Today was the day

Sometimes miracles don't really work out...

So msk had a big neuro-psych evaluation four weeks ago. Today was the day we found out (and had explained to us) the results. Think IQ and academic functioning tests from many different approaches. Think visual thinking, doing puzzles, reading, writing, following directions, remembering things, verbal, non-verbal, functioning... a complete picture by people who were used to evaluating people on the autism spectrum.

Life with msk has always felt like we were close, but not quite there. As if there was just a single key that would get clear communication, or behavior improvements, or social interaction, or whatever answer to whatever vexing problem.

• First it was just a matter of getting speech therapy to help him as a late talker.
• Then it was just getting him in a school that understood including bright kids with special needs.
• Then, if he could just be in a structured, ABA intense environment with teachers and therapists that specialized in autism.
• Then (actually several times with different tools), if he could just get an assistive communication device.
• Today, if we could just give him different ways to demonstrate what he knows and how smart he is.

So far, it's never turned out to be all that easy. I try to remind myself of that every time one of these situations come up. It doesn't work and I end up disappointed. Today, msk came across as pretty average in many ways - not intellectually disabled, not stunningly brilliant. He exhibited concentration problems to the point of adding a new diagnosis to his autism - ADD.

On the plus side all of the pieces make sense and they will help us find the right educational setting for him.

I know life would be less of a roller coaster ride if I would stop expecting an answer to just fall out of the sky. Easier said than done.