Progress Update for Lincoln

Praise God! There is an evaluation system called the ATEC (Click here for previous post on this from May) to gauge how treatments are working and the level of severity of autism your child has. A score over 104 (90th percentile) is considered severely autistic. A score Under 30 is considered to be mild autism and is in the lowest percentile (10th). If their score gets to be under 10, they are usually considered "recovered" and indistinguishable... from their peers. The goal is 0.

I say all that to say......check out Linky's scores!!

APRIL 2012- 82     (80th percentile)
Aug 2012- 61         (50th percentile)
May 2013- 35         (20th percentile)

Today ...Dec 2013- 28 (10th percentile)!!!!!!!

My linky went from severe autism to having mild autism. His original score was 82 and that was after a year of being in an ABA program for 15-17 hours a week. For us, Lincoln got better after being removed.  I believe his score would have been much higher when we first knew he had autism (April 2011) but I didn't know about this tool to gauge that.

The goal is a score of ZERO! God is able. We have been standing believing God's Word that Lincoln is healed. We are watching it come to pass. So very thankful and happy! We still have some things to get worked out and he still has a ways to go. ...but man he's come so far!

#Godisstillinthehealingbusiness
#healed #redeemed #setfree #kickinautismbooty

Side note: Daniel and I score him seperately, I scored him at 29 and Daniel scored him at 28. Either way; still in the tenth percentile!

C-scissors and Merry Christmas Everyone

As Lincoln stumbled out of the room from sleeping, he looked at the tree and said, I want presents.” I told him No, it wasn’t Christmas yet and he responded with his typical, “Awww!” He takes my hand and leads me to the office and says, “I want C scissors and presents.” I laugh to myelf, wondering why he calls them that. I realize he is asking for the wrapping paper. I get him the wrapping paper and his kid scissors and he begins cutting and putting paper on everything he can find from DVD cases to chairs. He says, “Okay Mom sit.” I sit and he brings me the presents one by one and says, “Merry Christmas!” As I am done with them he takes them and puts them under the tree. I love that he finally understands Christmas more than previous years. I can’t help but get the feeling that he is repeating a scene from one of his cartoon shows. However, I dismiss that noticing the different way he has me do it each time leading me to believe this is genuine and not rehearsed.

This whole scene reminds me of yesterday being at the Doctor with Lucas. Dr. Edgington asked Lucas if his brother Lincoln talks. Lucas responded with, “Yep he talks now.” I smile as he says it.  Then they said, “Can Lincoln tell you what he wants for Christmas?” Lucas said, “No he just says, ‘I Want Merry Christmas’ mimicking Lincoln as he would say it.” As he says this, I ignore that sad feeling that he hasn’t done that.   Even though Lincoln still doesn’t quite understand the question or the logistics of the holiday, it feels good to finally realize that he is excited about Christmas and presents. In previous years, Lincoln didn’t have a clue what Christmas was. We decorated the top of the tree only and even that usually ended up stripped because Lincoln wanted to line up the Christmas balls and presents too. This year brings me new hope for future years as we strip away the old things of the past and focus on the new things to look forward to. I can’t wait to see his little face this year on Christmas morning as he announces, “Merry Christmas everybody.”

 

 

***Writing activity from our Autism Writers' Club.

Brothers Healed From Asperger's Syndrome. Another Testimony...

This was taken from the Andrew Womack website.

"Today, Christopher and Deborah McDermott are the proud parents of two normal, healthy children, but that wasn't always the case. Not long ago, their two sons, Timothy and James, were diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and Autism respectively. Their disorders were labeled when the boys were young, and they were deemed incurable. While many suffer from these diseases and believe them to be lifelong, the McDermott's testimony will challenge those beliefs. Deborah would not accept the report, and called out to God for help. Her family's story can be seen in the video below, and it is proof that nothing is impossible with God—nothing is incurable."

http://news.awmi.net/home/2012/12/17/asperger-syndrome-autism-spectrum-disorder-healed.html

Harvest Time

Mark 4 "Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” 

It feels like Harvest time here recently with Lincoln. He is doing all sorts of new things. 

Teeth brushing has been excruciatingly difficult with Lincoln. I literally have to cradle him in my arms locking his arms and head toward me. Or sit over him while brushing as fast as I can. Believe me, we try the rewards and all of that, even him doing it on his own. He just hates it and refuses to do it.

Last night he came into the living room and grabbed my hand and said, "C'mon Mom, I brush my teeth." Of course I followed him into the bathroom, he grabbed his stool and started brushing. He even stopped and let me put toothpaste on the brush.  Then he took a break and grabbed a cup for some water, retuned to the bathroom and finished brushing. I even left at one point to grab the iPad and take pictures. I am so happy and proud of him. This is a HUGE milestone.

I am overjoyed and so praising God constantly in this season (and all seasons, even the rough ones). He is indeed faithful!

Lincoln also potties on his own without even asking us anymore, just does it on his own...no problems at home.

 He is saying things that make our eyes wide. He just "gets it" here lately even more so than before. He pointed to something in a room the other night and said "go in there mom." I said, "no Linky you go in that room."  He said, "no I don't want to!" He is just saying things all the time, love it! He is using prepositions appropriately and even using the right filler words. Instead of saying, " I help!"  He now says, "I need help." I don't think there is anything he can't say, he finds a way. he even told me the other day "I sad mom." I asked him why and he said, "Well, because I want iPad."

Understanding emotions, new words, self care.....thank you Jesus for this wonderful Harvest in our lives. "It shall come to pass."



For more on what I mean about "Harvest Time", please read this.

"The principle of seedtime and harvest will last as long as the earth remains" (Genesis 8:20-22). 

I am quite interested in the  "Law of Seedtime and Harvest" according to the Bible and in reference to faith." There are more references than I can count in regards to this. 

Faith is really just like sowing seed. Whatever you plant (speak, believe) you will produce. If I have ever found myself frustrated during the process of believing for Lincoln's full manifestation of healing, I remind myself of sowing and reaping. A farmer doesn't plant his seed and then the next morning go out and the crop is there. I'm not suggesting that it can't happen that way. More common though, it's a process, a faith process. 

Galatians 6:6-9 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not"

"Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”  Mark 4


Don't Lose heart, keep your eye on God. He is always faithful!