They say the third time is a charm for almost anything and I’m beginning to think that may be true. The first day of school has been agonizing for the past two years for my son Jacob. The lack of preparation gradually gained momentum and in each year resulted in a sequence of events nothing short of a catastrophe! The campus he was assigned to truly believed they were prepared with appropriately trained personnel to carry out his learning objectives but they quickly found they were gravely mistaken.

The Mania of Medication Management

The Single Parent Three Ring Circus

Each school year I start with a spirit of positive anticipation and ultimately by the end of the first nine weeks I am reminded of how incredibly disconnected and broken the public education system is as a whole in teaching children with autism and special needs. I would like to think of myself as an educated, proactive, supportive parent who, on a regular basis demonstrates her appreciation for the educators who have chosen to work in special education. This school year started as many have in the past with the typical transition period of having a new teacher in Jacob's classroom.

Each of us has a laundry list of things we say we will never do. Amazing how time, experience and circumstance can change your opinion on interventions and therapies you once believed to be of no value. When my son Jacob was first diagnosed with autism almost twelve years ago, I searched high and low for answers, options and opportunities that would improve his ability to communicate and function.

Another Father’s Day has come and gone but the significance and impact of a fathers love and support can be far reaching in a child’s life for many years to come. As I made my calls and dropped off cards this Father’s Day to my father, stepfather, grandfather and great uncle I reflected on the impact that these men have made and continue to make on my life.

In a time where many children with autism are quickly becoming teenagers and young adults the need to consider housing and long term care is gaining the force and momentum of a category 5 hurricane. These storms are being felt across oceans around the world. Autism knows no boundaries and is opportunistic in choosing the least suspecting of victims. I speak of those individuals who do not have a voice and are unable to defend or advocate for their needs and wants. This years Autism One conference in Chicago brought people together from around the world.

When families are running the race for recovery or to simply improve their child’s quality of life, the here and now can be rather demanding. Each year that passes we are faced with meetings outlining school objectives, therapy programs as well as what interventions will be focused on for the immediate time ahead. Each of these elements is critical in the development of our children’s life skills but many times we are so consumed with the here and now that what was once perceived as the future over night becomes today.

Each year the onset of spring means one thing across the country when you have a child with autism, conferences! Information on a variety of topics can be found across the world on subjects like social skills, behavior management, self help, independent living and last but not least, biomedical interventions. Small, local non-profits as well as large formal organizations continue to realize the need to further the understanding of autism in order to promote purposeful change.

I was actually wrapping up a completely different blog as my father calls to say that the Fort Worth Independent School District in North Texas has decided to close all schools that serve over 80,000 children. The closure will begin today April 30th and will continue until at least May 8th. The closing is in direct response to one confirmed case of the swine flu with ten potential cases waiting confirmation.