Hi
I'm back. I know its been a while. There has been a lot going on here in addition to Bearz situation. Since I wrote, I spoke with a lot of people regarding what we can do for Bear. I'll do my best to shorten it for now. I contacted three places that I thought could help him with his social/ communication problems. I heard back from none. So, I called two of them back again. One called back and said they couldn't help. Sadly it was one that had financial assistance and was run by my Alma Mater. Their program was more for children with articulation type speech problems. Then, I heard from the one that I was most interested in based on the testimonials I heard. They invited us to come for an assessment. We went about two weeks ago Tuesday and he seemed to take to the place and people really well. The leader, Ms. B showed me all around and described how the group works. It is run by a Speech Pathologist and an OT together. The kids are put into a social situation playing together to encourage natural conversation skills. Then, they have what is the equivalent of a Calendar Time and they talk about current things going on. Following that, they have a craft activity and they basically force the kids to have to ask for supplies by having only one of something each child needs. They do realize that they willl have to tell him that and where it is so he will know who to ask. He will begin that program Nov 3. I am very excited!! I have heard great things about this program. I also spoke with one of the head Speech Therapists for our school system , who is also on the Autism Cadre. She is going to observe him, as will the Speech Therapist for our building . Then, they are going to try to pull him into a group of speech kids during the week sometimes. Our Guidance Counselor has a group of kids that she works with on social skills. We tried that, but it didn't work out to be a good fit for him or the counselor.
I think I knocked on as many doors as I could though to try and help him. We also got to meet with the lady who observed him from the Autism Cadre. She made some suggestions for helping him, like to have a Playground Buddy who might encourage him to do more than he currently likes to do. She also suggested one of the other SPed teachers at our school who is really good with social skills training maybe could come and work with him in a small group during Literacy Stations because that is a social time for the kids. He had a screening from the School System Dr. I was there as well. The Dr agreed that although he doesn't think Bear has true Autism, he would classify what he has as an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Although, I don't love that label, it will open up more doors for services. We (the IEP team)now have to decide whether we want him to continue in his current classroom, but have a paraprofessional with him most of the day who has been trained and approved by the VI and the autism teacher. Our other choice would be for him to be in a self contained environment either full or half day, with other children who have ASD- however, some are nonverbal and they are of different ages. I am planning to push for the Paraprofessional. I don't think I want him self contained. I think he needs to be in the regular Inclusion classroom, just with the additional services. Luckily, his classroom teacher agrees with me that self contained would not be his best option, so I won't feel like she wants him out of her room.
Overall, things seems to be going fairly well. He has been having green days. : ) so, we have been listening to all kinds of things on the computer. Yesterday, we went to the pumpkin patch and he picked out a pumpkin. Today, he helped me to pull out the guts and told me what shape to make the eyes, nose and mouth for a Jack-o-lantern. That was kinda fun.
We are working on a play date with a friend in his class. I wrote a note to the mom of a little boy who seems to enjoy Bear in class. I told her a little about him and asked if she would be interested in doing a play date. She called me back and said yes. She sounded really nice. Now, we just need to work out the details. That excites me. I really want him to have a friend and enjoy doing things with him and have friends stay over one day. Will he be able to do that? Is he going to have relationships like other kids do or will he just not care? These are questions I have. However, God is the only one who has the answers and I guess in due time, they will be revealed to me as well. Hope everyone is doing well.
If you have a blind child or special needs child in kindergarten this year, I would really like to hear how your experiences are comparing to ours.
Blessings,
BEARZ Mom
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
SO FRUSTRATED!!!!!
Hi
Well, Bear actually had a couple of good days. He was on Green Tues and today. It would have been a really nice night for me had it not been Interim Report Card day. I don't know if your school system does this, but ours runs on a schedule of 4, 9 week periods a school year. Then, half way through each 9 weeks, there is an Interim report. It has much less detail than the regular report card. Well,today the kids got them and I wasn't pleased. He got S's for the 4 core subjects, but I have never seen so many Ns in social skills. It hurt. I've been waiting for years and years for him to get his first report and it was terrible. At first, I was kind of angry. It seems like if he has documented issues of an autistic nature that affect his social skills, he shouldn't receive an N. Then, on the other hand,I don't want to make excuses for him. I want him to learn to do these things. I think I knew the problems and all, but seeing it in black and white was really harder than I would have thought. I almost wish it was academic problems instead. I know what to do for them.
Mean time, we were supposed to meet Monday with the person who observed him. However, she had a death in her family and was not there. She sent 3 social stories for him. Our VI shared them and the team of teachers at the meeting shortened them to make them easier for him. (they were really long) He has one to help him remember what to do when he comes in the classroom and one to help him remember to greet his class-mates. I also found out that the drinks I was sending him for snack were not okay, because he can't open them on his own(the pouch drinks). I can't tell you how many of those I have opened for sighted kids, but that isn't the point. So now, he is taking sugar-laden drinks that are supposedly easier to open. I also found out that he needs another backpack. His tends to fold down when he is trying to put stuff in, so he needs one that the front is stiffer on than the one he has. It is not easy to find those now, but Walmart had backpacks, unfortunately, not the right kind. Today, I went to Big Lots. I think I got what he needs, but if not, they said I could return it. Another suggestion that was made to me was that he needs to be in some sort of structured group to learn social skills/communication skills outside of school. I was told about 3 possible groups. Unfortunately, I have tried in my limited time to contact them and have left voice-mails or e-mails for all three and still have heard nothing back from them. Do you know how frustrating it is to know that your kid needs something and you can't get the people who may be able to help him to return a call. GRRRRRR It makes me so mad!!!!! Once I find them, I have to figure out how to afford the programs. They are quite pricy and because they are group therapy, I don't know if my insurance will help or not. The best one, I would also have to try and convince my boss to let me leave early one day a week to get him there on time. I'm told they are miracle workers though.
