Who's Not Smart?

Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday was Monday and for our boys it meant... No school... No ABA... Fun day - see how many directions we can pull mommy in. Some people think that kiddos with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aren't smart. How wrong - they couldn't me much - wronger (it's really a word, really).

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Wronger

Most of the kiddos I've met who are on the spectrum have been smarter than, well...  smarter than some adults I've met. Anyone who automatically thinks that someone with autism isn't smart - doesn't have a clue. I've watched documentaries, read articles and watched interviews where someone with (what was termed) severe autism proved those type of thoughts wrong. The person with ASD began showing how smart they were once a medium was found to let it out. Mostly it's been through computer, iPad or other computerized items.

Anyway... since the boys hit the place where I'm "just mom" (not that it's a bad thing) I've had to learn to be more creative whenever I try to get them to "learn" or "practice" anything. They don't want to play games, use flash cards, answer any questions that resemble school work. Not that they answer questions anyway.

The boys have learned how to mand, ask for something they want. They know that I get so excited for them when they ask for something without any prompting (asking "what do you want?"). So... they've learned that if one asks for something, the other can start getting into something they aren't suppose to while I'm going for what the 1st one requested. They will do this every so often and I know I'm not imagining anything, because they will laugh when I say something about it.

The other thing I'm learning is that my boys, and many other kiddos on the spectrum too, have learned how to manipulate very early on, to get what they want. They are no different than any other kiddo, stereotypical or not. They know how to get their way, the hard part for me was to learn the difference - quickly - between a tantrum, meltdown and an episode.

Once I learned the difference between the boys' tantrum and meltdown, I realized they'd been having more tantrums than I thought they had. But, that doesn't stop them from trying.

From a mother's heart - children are precious and very smart. Don't ever sell a kiddo short because you don't think she/he is "smart". Don't assume that someone isn't "smart" because of diagnosis or appearance. They'll surprise you if you give them the right tools.
God Bless!