The latest word is the segment will be on this coming Wednesday's (Feb 6) show. What time we don't know yet. Robin and I were both fighting chest colds, so our voices may not sound quite right.
*** Update: The segment is to shown between 8:00-8:30am EST
********Update clarafication (Feb 4, 6PM) The GMA producer called today and said that our interview will show at the 8:00 hour in each time zone that GMA is shown, so it doesn't matter where you live, it will show between 8:00 and 8:30am. ~Dad
Dad
Sunday, February 3, 2008
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27 comments:
This is great news. I hope you both feel better soon.
You guys hang in there! I am a single mom of two, one 5 year old with autism...thank god for wellbutrin and thank god for a sense of humor. I hope all the media attention results in a LOT of help and support.
You've got our prayers for health and healing. Congrats on the GMA piece! I'll be sure to tune in. Question - do your kids have sleep issues? Our kids do, especially our 4 year old (HFA). Any suggestions? We've been doing benadryl but I'm always open to other suggestions. Take care.
I just read your article in People magazine, and as an Occupational Therapist, I want you to know your doing a great job! Hang in there!
I read your article in People and found it very interesting. I am attending school right now to become an elementary school teacher specializing in special education and hope to be able to work with children who have autism. Your t-shirts are a great way to help parents and kids spread awareness about autism--I love them.
John,
As a parent of children with Autism, I am not real fond of the title "Family Nightmare"....Six Children with Autism"....
Hope all goes well...
Jeanette
Mom26children: Yikes! We had no idea how they would title it. I was trying to figure out where you got that from. The 'People' title was great. Then I thought to look on the ABC website... sure wish they would have run that by us. Of course they don't. Hope the editing for the story is more favorable.
This is a "must read"
http://www.naturalnews.com/011764.html
God Bless you all
Great show. As parents of 6, the youngest (6) being non-verbal and autistic we can comprehend just a small bit of what you go through. We are fortunate as in the state of MN there are many programs to help. Our health insurance actually covers ABA therapy and our son is home schooled by a ABA therapist 40 hours a week. The therapy is showing progress. In addition dietary restrictions due to leaky gut syndrome cause a challenge. No wheat, dairy, yeast etc. Do you find that your children have any special dietary needs? The diet has helped us immensely although it is quite a bit of work due to special prep.
Has anyone contacted Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for your family? You certainly could use the extra space. Please let us know.
Have you tried removing wheat from their diets? I heard that intollerance to wheat can cause autistic symptoms.
I just read about your family on the GMA website. Much love and good wishes to you. The autism t-shirts you have on your site are really fun and informative. As someone who is peripherally aware of autism and has no close family members afflicted by it, I'd still love to buy a few t-shirts to spread awareness about your cause. What I missed was seeing t-shirts the rest of us could buy.
As a young mother of a autistic daughter, I would often cry not knowing what to do to make things better.But I started reading and educating myself about autism and things got alot easier.She is now 11 and doing great in school and home with the support of all of us.Things do get better with patience and lots of love.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I have three son's who have their own spot's upon the spectrum.
I totally agree with you about it's time some money was put directly toward's the families who are living with autism daily.
I am a stay at home mom who has the bulk of the care for our fraternal twin 9 year old son's. Dad works outside the home to support our family but he too has a handicap. He is visually impaired and unable to drive due to his vision problems. This complicates our family life even more. Our income is very modest and we too could stand some help with home repairs. My oldest son is 22 and still lives at home with us.
Thank you for the work you are doing informing other's just how it is.
God Bless You!
Just let me say you guys must have your hands full. For over six years I worked for a service that provided in home support to families who had members with disabilities and the cases were usually children. So I had a first hand glance at what these families go through on an individual basis and would sometimes feel overwhelmed myself. So my advice is keep your head up high and enjoy every moment that you are able to spend with them. I wish you much luck with the success of raising your family.
Have your children been tested for Fragile X Syndrome? I ask because my son was diagnosed 20 years ago with it and your oldest son has the same facial features that are classic Fragile X.
