My Autism Insights

As I promised the district, I went to visit the class they’ve been trying to convince me to transfer Gus to.  I had spoken to the teacher at length last week.  On the positive side, she is very knowledgeable, has a diverse background, and we see eye to eye on many important topics like mainstreaming and homework.  But we also have some core philosophical differences, which could become a problem like the use of candy as a reinforcer.

I spent a good hour in the in the class.  At the moment, the class is quite small.  Next year it is expected to more than double in size.  Class size was always a concern of mine since it would be bigger than what Gus is accustomed to.  The room is set up to be very open, which I think would be very distracting for Gus, but she has a primarily behavioral outlook (Applied Behavioral Analysis background) and believes that his behavior would just have to be modified.  I don’t know that it is a) possible or b) totally desirable to do that in all instances.  There would be less sensory support for Gus as well, and there would be no internet capability.  So the learning program he’s using now would be out the window.

Academically, this class focuses on much more basic skills than what Gus needs, and there is very little emphasis on Social Studies or Science - his two favorite subjects.  She does have a very interesting take on Math instruction, which I plan to do some looking into.  Overall, I doubt his academic needs would be met, and he’d be bored stiff.

As much as I like the teacher, despite our differing opinions, I can’t see Gus succeeding or being happy in that class.  I’m going to bring him in next week (he’ll be out of school anyway) just to see what he thinks of the room.  But I’m about 99% sure that I’ll be fighting for him to stay in his current school next year.  Either that, or I become a home-schooler.

It’s great to be in sync with service providers without even knowing it.  Apparently Gus’s Occupational Therapist (OT) has been teaching him to tie his shoes.  For a child with a short attention span and trouble with fine motor skills and coordination, this can be a difficult life skill to learn (tying in general, not just shoes).  Gus had said a while back that he would learn to tie them by the time he turns eight.  Well, that’s coming up pretty quickly, and he might just do it!

I know there are a few strategies used to teach kids to tie shoes .  We’re using the single loop method.  We tried bunny ears, but that just didn’t work for some reason.  Some people use elaborate stories, but ours isn’t too complex.  He sings She’ll Be Comin’ Around the Mountain while he’s tying, which is a double edged sword - he gets the gist of the story, but he also loses focus because of the singing.

1. “She” is on a train coming around the mountain.  So we need to make the train tracks.  Make an X with the laces.
2. The train goes through the first tunnel. Take the tail of one lace, through the tunnel and then pull them apart.
3. Make a mountain.  With the dominant hand, make a single loop and hold in place.  (I find that Gus sometimes forgets to hold onto the loop.)
4. Now the train goes around the mountain and through another tunnel.  Take the straight lace around the loop, and then push from the middle through the second tunnel.  Pull the loops apart.

It’s not a foolproof method, but he’s getting it.  Because he tends to learn well with a musical component (musical intelligence) the song does it for him, but use whatever works for your child.

Has your child learned to tie shoes?  If so, what method worked for you?

Just got back from an IEP review meeting for Gus to discuss whether or not he was approved to received physical therapy services.  It was clear to all that he needs them, so that was the easy part of the meeting.

Then came the discussion about what the behavioral specialist found.  A while back, I posted about our request for Gus to have a one-to-one aide.  Instead the district wanted him to be observed by this behaviorist.  She saw him once (and I still have not heard from her directly, although I was assured that I would) and seems to be of a mind to think he needs a different program.  Do I sound like I’m bristling just a little.  Hell yeah I am.

So my initial concern was that they would try to move him back to the program he was in 2 years ago.  Silly me - I should have known better.  They actually seem to be gearing up to push him into the program I rejected for this year.  This would be a less structured class with 2 more students in the class.  I bit my tongue, expressed my initial concerns, and promised to at least go see the program.

Here’s the problem I have right now - distractibility and sensory issues are the biggest challenges he’s facing now.  How would a more distracting, more stimulating and less structured environment possibly be a good thing?  Am I missing something?  Oh wait - yes - the main thing: it’s better for their purse strings.

I’m definitely past ‘bristling.’  But I shall play nice and go see their program.  I hope no one’s holding their breath for me to change my mind, though.

Manic Monday prompt from Mo

The other day, someone was asking about tools to help a teenager with high-functioning autism get more organized (I apologize for not remembering who/where this came from).  Kids with high-functioning autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, and other learning challenges can find it overwhelming and frustrating to keep track of all their responsibilities as they get older and expectations increase.  There are a few tools and strategies that may be helpful.  Some of these I use in my own home office because I seem to have a harder time keeping my own brain straight with every passing day.

