The verdict is in....

[ourlittlemonkey]

Well it has been FOUR weeks now since we participated in the 'complex behavioural assessment' and I am finally at the point where I can talk about it without crying, so it is time to journal out some thoughts.  At the conclusion of the assessment, Rylan was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Rylan has ASD.  We officially are a family with a

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[ourlittlemonkey]

SO much to process. I've been very slow at getting his new intervention set up because I've really been working at just putting things in perspective and accepting where we are at now. We are SO fortunate that Rylan's "special needs" have been given a distinct ASD diagnosis, as the current level of support from the Canadian government for autism in particular is really something... We almost feel guilty that we will have access to all that funding, which we can choose to use for the intervention services, additional training for ourselves (like ASD conferences), supplies like equipment or even things like iPads, etc. We will also be able to access a Disability tax credit and a type of disability education fund where the gov't matches up to something like a $1000 a year for Rylan's future education.

There is a lot we still need to do as parents for Rylan. My MIL pointed out during our last trip with them in San Diego that Kyle and I are NOT doing a very good job on a lot of aspects. I didn't get into specifics with her because her unsupportive approach to that feedback closed me off to a discussion. But I think she's referring to stuff like-- we don't sit down with him often to do "table top" and academic activities, puzzles and games, or even crafts, because he really doesn't like those things, and we haven't pushed it enough or found enough creative ways to get him involved with learning pen/paper pre-K work. We do let him watch too much TV and we let him have lots of time with this aviation toys (his obsessive focus) to the neglect of other play and activities... So there is learning and work ahead for us at home too. As the doctor said, parenting an ASD child takes a specific skill set that doesn't come naturally to most people, there is a learning curve...