Drabble #28

Today is exactly one year since Luke was officialy diagnosed with autism. It's been a tumultuous year, to say the least. A flurry of referrals and IEPs and a veritable dictionary of new terminology. PDD-NOS, Asberger's, Sensory Intetgration Dysfunction, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder... It's too much to absorb all at once, but I've had time. What has changed? I'm more used to the idea now, though of course I'll never be happy about it. I know not to expect that Luke will suddenly just burst into fluent speech or initiate play with others without any prodding. I haven't given up hope that he'll improve, though.

And he has improved, even after just a year. Socially, he's very friendly and sweet, though he still prefers play on his own. He makes eye contact and responds more often to his name. His language....I don't see much change. That's the really rough thing. Language can take a long, long time for autistic kids. I have to be patient. If there's one quality I've had to develop this year, it's been patience. And I have a long, long way to go.

Here's hoping next year will find us a little farther along, and a little more capable of being Luke's parents.

This bit here is something I'd like to eventually expand into a sprawling fic, a counterpart to Another Point of View. (Oh, I'm not over-ambitious, not at all.... ;) Apologies if the Gungan isn't perfect. :P
( Exile )