It was all the encouraging I needed. I worked with him constantly. Soon, he let me put shoes on him! Not long after that, he was taking the cup. After that, he was reaching for Shane and I to hold him, and for me to rock him in the rocking chair. He was looking at people, and would come to me when I called his name. Then one day came what I thought I'd never hear..."Dada!" That first word brought tears.
Now, shortly before his third birthday, Ben seems like a normal kid, except for the speech. He has absolutely no oversensitivities, like most autistic children. Change in his environemnt does not bother him in the least. He is doing better with people, but still seems a little afraid. He reaches for the bus driver. Ben smiles and laughs, and has not thrown a tantrum in a very long time. If I stretch out my arms, he will hug me. Not bad for a child the "professionals" called "moderately autistic." He does have a few autistic-like tendencies, but he has accomplished more in the past year than some children do in their entire lives. He is a friendly child who loves attention. He plays with his older sister, he will respond to his name, take you by the hand and lead you to what he wants, and he has even stopped spinning!
I owe Ben's recovery (although technically not complete-yet) solely to prayer. There were many times it seemed hopeless, and prayer was all I had. Ben's dedicated teachers and therapists play the next largest role. At Morgantown, we were given absolutely no hope whatsoever. My in-laws blame his autism on my gallbladder problems during pregnancy, but I have learned to sort out the ignorance and see only the good. Ben has changed my life and outlook, and has brought us all closer to God. Ben is my angel.
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