#Holdontohope 

In this world of ASD/DS, we can spend months, sometimes years facing no developmental progress or even regression in our child’s development. From 2.5 years old until 5.5 years old, our Little I had regression after regression, losing her speech, her sign language, her eye contact, her ability to play, whilst she gained more and more difficult behaviours and sensory processing challenges. It was like someone had stolen our daughter and replaced her with a stranger. Heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. This was a very tough time in our lives - our family reached breaking point…..

Roll on another 6 months, with the introduction of dietary changes and the continued enforcement of an Intensive Interaction underlying approach, and WOW! 

Little I is just brimming with smiles, hugs and eye contact right now. Amazing how much good eye contact and a smile can motivate her Mummy! I’ve gone into full speech therapy resources mode. I think the laminator wants to move out for a break! 

We have PECs cards stuck all around the house, routine cards for everything. My other kids now seem to think they can’t get ready for school or go to bed without their own visual time-table. The whole house has gone plastic!

Little I will now (if we persist) give me a ‘drink’ PEC when she’s thirsty! THRILLED. Her understanding (I think), has always been there, but her ability or desire to ‘co-operate’ vanished when the autism, appeared!! So……… this (hopefully) signifies a huge turning point. :o)

Without wanting to preach, her progress with eye contact, engagement and her being more and more ‘present’ (instead of in her own world), are down to 3 things:

1. Intensive Interaction - what a life saver

2. A gluten, dairy, refined sugar and soy free diet. I know, I know - mixed reviews, feedback and a stubborn refusal by the medical profession to endorse - but I firmly believe that this has made a HUGE difference. Ella Woodwood of Deliciously Ella has been a godsend in keeping to this diet.

3. AMAZING support workers at school, who work so closely and co-operatively with us - I know how lucky we are.

She’s tolerating social contact and even occasionally initiating it with her peers, by tickling them. This is SUCH A BIG HUMUNGOUS deal! Of course, things can and do turn on a knife edge sometimes, but we’re learning to enjoy the Highs as much as possible, and take comfort during the lows, that at some point, eventually, we’ll experience another high, when a new milestone is finally reached. :o)

In the unprompted words of her 8 year old sister: “I love children with Down Syndrome, especially if they have autism too. They are soooooo cute. Well, actually the autism was a bit of a pain at first but now she’s cured, well kind of cured it’s great because she cuddles and plays with me again”. Couldn’t have put it better myself, although I wouldn’t use the word ‘cured’!

Love each other x