I think what is so hard in all of this, is that for years, I have heard his teachers talk about how much they enjoy having him and how much they learn from him. Now, I never hear anything but what he still needs to learn to do. Its quite a change. I guess the expectations are just different.
I have a lot to pray about, I guess. If you also believe in Christ and pray, please remember us in your prayers. We need guidance and we need to figure out how these needs can be met logistically and financially.
On a happier note, he did get a green day today, so after a bath, we heard some sounds on the computer- water fountain, chimpanzee, electric toothbrush, and Indri. Well, hopefully tomorrow will be a good day for Bear and for all of you too.
Blessings,
BEARZ mom
Well, Bear actually had a couple of good days. He was on Green Tues and today. It would have been a really nice night for me had it not been Interim Report Card day. I don't know if your school system does this, but ours runs on a schedule of 4, 9 week periods a school year. Then, half way through each 9 weeks, there is an Interim report. It has much less detail than the regular report card. Well,today the kids got them and I wasn't pleased. He got S's for the 4 core subjects, but I have never seen so many Ns in social skills. It hurt. I've been waiting for years and years for him to get his first report and it was terrible. At first, I was kind of angry. It seems like if he has documented issues of an autistic nature that affect his social skills, he shouldn't receive an N. Then, on the other hand,I don't want to make excuses for him. I want him to learn to do these things. I think I knew the problems and all, but seeing it in black and white was really harder than I would have thought. I almost wish it was academic problems instead. I know what to do for them.
Mean time, we were supposed to meet Monday with the person who observed him. However, she had a death in her family and was not there. She sent 3 social stories for him. Our VI shared them and the team of teachers at the meeting shortened them to make them easier for him. (they were really long) He has one to help him remember what to do when he comes in the classroom and one to help him remember to greet his class-mates. I also found out that the drinks I was sending him for snack were not okay, because he can't open them on his own(the pouch drinks). I can't tell you how many of those I have opened for sighted kids, but that isn't the point. So now, he is taking sugar-laden drinks that are supposedly easier to open. I also found out that he needs another backpack. His tends to fold down when he is trying to put stuff in, so he needs one that the front is stiffer on than the one he has. It is not easy to find those now, but Walmart had backpacks, unfortunately, not the right kind. Today, I went to Big Lots. I think I got what he needs, but if not, they said I could return it. Another suggestion that was made to me was that he needs to be in some sort of structured group to learn social skills/communication skills outside of school. I was told about 3 possible groups. Unfortunately, I have tried in my limited time to contact them and have left voice-mails or e-mails for all three and still have heard nothing back from them. Do you know how frustrating it is to know that your kid needs something and you can't get the people who may be able to help him to return a call. GRRRRRR It makes me so mad!!!!! Once I find them, I have to figure out how to afford the programs. They are quite pricy and because they are group therapy, I don't know if my insurance will help or not. The best one, I would also have to try and convince my boss to let me leave early one day a week to get him there on time. I'm told they are miracle workers though.
I think what is so hard in all of this, is that for years, I have heard his teachers talk about how much they enjoy having him and how much they learn from him. Now, I never hear anything but what he still needs to learn to do. Its quite a change. I guess the expectations are just different.
I have a lot to pray about, I guess. If you also believe in Christ and pray, please remember us in your prayers. We need guidance and we need to figure out how these needs can be met logistically and financially.
On a happier note, he did get a green day today, so after a bath, we heard some sounds on the computer- water fountain, chimpanzee, electric toothbrush, and Indri. Well, hopefully tomorrow will be a good day for Bear and for all of you too.
Blessings,
BEARZ mom
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Mommy, Are you having a red day?
Hi all
well, not a lot to tell this week. Bear stayed home Thurs and Fri with a bad cold. Wednesday was not a good day for him. After his 2 green days, he had another red day. I'm hoping it was because he wasn't feeling well. The observer from the Autism Cadre has been to observe him. She is coming Monday to have a meeting with us to provide some strategies for us to use with him. She isn't saying he does or does not have Autism, she is just going to give us some strategies that shuld help with his social skills. I'm actually a little excited about the meeting. I'll let you know how it goes.
Bear has sort of taken the red, yellow,green day to heart. This morning, I knocked over some oats, dropped a container of oranges and then while stirring the oats in the pot, I stirred some of them out of the pot onto the floor. I said, Bear, momma is having a bad morning. He said,"Is it a red day?" I said, "Yeah, I guess it is a red day." He said,"So, what are you gonna do?" I said, "I guess I'll have to put myself in time-out." So I put myself in time-out.
Blessings,
BEARZ Mom
well, not a lot to tell this week. Bear stayed home Thurs and Fri with a bad cold. Wednesday was not a good day for him. After his 2 green days, he had another red day. I'm hoping it was because he wasn't feeling well. The observer from the Autism Cadre has been to observe him. She is coming Monday to have a meeting with us to provide some strategies for us to use with him. She isn't saying he does or does not have Autism, she is just going to give us some strategies that shuld help with his social skills. I'm actually a little excited about the meeting. I'll let you know how it goes.
Bear has sort of taken the red, yellow,green day to heart. This morning, I knocked over some oats, dropped a container of oranges and then while stirring the oats in the pot, I stirred some of them out of the pot onto the floor. I said, Bear, momma is having a bad morning. He said,"Is it a red day?" I said, "Yeah, I guess it is a red day." He said,"So, what are you gonna do?" I said, "I guess I'll have to put myself in time-out." So I put myself in time-out.
Blessings,
BEARZ Mom
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