act of 2006, go to www.combatautism.org.