"I'm here" by Karan McKerrow, Mum to Ciaran (I.I. week 2018)

Ciaran lost skills and seemed to develop autism overnight when he was 2 . That was pre internet and google! I remember thinking if we had him once we must be able to get him back. I did loads of research and read up about Dave and melanie and in our case also sonrise.

Anyway decided to employ the II techniques Ciaran and I spent hours in the bathroom playing with water and bubbles and puzzles, extended this all round the house and then everywhere with everyone got loads of people on board .

We’d lost all eye contact and he would not only look at us through a mirror with transparent material over his head, so I looked at him through the mirror too with transparent material over my head and that’s how we found each other again.

Now Ciaran is almost 20 and he is the most happy, wonderful, funny, gentle , engaging and engaged young man I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I’m so proud he’s my son and II has been the key to building that bridge from his world into ours and vice versa. He realised we all care about him And what he says and does . Its been a great ride (and always will)