PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Borba
Episode 316
This episode falls in the month of May which is Apraxia Awareness Month. I’m pleased to welcome my friend, Brandy Jordan, the mother of a 14-year-old, non speaking, Apraxic Autistic son. She is joining us to talk about their journey.
You can also subscribe on your preferred podcast app by searching, “We chose play from Affect Autism”
Episode Highlights
Here are some of the highlights of this episode:
- Brandy took the initiative to get her son diagnosed at age 4, which was a relief because she then received early support.
- Early behavioural therapies reminded her of dog training, focused on compliance and repeating words, rather than on learning meaning and communication.
- One therapist who was using play was able to connect with him and see results in his development.
- Whenever Brandy played with him, she saw better results as well.
- Her son will communicate when he’s not anxious or under pressure by pointing, grabbing pictures, or using single words sometimes.
- Her son can recite song lyrics he hears.
- Brandy’s son learns by watching other kids, including riding a scooter and swimming, without having had any “teaching” or lessons.
- Brandy’s son and daughter have a great relationship.
- Strict therapy that put pressure on her son to communicate allowed him to regurgitate words but turned him off of learning AAC and other things he used to do like drawing.
- Brandy is annoyed by people talking to her son like he’s a toddler or by giving him preschool activities such as tracing year after year because they assume he can’t do more.
- It’s stressful having to go to non stop meetings and advocating for your child because the school system doesn’t know how to support our children when we are also trying to hold down full-time jobs.
- Brandy feels guilty that she robbed her child of some of his childhood from doing so many therapies.
- Her son is just a family member when at home. They love him and embrace who he is rather than as someone with a diagnosis.
- Brandy’s son doesn’t have many meltdowns anymore at all and is mostly happy.
- Brandy throws out negative perceptions from others when out in public.
- Meltdowns aren’t because “they have Autism” but because something is bothering them; it’s their way of communicating.
You can find Brandy’s dog training business Doggy Steps on Facebook and Instagram.
If they’re having a meltdown, it’s not, ‘Oh, he’s having a meltdown. He has Autism.’ It’s like, OK, why is he having this meltdown because he can’t communicate to you why, so he’s melting down? We need to know what’s triggering this meltdown.
This episode’s PRACTICE TIP:
Let’s reflect on appreciating our child as part of the family and being playful.
For example: Can we take the focus off of performance and enjoy our child’s presence in what they enjoy doing without putting demands on them?
Thank you to Brandy for sharing her journey with us. I hope that you found it valuable! If so, please consider sharing this episode on social media.
Until next time, here’s to choosing play and experiencing joy every day!
Thank you to Toronto recording artist Ayria for the intro/outro song permission.
