Guest Blogger Amanda Rivera: "This IS normal"

People always ask me , “ What’s wrong with him?” “Will he always be like this ?” “Is he going to die?” “ Will he be normal?” Many other questions as well. 

          As a mom more than half of the questions hurt your feelings. I know most people aren’t trying to be rude, but the ones that are need to be educated. My son has special needs, it does not mean he is dumb, he is incapable of being a kid, he will never be normal, there is nothing WRONG with him. Honestly we don’t know if he will always have a feeding tube or severe allergies, etc. In my eyes he is about as perfect as his older brother or anyone else in this world. Yes, he needs a little bit more attention sometimes, but he does not need to be babied or treated like he is “different.”  

Tristan’s main issue is that he can not eat like a “normal” child. He gets most of his calories by a feeding tube in his stomach. However, he is able to eat a few things such as; strawberries, grapes, rice, beans, carrots(chooses not to), and broccoli . Rice gives Tristan many different options and variety of things to eat. We can make a cake , pastas, pancakes, bread, etc. Tristan is battling Eosinophilic Esophagitis, he is severely allergic to most foods. 

          Is it hard to cope some days? Yes, on days where Tristan has no energy, vomits , or breaks out in hives for no known reason. I feel like crying some days or ripping out my hair. I know I need to be strong not only for Tristan but for Aiden his older brother as well. Some days are harder than others, especially when we are in the hospital over and over for weeks or even months. Watching your child around other kids that can eat anything they want, birthday cakes, candies, pizza, ice cream, and many other things hurt. This is just some of the things that I come across on a daily basis. You learn to cope, you become stronger and stronger each day, and most importantly you get your child and family through anything and everything your faced that day, week, month, or year. 

You can follow Tristan's page: Here

You can follow Alphae Toys for Special Needs: Here

Guest Blogger Miranda Smith: "Mommy+Three, Raising children with special needs."

 I am 27 years old and the mother of three children. My oldest is 7 and has ADHD and odd. My next child is 5 and has speech delays. My youngest is 1 and she gets chronic lung infections and doesn't like to grow. They are my world and I wouldn't know what to do without them. I have now been married to the love of my life for four years and we have been together for 8 and a half now. I currently live in Greeneville Tennessee but am originally from New Jersey. I want to become a preschool special education teacher when I finish college.

Today has been another day of going to the doctors for my son. They are going to see whether or not his sleep patterns may be making his ADHD and ODD worse. So on December 12th, he will go in for a sleep study. I am hopeful to try to find out some answers, however nervous to find out if there is another problem going on with him. Every day is a constant battle with him and I just want things to get better, not only for his sake, but for ours and anyone who deals with him on a regular basis. I want to be able to get through a homework session without someone yelling at someone. He has the worst time focusing in school, and then when you make him focus to do homework, it is an all-out war at times. We have gone the medication route, we have gone the counseling route, the allergist route, the diet route, and punishment route. None of these made it better and easier for him to manage. In fact some of these routes made him worse!!! I am hopeful that this sleep study will show something that may be able to help in live his life day to day without his constant struggle with himself.

 Children with special needs can be a challenge as a mother but I have learned to rely on god and my faith during the trying times.

You can follow Alphae Toys for Special Needs: Here

For Science!

Autism Awareness Day

Making special needs toys is a huge task.

I try to talk to as many people I can,

stay informed,

learn,

keep an open mind,

but nothing is as taxing, 

or as selfless

 as raising a child with special needs.

Every day could be different.

Every day can be a challenge,

but the love is the same.

Never ending, and deep, and beautiful. 

The kind of love only a parent can give.

Please take a moment today to share this post.

Maybe it will stop and make someone think.

We can all change the world together.