Young Students & Pre-readers

When Gus went into kindergarten, he transitioned from an ABA program to a TEACCH program.   Each student had an office, a desk walled in by tall file cabinets that held the student’s instructional materials and files for the year.  The front of the student’s cabinet held his schedule, small laminated image cards to represent each segment of his day (think of PECS cards).  Each card had a Velcro back and the student could remove each task as it was completed.

With the help of Gus’s teacher, we adapted this system for home to help Gus in managing his routine without constant verbal cues from us.  For example, at bedtime, he could put up his cards and then remove each one (bath/pajamas/brush teeth) as it was done, right up to the point of getting in bed.  Until he was able to set his own schedule up, I could do it for him and he just had to follow it.  It was very helpful at the time.

Older students

There are several computer applications that work wonderfully for getting organized.  I personally use the calendar in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007.  But I also spend a great deal of time in front of my computer, so this type of tool is great!  Google offers a free calendar if you have a Google account.  If your child has a cell phone, many of them have some sort of calender function, or information from an online calendar can be imported into many of them. This may not seem appropriate for a special needs student, but it largely depends on the child.  Some students are much better interacting with technology than others.

The computerized calendars may not be practical for other special needs students, so my next best suggestion would be the Flylady system.  I have no affiliation with Flylady, except that I’ve used her suggestions, and even though I fall off the wagon regularly, they’ve helped me a great deal.  She offers a section of her site geared toward kids including tips specifically for students that can be customized any way they need to help get organized.

You can also get creative and work with your child to create the organization method that best suits him or her.  You can have loads of fun with a large desk sized calendar and some stickers, or perhaps your child is tech savvy and responsible enough to handle more sophisticated tools.  How do you help your child learn to become more organized?

I recently learned that it is Sensory Processing Disorder Awareness Month.  SPD (and this is the extremely simplified version of an explanation) is usually seen when the individual has trouble processing information received through the senses and often results in over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to environmental input, or in problems in the vestibular (movement) or proprioceptive(positional) senses.  In recognition of the awareness month, I’ve decided to link to some of my past posts relating to the topic and to a few other blogs.

On the use of music in helping with symptoms and Auditory Integration Therapy: Try a Little Music.

On proprioception: Proprioception and Sensory Integration.

Wilbarger Technique.

SPD/SID and sleep issues: Summer, Sleep and Sensory Integration

And a couple of other bloggers I’ve seen discussing the topic:

Good Fountain

Special Needs Blog

Eamon’s Journey Thru Autism

Anyone else blogging on SPD, please let me know and I’ll add your link!

I recently learned that it is Sensory Processing Disorder Awareness Month, so in recognition of that I’ve decided to link to some of my past posts relating to the topic.

On the use of music in helping with symptoms and Auditory Integration Therapy: Try a Little Music.

On proprioception: Proprioception and Sensory Integration.

Wilbarger Technique.

SPD/SID and sleep issues: Summer, Sleep and Sensory Integration

And a couple of other bloggers I’ve seen discussing the topic:

Good Fountain

Special Needs Blog

Eamon’s Journey Thru Autism

Anyone else blogging on SPD, please let me know and I’ll add your link!

I recently learned that it is Sensory Processing Disorder Awareness Month, so in recognition of that I’ve decided to link to some of my past posts relating to the topic.

On the use of music in helping with symptoms and Auditory Integration Therapy: Try a Little Music.

On proprioception: Proprioception and Sensory Integration.

Wilbarger Technique.

SPD/SID and sleep issues: Summer, Sleep and Sensory Integration

And a couple of other bloggers I’ve seen discussing the topic:

Good Fountain

Special Needs Blog

Eamon’s Journey Thru Autism

Anyone else blogging on SPD, please let me know and I’ll add your link!

Weeks like this, when everyone is feeling awful and communication is essential, make me truly appreciate just how far Gus has come over the last few years. He’s very verbal now with his main speech issue still being pragmatics. But there was a time that I remember quite well when he stopped developing language.

From around 12 to 18 months, he was acquiring words at a fast rate. Then around 18 months, he didn’t exactly regress, he just sort of stopped. And instead of starting to put those words together to communicate, he fell into a pattern of constant tantrums. The winter between 18 months and 2 was the worst we’ve ever had. I was pregnant and home bound with a child that I didn’t understand.

Fast forward five years and we have a child who can tell me exactly how he’s feeling.  Last night, he had a stomach ache, but didn’t feel like he was going to throw up.  This morning, his head was hurting a little bit, and his cough was “50% better.”

All his progress was a direct result of intensive education from the time he was 2 and a half.  Speech therapy, a brief time with PECS  and ABA for 2 years  all helped Gus to be the boy he is today.

