Ten Years!

 

Ten years ago today we received official confirmation that L was in fact on the spectrum. And look where he is now!

From non verbal, struggling to understand his and others emotions, struggling to make friends, lots of emotional and sensory overloaded days where he didn't want to step outside of his comfort zone.

L is now confident and tackles whatever obstacles in his way head on. He is wanting to learn new skills and try new activities. He does recognise that he is different from his peers, but different in a good way.

"I got awes-tism and super fast 80-HD brain!"

And with Henry, his pawsome Autism Assistance and Seizure Alert Dog, by his side, L's future is very bright.

We've been on a learning journey with him and have learnt so much about the world by looking through his eyes. He's taught us that while the world can be a scary place, there's lots of beauty if you look at it differently.

Buddy, you going to go far. There is no limit ⭐⭐

And to everyone who has supported us, been there for us, loved L for who he is, you all rock ❤❤

Epilepsy

Today is International Epilepsy Day and we're still on a very steep learning curve with L.

What I did not know is that Epilepsy is the second most common neurological condition here in Australia. And yet many individuals with Epilepsy aren't able to access the support they need.

L has three seizure types - absent seizures, Tonic clonic seizures and myoclonic seizures which cause him to collapse.

L's Epilepsy is managed by medication but the medication does not stop the seizures all together, it reduces the frequency and severity of his seizures. There are limitations to the medication and there are also triggers that may bring on a seizure in L.

L's triggers are something that we are still working on, some we can actively avoid, others we can't. As a family we are learning how to support L with his Epilepsy.

From the moment Henry was placed in 2021 we knew he was life changing for L. And over the last eighteen months on this new Epilepsy journey, Henry has also been life saving by naturally alerting to L's seizures.

L and Henry have well and truly earned their Lions Courage awards and their joint Yogi award. Henry truly is a hero in our eyes.

#teamhenry #henrythehero #teamalaska #alaskasjourney #autismassistancedogs #seizurealertassistancedog #medicalalertassistancedog #assistancedogofsaustralia #workingdogsofaustralia #assistancedogawareness #seizurealertdogawareness #autismawareness #epilepsyawareness #hypermobilityehlersdanlossyndromeawareness #adhdawareness #ehlersdanlossyndrome #generslisedanxietydisorderawareness #connectivetissuedisorders #sensoryprocessingdisorderawareness #workingdogsbooks #assistancedogsofinstagram #educatingfamilies

Let's Talk!

Let's talk about lining objects up grouping objects.

Both kids have always done this. We have been told by therapists that we should stop them from doing this. We stopped working with those therapists!

Lining objects up, grouping objects by colour or type, brings calm to what can be a very chaotic world. Lining objects up is something that the kids can control.

It's honestly fascinating watching them do this. If we interrupted them, we were glared at. If we moved one item, the item was immediately replaced.

If we joined in and added an object to the line or correct group, we joined their world.

You don't need to understand the why, just know that it brings calm.

Weird Question

 

I've lost count of the number of people who ask if I wish there was a cure for Autism.

No I don't.

Without Autism, ADHD, SPD and everything else in between, my children would not be who they are. They are neurodiverse and are perfect the way they are.

I've also been asked that if I knew my kids were going to be Autistic, would I still have had children.

The answer is always yes. I love both my children for who they are. And I wouldn't change them for the world.

#littlesuperheroes #autismheroes

Not a competition

 This.

Having a disability is not a competition as to who has more struggles than another.

Every individual who has a disability, regardless of what their disability is, has their own strengths and their own struggles that are unique to them.

I've actually been told in the past that an individual with a physical disability is more disabled than someone with a neurological disability, so therefore they have more struggles.

I had to walk away.

A neurological disability is hidden, and often we have to constantly prove that we do have a disability.

Please stop making everything a competition and just be you. 

Safe place

 We've always received compliments on how well behaved and well mannered both little superheroes are at school, child care, at friends houses etc. Yet at home, they can be the complete opposite.

We've come to realise that home is their safe place. We are their safe place. If they're having a rough day, they will usually keep all the frustration inside and release it at home.

When I talk to others about this, they usually say that they'd never thought about their own children's behaviour like that, but that it is so very true.

So the next time that your children, or young adults are showing you their most challenging behaviour, know that you are their safe place where there is unconditional love and no judgement ❤❤

Masking

 This is masking to a tee.

If you are a teacher or an educator, and an Autistic student says something like this to you, please give the student a break away from whatever they are doing.

Masking is incredibly detrimental to an Autistic individual.

Thankfully L has a few amazing knowledgeable teacher aides who recognised that L was not okay. And when he said this to them, he was a given a break and we received a phone call.

Normal? Nope!

This was said to me a few weeks ago by a person that I occasionally work with. Myself and a third person stared them down!

My normal obviously isn't their normal! 

It's taken me a long time to accept who I am and not be concerned how others see me.

This person also said that they don't disclose their child's neurodivergence unless absolutely necessary because a label is a bad thing. And as a result their child is embarrassed by their neurodivergence.

I wish I'd known when I was younger that I was Autistic!

So no, I can't just be normal!! Because there is no normal. And besides, normal is boring.

Autism Journey

What has Autism taught you?

Let me count the ways...

❤ That the world is beautiful and wonderful when viewed through a different lense.

❤ That there is no "normal."

❤ To celebrate every milestone reached, every accomplishment, no matter how big or small.

