1st Grade Down!

                                            With 2 of his amazing teachers! 

Today was Ethan's last day of first grade! This was his first year fully in a general education setting and he rocked it out! I am so proud of him and how far he has come. We still have a ways to go but I know that he will get there. I don't know if any of you are familiar with the ATEC test from the Autism Research Institute https://www.autism.com/ind_atec  ATEC stands for "Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist" it is a test that anyone can use online to track the following areas:

The ATEC is a one-page form designed to be completed by parents, teachers, or caretakers. It consists of 4 subtests: I. Speech/Language Communication (14 items); II. Sociability (20 items); III. Sensory/ Cognitive Awareness (18 items); and IV. Health/Physical/Behavior (25 items

I have been taking this test for Ethan since he was 3 years old, I just did a recent one and his scoring has dropped 141 points!! That is huge! My baby is healing everyday. We have had such an amazing and supportive team on this journey. starting of course with God who made me a mommy and is leading me everyday in this journey. Daddy who is so amazing that he would be another blog post all together! The medical help we have had has been sent from God. So many healers have been on this journey with us. I think I will dedicate a post to each of them because it is too much to write all at once. 

I wanted to blog today on what feels like a milestone to give others hope! We saw Ethan's very first teacher, Miss Sally at a graduation party for a friend this weekend, she hasn't seen Ethan since he graduated from her autism class when he was 5, she said "he's talking so much!" I wanted to go off into a bathroom and cry! For so many years speech was our main goal. 

I know that diet can be daunting but do it anyway! I know how scary it is in the beginning, I know you think it is too expensive (it really isn't, no really it isn't) I know you think they will starve (they won't, no they really won't), I know you think you can't do it or that it only works for other people's kids, but it just isn't true, a clean healthy diet works for everybody but especially for our kiddos it is vital!  You can do it! This mommy has been playing fast and loose with the french fries for awhile now, and that changes next week. 

All my posts about autism seem to drift to diet, whenever I talk about recovery it always comes back to that because it is fundamental. Chiropractic, Acupuncture, NAET, neurofeedback, allergy shots, supplements, TCM, Essential Oils, ABA, education, and all the treatments I am forgetting at the moment all hinge on diet. 

Ok off my soap box! Today I celebrate my little man who has worked so hard to get here! He is the bravest and strongest kid in the world and he is mine. I am so proud of how hard he tries everyday, I can see when things are extra hard for him and I watch him struggle though, it breaks my heart and fills it with pride at the same time. 

I love you Ethan Eyob William Huff! 2nd grade is going to be amazing!