Noah and Mom by Samantha Corona

WHO IS NOAH?

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 03:53:14 UTC

Noah was born May 14 of 2012 and since that day he has been brightest light of my days. He is deeply in love with sunsets and art. Noah is a bright and admiring child, he was an angel sent to our family. At the age of 5, our dear Noah was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. He is now 7 years old receiving all the assistance he requires.

WHO IS MOM?

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 04:00:19 UTC

Hi, I am Samantha, at the age of 21 I became a mom of one beautiful young boy. I am a single mother advocating for children. The sole purpose of this blog  is to shine the light on children with Asperger's and build a community for many families.

D.J. Svoboda

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 05:30:22 UTC

D.J. Svoboda

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 05:37:40 UTC

D.J. Svoboda

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 05:39:31 UTC

ART GALLERY

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 05:39:49 UTC

This art gallery was inspired by D.J Svoboda's art. DJ created the Imagifriends of Imagiville, his art is inspired through his experiences of living with Autism. Noah loves to color and paint on his easily accessible print outs of the Imagifriends.

DJ's Website

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 05:44:19 UTC

In the Classroom

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 06:14:53 UTC

Noah is a very intelligent kid, just like his fellow classmates. Every child is gifted with the ability to developmentally grow as the years go by. However, Noah faces some different struggles from the rest of his classmates. Some of which include:

Difficulty of learning in larger groups
Struggles to make friends
Interest in limited and specific topics

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 06:16:39 UTC

Being the mom to a chid with Asperger's syndrome is such an amazing life, from the way he expresses his love to the way he presents his knowledge. There are no exact words to express how it is to raise him but I would never have it any other way. There is a misconception that kids on the autism spectrum are completely different, the truth is these children are just children with their own unique character.

What is Asperger's Syndrome?

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 06:35:59 UTC

A developmental disorder affecting ability to effectively socialize and communicate. Asperger's is a condition that falls under the umbrella of Autism.

Characteristics

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 06:46:33 UTC

Children with Asperger's typically exhibit minimal social interactions, unusual speech patterns, obsessions, and many other peculiar mannerisms.

Symptoms

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 06:56:55 UTC

Inappropriate or minimal social interactions
Obsession with one or two specific topics
Memorizing preferred information easily
Clumsy, incoordination inn movements, including difficulty with handwriting
Missing social cues in play and conversation
Difficulty at managing emotions, sometimes resulting to verbal/behavioral outbursts
Hypersensitivity to lights, sounds, and textures
Usually responding negatively to change, in need of a certain routine

For more information on the symptoms for Asperger's click the link below
https://familydoctor.org/condition/aspergers-syndrome/

Reach Out

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 07:23:12 UTC

Finding assistance and support can seem a bit hard at time. I have been able to find the perfect resources for Noah and myself through Autism Speaks website. Here you can find everything, from advocacy centers to art programs designated for kids on the autism spectrum.

https://www.autismspeaks.org/resource-guide

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 07:34:45 UTC

I have faced many challenges, just as many mother's out there. One of the biggest challenges was finding the financial support I needed. For months, I constantly stressed knowing I was not financially prepared for all the bills coming my way. However, after some research I was able to find financial programs that were designed to help families like mine

Treatments & Therapies

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 08:15:43 UTC

Social skills and speech therapy: Although your child may speak well, he or she may need to learn conversation skills. Skills include learning not interrupt, allowing for others to speak, making eye contact, showing a sense of interest, etc.
Physical therapy: Some children might lack physical coordination and be clumsy. A physical therapist will work towards developing the child's core body strength.
Occupational therapy: An occupational therapist works toward improving a their fine motor skills. Moreover, they help your child cope with sensory issues. These sensory issues might include noise, touch, smell, or visual stimuli.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy: The therapist helps your child on their social behavior and with coping their emotions. Important skills are taught such as controlling impulses, fears, anxiety, obsessions, interrupting, and tantrums.

All of the therapies do in fact differ depending on your child. Not all of therapies available are listed above, for more information visit the link below.
https://www.healthline.com/health/autism/aspergers-treatment#goals

Fact of the Day

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 08:46:53 UTC

About 1 in 100 people worldwide have Autism, but only 1 in 250 people have Asperger’s.

Diagnosed

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 08:58:59 UTC

A child can be diagnosed as young as 18 months old by a professional doctor. There are no blood test or medical scans involved, it is diagnosed through milestone observation.

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 09:22:09 UTC

Aspergers/Autism Network

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 09:31:09 UTC

I am a member of ANNE, they host events in certain regions but also ONLINE. I found out about this organization through my own research, then soon enough became a member. Their mission is to help people with Asperger's or similar autism spectrum profiles create a meaningful and connected life.

For more information visit their website at
https://www.aane.org/

Strategies for Teachers

samanthacorona06 — 2020-04-12 09:45:57 UTC

Educate yourself about Asperger's, work on learning your students challenges.
Promote inclusivity, emphasize to every student in the classroom that everyone has different challenges, they are all unique in their own way.
Create an agenda, a daily/weekly routine for the classroom to promote a sense of control
Make sure the child is aware that plans activities are planned, not guaranteed.
Communicate effectively with parents, promote parent involvement.

To learn more click the link for a PDF
https://researchautism.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/An_Educators_Guide_to_Asperger_Syndrome.pdf