He slept alot for the first few days, and we thought, "wow, this parent thing isnt so hard!". Once he started to become more alert, he became a very unsettled bub. He could cry and cry, all day and most of the night, until he would exhaust his little body so much that he would sleep until morning, where he would become unsettled again.
As tye reached the age to start on solid food, we struggled to find anything that he could handle the texture of. He would throw up anything that touched his tongue, that was thicker than the consistancy of milk.
As he started to notice the world around him, tye reacted very differently to any other baby I'd seen before. As he found his hands, and how to touch and hold objects, he would turn things over and over, knock on things with his little fists, and spin tiny wheels (this was as young as 6 months of age). He would never smile at anyone, or rarely make eye contact. On the odd occasion he did, he would drop his little bottom lip like he was about to cry, if it wasnt someone close to him.
Toddler years were extremely difficult, i look back now and still dont know how we got through. Tye had a strict daily routine he had developed for himself, and if we didnt do things in the order he was used to, he would cry inconsolably and ramble at me in his toddler language, until we did things in the correct order.
Leaving the house was impossible at times, going anywhere that was populated would end in a massive meltdown and we would need to go home to calm him down. He had obsessions with the wiggles, and if he saw anything wiggles related in the shops (or other children with wiggles clothing!) he would get so worked up, and as soon as he could no longer see them he would have a meltdown.
Tye was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder just after his 3rd birthday. It was a very daunting and confronting thing, to have it confirmed. Its one thing to suspect something is different with your child, but to hear it in the words of a professional isn't something you can prepare yourself for, no matter how hard you try.
His diagnosis was like a huge door opening for him. He started an early childhood development program at our local special school, and the staff there were so very amazing. In the 18 months he attended, he came further than i ever could have imagined. They helped us to toilet train him (he is now fully day trained but still wets at night at age 6) and helped him with his sensory issues which included food and also things like sand, gooey textures etc.
Tye is now a prep student, and with support at school and an amazing teacher, he is doing fantastically.
My beautiful boy is the most amazing little person i have ever known, he can notice the most tiny things that we in our everyday lives dont take the time to observe, like the texture of a tree's leaves and bark, or the colours of the flowers and grass. He takes every little thing in. He makes me realise at times just how important it is to stop and take in whats around us instead of always rushing, or looking at our phones/computers.
Its hard to believe someone who has only been on this earth for 6 short years could teach you so much about life, love, and what it is like to see things so differently to everyone else.
Written by Bec Lucas xx
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