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on November 10, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Dealing With Autism… From A Dad’s Perspective

Kauffman Family

Last year I had such a great response to the “Dealing with Autism from a Dad’s Perspective,” series, that I decided to continue it this year.  Our first dad this year is James Kauffman.  I became friends with his wife, Grace, when she found me on Instagram.  Grace and I often lean on each other throughout the day, as we live very similar lives.  One of the best gifts of having a blog is the opportunity to connect with so many new friends all over the world.  To have found Grace, literally in my own backyard, is even better.    Grace and Jim have been married for 12 years.  They have twin boys, Joey and John, who are 11 years old.  Joey was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2 years and 8 months.  Just like last year, please remember these dads are sharing their own stories based on their personal experiences.  Thank you, James, for sharing your perspective.

1. Before your child’s diagnosis, what was your experience with Autism? 

Friends from college had a daughter with severe autism.  Our group rarely saw them after her diagnosis.

2. Before your child was diagnosed, what symptoms or characteristics did you notice that initiated the evaluation?  Was this a mutual concern with your spouse/partner? 

Regression of limited speech, loss of eye contact, loss of interaction with others.  Yes, it was a mutual concern.

3. After the initial diagnosis, can you share how you felt about it? 

Sad, very sad. Confusion, hopelessness.  Concern for his future after my wife and I are gone.

4. What kind of therapy services does your child receive and your thoughts on the process and progress? 

ABA and speech.  Speech seemed to help very little, but he could be much worse if he didn’t receive it, I guess.  Speech at school was very inconsistent during critical years.  We had a great ABA who was emotionally invested in his progress and cared very deeply.  That makes a difference.  I think she helped.

5. What has changed since your child’s diagnosis?  (Ex: relationship with child’s mom, friends, family) 

A lot of sadness in the house, but it made us on the same side of his care, both short term and long term.  Wife had to give up her career.

6. What would you like people to know about your child and special needs children in general?

We would like people to have empathy and be more patient with those that are different in any way. Children with autism aren’t in a wheelchair, so it’s not as obvious there is a disability.

Thank you, James!  I truly appreciate you taking the time to share with us.  

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Filed Under: Autism, Special Needs Parenting Tagged With: Autism, Autism Awareness, Autism Dad, Autism education, autism mom

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lovealwaysjoann

Lovealways,Joann
Yesterday on my YouTube channel I posted a video t Yesterday on my YouTube channel I posted a video talking about how I handle stress associated with being an autism mom.  Thank you so much for those of you who have watched and for your kind comments.  Thank you to everyone who also reached out to  me privately. It’s nice to hear that something I said either resonated with you or has helped in a small way.  I love the feedback as it’s a way for me to know if I should continue with autism related content or not.  If you haven’t had a chance to watch yet, I hope you will consider adding it to your watch list.  Thank you for your support, it’s truly appreciated. 

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Did you know that during a typical day an autism Did you know that during a typical day an autism  mom can experience more than two stressful events? Autism moms  are more likely to experience fatigue, depression and isolation.  Mother’s of children with autism have stress levels comparable to combat veterans. 
I do not handle stress well, but I am consistently trying to get better at managing it.  If you watched today’s YouTube video, and you are an autism mom, I hope you know you are not alone.  I hope I was able to help in some small way.  My way of handling stress may not be the way for you, but I encourage you to find something that does. ❤️ #stress #stressrelief #stressmanagement #autismstress 

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It’s not often I get to spend time with Alex as It’s not often I get to spend time with Alex as much as I like to.  It’s not easy having a sibling with autism but Alex loves his brother.  Today, Alex and I went to the movies to see Sonic 2.  We had a great time together but the best part of my day was him thanking me for going with him.  He said,”I really appreciate it Mom!” This picture is from his last year’s birthday party.  I can’t believe it but in a few short weeks my twins will be 10 years old! ❤️ #autismsiblings #sons #momsofinstagram #momandsons #theboywhostolemyheart #autismmom #autismlife
Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this week? In this week’s video I’m sharing 3 easy Brunch recipes! Each one is easy to make and can be made-ahead  of time. 
The last recipe I shared is the Blueberry French Toast.  French Toast is one of my favorites for breakfast. When you mix  it with the blueberries and the eggs, it just takes it up a notch.  Don’t forget to sprinkle some powdered sugar on top! Direct link in bio.  #brunch #brunchrecipes #breakfastideas #frenchtoast #blueberries #frenchtoastcasserole
Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this week? In this week’s video I’m sharing 3 easy Brunch recipes! Each one is easy to make and can be made-ahead  of time. 
The second recipe I share is the Hawaiian Breakfast Sliders.  Ever since I watched my friend Jess over at @blessedjess86 share her Baked Hawaiian Rolls recipe, I’ve been really obsessed with the Hawaiian Rolls!! Out of the 3 recipes I made, this one is my favorite! These are perfect to wrap up individually and take your breakfast to go.  Direct link in bio.  #brunch  #brunchrecipes #breakfastideas #hawaiianrolls #hawaiianrollsliders
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When your child is first diagnosed with autism, it When your child is first diagnosed with autism, it is difficult to wrap your head around the amount of information given to you. It’s so important to have people in your child’s life that you can connect to.  Develop a comfortable connection  with the pediatrician, neurologist, the early intervention team, as well as your immediate family. You should be able to know that you have respect, trust and compassion in these relationships. I talked about our early relationships with Michael’s team in my “Let’s talk autism - Early Intervention - Pediatric Neurologist- O.T.  Therapist” YouTube video in March.  If your child was recently diagnosed with autism, I hope you find this helpful. Direct link to my channel in my bio. New autism videos coming soon.  #newautismdiagnosis 

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Good evening friends! Last month I had posted abou Good evening friends! Last month I had posted about a question from another special needs mom asking me to talk about how I handle stress.  I also asked if anyone wanted to share as well to please let me know so I could pass those suggestions and ideas along.  I didn’t receive much feedback and I’m not surprised at all.  This tells me that there are many of us who are still trying to figure out how to handle their stress or maybe you’re not comfortable sharing.  Either way I can understand, I’m still struggling to figure out what works best for me. 
It’s been awhile since I sat down to talk autism but this week I will film my next autism video.  Any guesses as to what that will be about? 😂 As always please feel free to DM me if you prefer or aren’t comfortable sharing in the comments about anything related to autism.  I know it’s hard to put yourself out there when you’re never sure how you will be received, but always remember you have a friend in me.  #stressmanagement 

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