My Baby-Grand Aiden

Aiden is my sweet, loving, very smart and very busy grandson! He was diagnosed with Autism in 2013. Looking back, my daughter and I now know that we saw signs early on, but just didn't put 2 and 2 together. He started head banging when he was just a year old - against the wall, then the floor. He wasn't angry - he just enjoyed it. He didn't start talking until he was 3.

He loves all things about space, Mario & Luigi, Sonic, Ninja Turtles and PacMan!! He's old school!!!

He is a "perfectionist" and if things don't come out just perfect, he has a meltdown. If he doesn't win at a game, he has a meltdown. But we love him up till the meltdown is over!!!!

He loves his Mommy, Maw-Maw, Paw-Paw, Ga-Ga (godfather) and Aunt Jeni. He loves us all to be together ALWAYS. He and my daughter live with paw-paw, and when my son and his girlfriend or I go to visit, he has a meltdown when we have to leave.

My daughter did such a great job of teaching him at home, from a very young age, that now he is in kindergarten and his teacher says that he is the smartest child in the class. But, of course, he is not without his little problems. Sometimes he just doesn't like doing his work. Sometimes he's so distracted that he can't get anything done. Sometimes he just can't sit still - he loves to spin on the floor!!! Sometimes he just cries for his mom all day. Unfortunately he is in a regular class, and his teacher does not really know much about Autistic children. He sometimes gets yellows and reds on his daily report for "not paying attention". That hurts his feelings and he thinks he's being a bad boy. We encourage him every day just to do his best. We will be changing schools, next school year, to a school that is geared for Autistic children.

He is our miracle baby, and we would NOT trade him for all the gold in California!

Rebecca Frye
Pensacola, FL