My wife always teases me that one day, she's going to tell Roan my first reaction after I saw him the first time after birth. I was trying not to say it then but I couldn't help but ask my wife "Ba't ganun itsura?"
That was because when I first saw our baby boy he did look dark and kinky. It was only after several peeks at the hospital's nursery room did I realize that my son was quite a looker. And he did grow up to be a goodlooking kid. One time we brought him to the Quezon Memorial Circle and some adoring woman said to my wife, "Siguro foreigner parents nyan, ano". I guess she thought we were the yayo, yaya!
Roan brought us joy we have never felt before. At around nine months, he started to stand and and walk. Or should I say, run. Before reaching two years, he was humming the classical tracks of his favorite CD. I remember one time he even hummed the national anthem from start to finish. I was set to brag that our Roan learned to sing even before he uttered a single word.
Until, we had him checked by a developmental pediatrician. At around two years old, he was still not able to say "mama" or "papa", something which comes naturally to almost every other kid. He also did not have eye contact. He watched television oblivious to anyone else, even if you shout out his name. He used gestures instead of words in telling us what he wants. That was the first time we were told of the possibility of autism.
But God really knows. Years back, I got to know through the Internet the president of the Philippine Association of Speech Pathologists. I got to chat with her one time and I ended up helping her put up a website for their organization. As soon as I learned about Roan's condition, I immediately sought advice.
Thus, unlike other kids with similar condition, Roan had the opportunity of early intervention. He has been undergoing speech and occupational therapy since then and have been making great progress. At four, he already has a rich vocabulary, knows his letters, numbers, shapes and colors, and to say please for things he wants. Lately, he even says hi to people he meets. Now, that's something for a kid with autism.