Fragile X is the leading genetically linked cause of autism. Most in the medical field still haven't heard of it. Check out the National Fragile X Foundations website. Emory University, Duke University and the Mind Institute are currently doing research.
God bless!
Thank you for your story! Your children are beautiful and a treasure to the world and you! Thank you for helping to get message out about the cost of raising children with ADS and the blessings!
I am a mother of an autistic child and I truely understand where you two are coming from. There is a reason that you two were blessed with these special children. I saw your family on GMA this morning and I just wanted to reach out to you and let you know that there is always a place in my heart for your family. I am learning alot about this field, and what goes on within its spectrum. All I know is that early intervention is the key to living this life. I wish you all the luck and hope that we may be able to talk sometime.
Saw your segment on GMA today and was very touched! You are truly wonderful people and I am hopeful for you to receive the help you need. Good luck in the AutismBites foundation and I have signed up for the "Send-a-card" promo that is from your website and am excited about it's potential for my own business!! I also think removing wheat from their diet is worth a try as mentioned by previous poster as I am wheat intolerant and have read a lot about its effects. Best wishes and God Bless!
Glen in Texas!
I was directed here from the one of the readers on my blog,wow 6 kids on the spectrum I have 2 girls one has classic autism, the other has neurodevelopmental, cognitive and gross motor disorders, in other words autism. Sounds like you guys are doing an awesome job!
I have 2 stepchildren with autism and 1 with Down syndrome. We need:
Assistance financially getting them into programs (even Easter seals tell us that our girls need 'one on one' attention so are more money)
Courts to understand the challenges (their biological mom walked out and treats our 3 as though they are typical.....) They don't know why we are so tired. :)
Volunteers!! Everyone who can, please volunteer for: special olympics, Miracle Baseball, Challenger Baseball. If you have a talent or not even too much talent, share it with others! Offer to help out at a day camp for special needs kids. Help them with music or art or throwing a ball.
Schooling! They need to learn to function in life. Do you work? Can you teach your work to a child with autism? Some of the best work for them is some of the harder to fill positions (very repetitive)
Sleep! If you have a neighbor with a child with autism, offer to sit there while the parent takes a much needed nap. Get to know the child (I'd say they don't bite, but one of mine does!) so you can sit with them for an hour or so. You won't believe the value that has to a sleep deprived parent.
Ring the bell! say "i am off to the store, do you need anything" shopping with children with autism is necessary, but not always easy, pleasant desirable. plus (see above) we are sleep deprived, which adds to it all.....
I just found your site and viewed the mucic video (I cried!) It reminded me of the hopes and dreams we had had when my ( I am widowed) now 11yo was diagnosed at age 3. You all sound wounderful! I don't know how you cope but God bless your family for what you are doing!!!!
God bless you and your beautiful family.
I have eight children, one with apraxia and Asperger's, two with ADHD. And I thought our house was crazy... :-) Keep up your awesome, exhausting work.
What an amazing job you are both doing with your family! I teach first grade and have had the privelege (yes, PRIVELEGE) of teaching many children on the autism spectrum. Each and everyone of them have a special place in my heart. Thank you for sharing your story. So many people are unaware of the what autism "looks like." Hopefully your article, GMA segment, and blog will help bring about more awareness. Good luck and God Bless!
god bless. I will keep your family in my thoughts and prayers!!!
I just finished reading the People article about your family. WOW! I have one 13 year old Autistic son and I thought I had my hands full. The fun of going through puberty (please note the sarcasm implied in that statement) is nothing compared to what you face every day. From now on when I think I'm beyond frustrated, I'll think of you.
I didn't see the show, but I did see the clip on their website. I cannot begin to imagine what you go through each day.
I am the mother of 3 children. My 2 sons both have autism, one moderate and one severe. Our daughter is 7 months old and seems to be developing normally for now.
Each day is definitely a challenge for us. It seems that you are doing a wonderful job with your children despite all the roadblocks.
I am going to link to you if that is okay. I will be checking back often, I can use all the help and support I can get!
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