Now that we’re well into autumn, here are a few things that could be fun to try with your special needs child:

Apples and pumpkins are in season!  Take a trip to an orchard if one is accessible to you.  Then, after the fun of picking fruit, you might be able to use that sense of accomplishment to entice your sensory defensive child to touch…pumpkin guts!  Eww!  Seriously, if your child has tactile sensory issues, touching something gross that he/she actually picked and worked to obtain might help get past the hump.  If not, it’s okay, you do the scooping then use one of those carving kits to work with the outside of the pumpkin.  Poking holes around an outline can be great for fine motor skills.  I’d avoid the sharp instruments, though.  If carving is still not an option, how about painting faces on little pumpkins?  That could be appropriate for children who have trouble differentiating emotions.  Let’s not forget about the apples!  How about making an apple pie with a homemade pie crust?  For a child who can tolerate the sensation and needs to strengthen fine motor muscles, kneading dough is fun and the end result is delicious.  Cooking is also an essential life skill.

Autumn is also a nice time for outdoor sports like cycling, hiking, or running.It’s neither too hot nor too cold, and in many places, the scenery is pretty breathtaking.  If you’re in an environment where the seasons don’t change, you can still enjoy being outdoors.

Finally, one of our favorite Halloween season movies is Spookley the Square Pumpkin.  The first time we watched it, I noticed that Gus became very quiet and serious.  It’s about a pumpkin that is different and is shunned by most of the inhabitants of his farm.  He has a hard time fitting in, but in the end he finds acceptance.  It’s a sweet movie with a nice message (in my opinion) for typical and special needs kids alike.

Is there something special you do with your kids during the month of October?

As I was randomly looking netsurfing for something to blog about today, I came across an interesting site: Retrain the Brain .  I’m always on the lookout for ways to help Gus build his focus without medication so the headline “Get Kids Off Ritalin” caught my eye.  The theory behind this program is to teach Palmer method penmanship (remember that??) along with special music to develop the left (analytical/reasoning/executive function) brain.  It seems to make sense to me, but I don’t have $90 to spend on a handwriting program.

So I went and did some research on the Palmer method and found a free version of Palmer’s Penmanship Budget .  We’ve also been trying having Gus do his work with headphones on and his teacher sent home a copy of the CD they use in class.  I think another experiment is on order.

Best case scenario,  the combination of music and handwriting practice will help him.  Worst case scenario, he’ll get some extra practice in an area he needs it.  Nothing to lose.

If anyone has any experience with this theory or with that particular program, I’d love to hear more!

I went to a baby shower today.  And as we sat around watching the new mom open all the little onesies and bibs and blankies, I remembered my own pregnancy with Gus.  In particular, I remembered a game I used to play with him while he was still in the womb - the tapping game. (The tapping game was when I would tap on my belly and he would kick back - very sensitive even in utero, I guess.)  At no time during my pregnancy did I ever imagine the path we’d end up on.

I never imagined the most awesome giggle I’d ever heard.

I never imagined how cute the word ‘tur-tle’ could sound coming from the mouth of a one year old.

I never imagined how a child so affectionate at home could be so isolated at day care.

I never imagined that a two year old would know the alphabet and would be counting.

I never imagined early intervention, ABA therapy, occupational therapy, special ed classes, medication trials, or IEP meetings.

I never imagined a seven year old who could make up Pokemon riddles that are actually funny. (What does a Pokemon say when he has a cold?  Pik-achoooo!  C’mon, that’s pretty good!)

I never imagined what an awesome and fun kid I’d be blessed with.

At the shower, we were asked to give the new parents advice or words of wisdom, and I just thought of something I should have added because there seems to be so many people who worry these days about autism:

You never know what cards you’re going to be dealt, so there’s no point in worrying, but also no point in bemoaning a hand that seems less than optimal when it’s dealt.  The cards will fall where they will, and all you can do is play it to the best of your ability.  Even a difficult hand can be a winner.

Today I’ve got one big thing to be thankful for: I finally feel like I’m on the same page, or at least in the same chapter, as Gus’s school staff.  We had a long chat last night at open school night, and the question of medication is not an issue for the time being and I think I can stop feeling so pressured about there being an agenda.  If there is, I don’t think it’s the one I was worrying about.  Everyone’s really thinking out of the box and they’re trying everything possible to help him achieve his considerable potential.  And that’s not to say he’s doing poorly at all.  Aside from having such a busy brain, he’s holding his own with much older kids.  Yes, we need to find ways to help him focus at least long enough to finish a task - so that’s the goal.  If anyone has any tricks for building focus (aside from martial arts and yoga) ideas are welcome.

So far we’ve tried: special cushions, a balance stool, bouncy ball chair, rewards, separate space to minimize distractions, and periods of movement throughout the day.

We’re going to try music, and I may suggest trying to use resistance bands in some way.

So, feel free to comment with your thankfulness and any thoughts you might have!  Have a great day!