❤ That I am emotionally and mentally stronger than I thought I was.

❤ That I'll never stop learning on our journey.

❤ That our tribe is worldwide.

❤ That love doesn't need words.

❤ That life is wild and calm and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Why don't they walk those dogs themselves?

 

"Why don't they walk those dogs themselves?"

It's a great question. You'd think that a teenager would be able to walk their dog by themselves. However when said teenager enters into emotional or sensory overload and need their Assistance Dog to redirect behaviour and assist in emotional regulation, said teenager, at that moment in time, cannot keep themselves safe yet alone an Assistance Dog.

There is absolutely nothing in either the Queensland Guide Hearing Assistance Dog Act or the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act, that states the minimum age of an Assistance Dog handler. 

But it's morally unethical to expect a teenager (or a child,) to be the handler for their Assistance Dog and keep themselves both safe when in emotional or sensory overload.

Both L and O are the primary handlers for Henry and Alaska and they are both very capable as handlers. But for the moment both Mum and Dad are the additional handlers.

#teamhenry #henrythehero #teamalaska #alaskasjourney #autismassistancedogs #seizurealertassistancedog #medicalalertassistancedog #assistancedogofsaustralia #workingdogsofaustralia #assistancedogawareness #seizurealertdogawareness #autismawareness #epilepsyawareness #hypermobilityehlersdanlossyndromeawareness #adhdawareness #ehlersdanlossyndrome #generslisedanxietydisorderawareness #connectivetissuedisorders #sensoryprocessingdisorderawareness #workingdogsbooks #assistancedogsofinstagram #educatingfamilies #inspireyoungminds #inspiringyoungminds #readgrowinspire #childrensliteracy 

Pupper Memes!!

We love memes. Coffee memes. Autism memes. Even puppy memes. So here's a few!

Downtime!

 

Hi hoomans!

Tis us Henry, and Alaska!

Just like you hoomans, us working dogs need a healthy balance between work and down time. Us Assistance Dogs need days off just like you do so that we don't burn out.

No one, including Assistance Dogs, can work 24/7 without burning out!!

A day off for an Assistance Dog could look like many things - resting or having a sleepy day chilling at home. Having a pupper play date. We might go on a sniffari walk to our favourite place. Playing pupper games at home.

At home if our children needs us, we will still work. But when we're not in coat, we can just be puppers.

Our hooman family always make sure that for every day that we work, we have a day off at home.

It's almost your weekend, so take some time over the next two days to chill out and relax.

Henry and Alaska out! ❤️

H/AH .... or Before Henry/After Henry!

 

H/AH .... or Before Henry/After Henry!

We had these moments on a very regular basis when Henry first joined our family. Four years on, we still have BH/AH moments.

Before Henry, leaving the house, L's safe place, and venturing out into the world, the unknown, was difficult for L.

New experiences, new sounds and smells, the busyness of the world, the unknown were very overwhelming.

If we visited new places, we had to prepare L (and O,) in advance of where we were going, what we might see and hear, how busy or loud the place might be. We'd have to take a bag of sensory items such as fidget items, block out ear protectors, devices, multiple charging blocks for said devices. And we might have lasted only an hour or so out before L (and O,) entered sensory and/or emotional overload and we'd need to come home.

And don't get me started on medical/specialist appointments!! If you have children (or yourself) who have complex disabilities or medical conditions, you probably understand just how overwhelming these appointments can be.

After Henry .... he opened up an endless world of possibilities.

We don't need to prepare either child if we're planning to go to a new place/experience. We don't need as many sensory items.

We can do new places, new experiences, noisy places, busy places because L knows he has Henry by his side.

Where have we been? 

We surprised both children with an outing to Australia Zoo with Henry, and we left after five hours because both kids had sore legs from walking! Sealife. SeaWorld. Movie World. We did two Gold Coast theme parks in one day! Unheard of Before Henry! Full day outings into the City to visit GOMA, the Museum, Southbank and exploring the city. A school excursion to an unknown venue for L. Day long outings where we've had no real plan of what we're going to do. Movies where we haven't needed to leave half way through or go out for a sensory/movement break. Longer shopping outings, but who loves shopping anyway. People, ugh! Haircuts are easier and calmer. Blood tests! Catching up with family at new places. A full season of soccer, going to different soccer clubs each week and L spending more time on the field participating than off the field. Lock downs! Flooding! Cyclone!

We're still working on medical/specialist appointments but they are much calmer for L and he's now verbally communicating with the staff. 

The positive impact that Henry was having was the sole reason we decide to buy a puppy to train as an Assistance Dog for O.

When we say Henry, and Alaska, are life changing, they really are life changing for their children and us as a family.

#teamhenry #henrythehero #teamalaska #alaskasjourney #autismassistancedogs #seizurealertassistancedog #medicalalertassistancedog #assistancedogofsaustralia #workingdogsofaustralia #assistancedogawareness #seizurealertdogawareness #autismawareness #epilepsyawareness #hypermobilityehlersdanlossyndromeawareness #adhdawareness #ehlersdanlossyndrome #generslisedanxietydisorderawareness #connectivetissuedisorders #sensoryprocessingdisorderawareness #workingdogsbooks #assistancedogsofinstagram #educatingfamilies #inspireyoungminds #inspiringyoungminds #readgrowinspire #childrensliteracy