He said hello...

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last night we took our 3 boys to Mcd's, mainly we go there for playland socialization opportunities, food is secondary. there was a little girl there, maybe 4 yrs old, and she kept staring at my youngest two, ages 4 and 6. at one point she said something to them, and our 4 yr old walked up to her, looked right at her, and said "Hello. What is you name?"

now, he didnt stick around long to await her answer, and after just a couple seconds he was off again lost in his own imagination. but my SO and i just stared at each other, completely speechless, and then i couldnt stop tears from coming.

this 4 yr old is our asd child. until 4 months ago, less than 1 month before his 4th birthday, he had never played with a child besides his two brothers. literally, NEVER. the park, mcd's playland, playscape at the mall, the inflatables play place.... he barely looked at other kids, and would certainly never talk to or play with them. he started Head Start preschool last September, and while he eventually got to where he would play beside the other kids in his class, before this past January he still wouldnt play with them. and he has never, not once, ever walked up to a child he didnt know, looked them in the face, and talked to them.

in January he had surgery for an inguinal hernia, and we joke that he woke up from surgery changed (this is the second surgery in his life, both times he woke up with a drastic personality shift). he no longer cried when dropped off at school, he was happy to be there. he started playing and talking with his classmates, not a lot, but a tiny bit. for the first time in his life he actually played WITH another child who wasnt one of his brothers.

and now he walked up to a stranger, looked right at her, said hello, and asked her name.

i just wanted to share this bit of joy. my main concern has always been that he be happy and not lonely. seeing this was like watching a social newborn take his first step. and he seemed to do it so innocently and effortlessly, and he has been changing so much so fast these past few months.... i cant help but wonder, whats next?

That's great!:D

i can see how that would be a great social learning situation for asd kids. for ours, his surgeries didnt allow for that socialization, the hernia surgery was under general anesthesia but outpatient surgery, so in at 6 am, out by noon. the first surgery was when he was 3 weeks old for pyloric stenosis. he was in the hospital 4 days, but much too young for it to socially affect him. he went in a quiet, mellow baby, and came out screaming for food when he got a bit peckish.

whatever the cause, the magic of anesthesia or surgery, or normal social growth, i am just happy to see him letting other kids into his world. even if its only long enough to ask their name.

It is so great to hear of break throughs. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for sharing! That is wonderful---I am waiting for the day when my son can do that!

That's lovely.

Perhaps the surgery has relieved pain that was holding him back. Or maybe just time for a developmental spurt.