Joshua Jonathan (JJ)...

Our son, Joshua Jonathan (JJ) was born in June 2008. He was 6 weeks early and completely perfect. He developed typically until about a year of age. At that point he was a bit delayed in talking but we began to notice some strong (and scary) behaviors emerging. He has always been very active (he crawled and walked early), but when we moved to Colorado Springs, he began to throw himself off furniture. He was 16 months old when he first jumped from a little side table to an arm chair in our living room. He loved movement. At 18 months of age, our pediatrician suggested a developmental
assessment (JJ was not talking). I asked that we wait as my husband was currently deployed in Afghanistan and I felt that these behaviors might stop when Josh returned to the USA. That didn't happen and we agreed to the assessment when JJ was 2 years of age.

Our fust few elopement experiences with JJ happened in Canada (July 2010) while visiting my families. JJ had not been assessed by EI yet and we were still fighting the suggestion that something might "be wrong" with him. We were staying with my father and one day, my husband Josh was playing with the boys (we have a younger son, Elliott) in the family room and I was making lunch in the kitchen. JJ quietly let himself out the front door and was three houses down before we knew he was gone. He was so upset when we brought him back inside.

We then traveled with some of my extended family up to the Muskoka region where we have cottages. Our family owns a pontoon boat and we spend time whenever we are home up North on the boat, at the beach etc. This was where Josh and I truly began to believe that JJ might need some help. He had no fear. We often swim off the pontoon boat and when my husband and I joined the others in the water, Elliott (who was 3 months old at the time) and JJ were left in the care of my Aunt Laurie and my Grandma (and my father) on the boat. JJ was in a life jacket at all times on the boat and Laurie constantly held on to the loop on the back of the life jacket to keep JJ from walking off the side off the boat where the door was open. JJ has always loved water, but he is unable to keep himself safe.

During that same trip, we visited my birthmother in Toronto, ON. She has a backyard pool, and it was the same situation as up North. JJ wore a life jacket anytime he was outside but he would jump into the deep end ofthe pool ifwe weren't watching him. When inside the house, we would have to deadbolt the doors (every door) to keep JJ from wandering outside. He would throw himself on the floor, bang his head, scream, and if we tried to pick him up, he would try to throw himself out of our arms. He just wanted to
be outside to play in the pool.

This trip was very difficult for us as a family. It truly made us understand that there was something more going on for JJ than simple hyperactivity. In August 2010, JJ was assessed by Colorado El. They suggested he had autism. In November 2010, he was diagnosed with Autism and a mixed developmental delay. He also has been diagnosed by the OT that works with him as having a sensory processing disorder. He is a sensory seeker.

Our struggles to keep JJ safe continue. We moved into a new (bigger) house in December 2010 on Fort Carson where we are currently stationed with the US Army. We've had to install additional deadbolts on our exterior doors as JJ has learned how to open regular locks and deadbolts. If a door is open, JJ will run for it. When playing in the backyard (fenced in) with JJ my husband has told me that JJ is trying to learn to climb the chain link fence. He is not yet 3 years old. He has bolted out the front door at our house and we
have caught up with him in the middle of the road. He will pull and pull and PULL when he hold his hand in a parking lot while out in the community. JJ does not like crowds. He has a heightened desire to run away when there are crowds.

My husband deploys again this year. I am scared of what my life will look like during this next year when I am single parent to both of my children. I don't want to always have to have JJ in a stroller. I want him to have a more normal childhood but he cannot be trusted with his own safety. I am concerned about him starting preschool in the fall. I worry about recess time and how quickly and quietly he can slip away.
An autism service dog would provide our family with a sense of security with JJs safety.

It would also provide us all with a sense of freedom. We are praying that we.can raise the funds for our dog by the time my husband leaves for this coming deployment as we hope we could receive the dog shortly after his return from overseas. We are a career military family. A service dog would be a blessing for JJ with the emotional aspect of military life. It would hopefully provide JJ with a sense of continuity when moving, a sense of safety when changing schools, and a sense of freedom as we explore different areas of this country, as well as traveling to see my families in Canada.