Rahkeenah Peters shares her heartfelt journey as a mother to Yasmeen, her younger daughter on the spectrum. From the early days of prognosis to navigating remedy and every day challenges, Rahkeenah has witnessed Yasmeen develop in wonderful methods.
Although non-verbal, Yasmeen is studying to speak, categorical feelings, and interact extra confidently with the world round her. Her story is a robust reminder of the influence early intervention and unwavering love can have.
Via persistence, help, and a optimistic outlook, Rahkeenah celebrates each step ahead. She desires to encourage different dad and mom to proceed believing of their youngster’s potential, whatever the tempo of progress.
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Autism Therapies and Options
Rahkeenah’s story: Remedy and challenges
My daughter, Yasmeen, was identified with autism in 2022. She is non-verbal and at present makes use of gestures, akin to main and pulling us by the hand, to speak her wants.
She attended occupational remedy classes following an Ayres Sensory Integration method. The remedy centered on self-regulation, emotional reactivity, and her visible, auditory, and tactile tolerance.
It additionally centered on selling engagement, communication, play, and independence.
Yasmeen has a low neurological threshold for visible, vestibular (motion), tactile, and auditory (sound) stimuli. This makes it difficult for her to give attention to the duty at hand, as she quickly shifts from one exercise to a different.
Yasmeen has challenges with grooming actions akin to brushing her enamel, chopping her nails, and washing her hair.
Rahkeenah’s story: Faculty and progress
She began attending college in January 2024 and is prospering. She is at present potty coaching, which goes very properly. Whereas she has challenges with following directions, she typically responds shortly to them now.
Yasmeen reveals self-injurious conduct and pulls her hair when pissed off. But, meltdowns in school are uncommon since she is far much less anxious and used to the setting and routine. She is now capable of determine feelings utilizing PECS.
She will be able to mimic tunes akin to “The Climate” and “Hiya” track. With prompts, she will determine the times of the week and is studying the months of the yr. She is aware of and might determine her nostril, mouth, eyes, fingers, and toes.
Yasmeen can determine numbers one by 5 numerically and tries to vocalize them. She will be able to additionally signal primary. She will be able to determine the colours yellow, pink, inexperienced, and blue utilizing shade balls and with prompting.
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She will be able to additionally present a shade when requested for a selected one, when given two choices.
She usually wanders round in school as a result of she doesn’t know the right way to play independently or appropriately throughout free play time. Nevertheless, she enjoys construction and might copy different folks’s conduct in play.
After observing first, she will additionally copy modeled conduct concerning class setup.
When engaged on puzzles with knob items, she will insert 4 of the items independently. She additionally reveals optimistic progress in her skill to tolerate environmental sounds.
After 4 years of sleep difficulties, my husband and I had been lastly capable of get a full night time’s sleep.
Rahkeenah’s story: Early intervention and optimistic results
Early intervention is important as a result of it could actually have main long-term optimistic results on the kid. It’s the greatest probability for them to develop to their full potential. The earlier a toddler will get assist, the higher the possibility for studying and progress.
I’m pleased with my daughter and ourselves for our progress up to now. By no means ever surrender.
There could also be instances you’re feeling discouraged, however have persistence. Know that with training and your understanding of autism, you will see that your manner.
Having an optimistic outlook on life has been my superpower as a mom who cares for her youngsters. There’s a goal for everybody on this planet.
This text was featured in Difficulty 172 — Hooray! Navigating Autism and the Holidays.
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