6 Mo UPDATE and More

The last six months have flown by even though the days seemed like an endless array of crying, screaming, and stimming.  My sweet lil wonder has endured so much trial and error all because he cant communicate.  He still has NO words.  He does occasionally pick a sound and repeat it at random, just when I get excited about it  goes into his secret hiding spot.  Not speaking is one thing but he also still does not point to objects.  He can use his pointer on the IPAD like a genius but will not point at any given thing.  Some of the highlights and greatest moments have been affection and his smiles.  He hugs us at night and gives a "Jojo" kiss when he wants too.  He has started just recently doing a cute kind of wave and mouthing Buuuuh for Bye...I hope this one sticks!!  The look on his grandpas face when Jojo did it was priceless!!

With us hitting the 6 mo mark he had a eval and follow up with his developmental pediatrician today.  I was all ready with my top three concerns: Sleep, Aggression, and SLEEP!  The doctor is very non emotional and kinda blunt.  I respected this at our last few visits because in the autism world so much is uncertain, you never get a definitive answer.  With that in mind I knew what to expect from him, he would tell it like it is!  So I describe a typical night for him...it went like this:
-Lay Jojo down around 815pm, he tosses and turns and whines and then a full fit breaks out.  He will start banging his head on the wall. I go in to see if he is ok, lay him back down and try to soothe him and leave, this repeats till he gives up and falls asleep or I lay with him till he knocks out. He then wakes up multiple times starting at 11:15pm and cries, screams, hits himself or bangs his head.  I usually end up bear hugging him till he falls asleep,  eventually by 430am he knocks out for a good 2.5 hours.  (Yup that's a typical night)
to the best of my sleep deprived memory
DR INPUT:  So when he screams you run in there every time and resettle him?
Me: Yes, I have to because he hits himself?
DR: well if you run in every time its like a tug or war he wins every time, how fun for him.
ME: omg its anything but fun, do you see how exhausted I am? >crying starts<(and I wore mascara, nice!)
DR: You cant keep doing this, he needs to be placed down to sleep and no interruptions, watch him from a video monitor but do not go in.  His fits will lessen and his sleep will improve.  improved sleep will help with the autism like behaviors(stimming, scratching, yelling)
ME: so you think my going in and checking on him is causing his nighttime behaviors? omgosh its all my fault?
DR: No, its not causing it, its provoking it!  Autistic toddlers are very alert and super sensitive to stimuli, he cant speak so other sense are alerted, he hears everything, feels more, and smells more. Where does he sleep***the kicker***
Me:  My room.  We never transitioned him out because he is too loud at night and will wake the older children who have school, (duh, I'm thinking)
DR: Ohhh no no no, this really needs to change.

Sooo long visit short, we were instructed and educated about how important it is for Jojo to have his OWN room.  I would love to have my room back. On the drive home the hubby and I discussed how we can make this happen.  We have a pretty nice sized home, 4 bedroom.  My daughter(only girl) def keeps her pink room.  My 15yr  and my 10 yr old sons will have to share. Bahahahaa that caused a drama filled night. I'm going to do it, I feel I have to.  I KNOW its a hard change for the kiddos and I feel so bad.  Our life's have changed so much in the last year that this was not what I planned to do, for a LONG time.  I cant imagine a night without Jojo smacking me in the face to wake me up or just plopping his whole 30lb body on top of my head.   I don't know how or when I will do it but I know we have to try everything we can.

The dr ended his eval by telling us Jojo is Now moderate to severe classic autism with his biggest deficit being nonverbal.  I honestly thought that I would be like Jenny McCarthy and FIX him by now.  But I'm not a superstar and I'm not rich. I have no nanny but what I Do have is a perfect lil wonder who loves me and even though he cant say it I can SEE and Feel it with each and every hug!