Aspergers/Autism/Sensory Integration Chatter #2

[MrsFabuloso]

Hi girls,

I don't have a child with any kind of spectrum disorder or other special needs, but I do work with a few, and I was wondering if some of you might be able to give me some suggestions of what kinds of strategies we can use with these beautiful special little people.

We have three little boys who have been diagnosed with autism and have varying degrees of autism. Naturally each one is very different to the other and what works with one doesn't work with the others. On Mondays we have two of the boys at the centre, with only one support worker, which make it pretty tought to help them both. We use visual boards and cards with all three boys, as well as some of us using a bit of makaton to try to communicate. All three boys are bilingual, with one not speaking english at all (he actually rarely vocallises at all).

I will firstly ask about this one little boy who has just started at our service. He is 4y.o. He comes twice a week. He has just recently been diagnosed with Autism. He doesn't speak English and neither does his mum, so this is an extra challenge for us to deal with as it makes it difficult to find out what things work for her at home. They do have a social worker (I think??) who works with them, and who has been to our service to translate and give us information, but it's the day to day questions we struggle with. I'm not sure if mum has many strategies to help her son at the moment, and she might be struggling a bit. She has asked us to toilet train him, but is not willing to do it at home. At the centre he is really difficult to change his nappy, but at home apparently he is ok. He won't sleep at our centre, but at home has 2-3hr day sleeps. We use visuals with him to try to help with communication, as well as trying to introduce some makaton to him too.

I have no idea what to actually ask, other than can anyone think of any strategies we could use within our service, keeping in mind we are a long day care centre with up to 19 other children in the room to care for, two full time carers and one special need worker who is there for 4hours.

[christy]

Whoa Kel that is a hard one. As a mother I would say that it isn't fair to expect you to TT him without being willing to do it at home as well.

My daughter didn't eat, sleep or toilet at all when she was in a centre. It was all too much for her, way too stimulating. She also didn't talk much while she was there. Sometimes some of the best centres are not the right places for these kids. We didn't know what we know now and I don't think I would have even attempted it.

Is there somewhere like the office he can go with the lights low or off and put headphones on him with a DS or something like that to "take him away" from what is going on around him? Sometimes MP3 players with blockout headphones are a good break for these kids who have difficulties hearing more than one thing at a time. The less stimulating, the more relaxed he will be.

Some of these super kids have intense focus on one thing, find that thing and use it to reward him for sleeping or resting, eating etc etc... it maybe something that the other kids aren't allowed to do at the centre, but it maybe what gets him through?

Matilda's DS is our lifesaver in places of stress for her, she can escape into her DS with her headphones on in a dark corner (or we make a cubby under a table or something for her) in order to destimulate and focus.

HTH!

[Lulu]

Mitch started school yesterday, was very excited and ran straight into the classroom
When I picked him up after lunch he was still happy but a bit tired. At one stage he was quite overwhelmed and got a bit angry according to his teacher. She was pleased he could vocalise his anger but he couldn't say why he felt that way. I asked him about it later on and I think there was too much going on for him. We agreed he would sit on the steps outside the classroom if it got too much or tell Laura he needed things to stop. She is really happy with that.
He didn't want to go today and it took me a bit to get him in the classroom. I will pick him up earlier and might even let him skip Friday if it's going to be very warm again. It was too hot to sleep last night so I can't see him having a great day

I'm a bit sad....but so glad I have chosen to eat toasted sandwiches for awhile and send him to a school further away. They take everything in their stride.

Great news - against all the odds another student has a little brother attending Beth's kinder! so we may be able to work something out with both school and kinder pickups - AND this parent is the one who researched and implemented the school movement program so she has a piece of my heart already.

I hope he adjusts soon, I can't stand the thought of him not having a good time

[mrsmac]

Is the school movement program like Brain gym Lulu?

[Lulu]

From what I understand no it's not. Rather than working on the 'higher' brain functions this addresses the more primal pathways and works on re-laying or reinforcing them...and this is where I'm interested because it addresses/helps sensory dysfunction.

[mrsmac]

Have you got any links to where I could get hold of it please??? I could use it for my class and also for DS. It sounds awesome.

[Lulu]

It's fairly intensive, the entire class do it three times a week and you will need a few volunteer parents and some equipment. There aren't any links because this mum has developed it herself - last year was the (very successful) pilot, this year they are fine tuning it for release to other schools that are interested too.

I will get the info sheets from the school again though, I turned the house upside down looking for them so I could explain it better.

[Lulu]

Just a quick one -

had the parent info session at the school last night - I'm thrilled to pieces again.
They have a program run by 2 volunteer parents (1 is a teacher there too) called the Movement Program. Both parents have sensory kids and one has a parent who was very involved as an OT.
They have developed this program to integrate the primitive reflexes and replace them with postural reflexes - these movements help integrate the sensory system and therefore the sensory responses

The teacher noticed over the years the preps (due to their age, sensory or not) had trouble tracking things with their eyes and this was making reading etc UNFUN and a source of frustration. They both brought together their knowledge and understanding of sensory integration/the nervous systems and how we learn, researched their head off and within 3 weeks of starting the program this year found a noticeable difference with the children!

In another year or so they are looking at broadening the program to include other schools etc. Amazing stuff and I've volunteered to help next year.

Cried on the way home though, sheer relief.

There is another post I did on it xoxoxo

[maz]

hi its me again

sorry ive been awol.....life has gotten hectic and well by the end of the school holidays I had a boy pinging and hanging to go back
Big thing this week - we lost our first tooth.....screaming in the process of doing it but once it was out he is fasinated to say the least. So now we have alot of mirror looking and noises BUT last night we found him trying to pull out another tooth that isnt even loose yet ...the fixtation has started!

Another SN child at school yesterday punched him in the head....Thank god he told me because the communication book ive worked so hard to get organised didnt come home I am so annoyed to say the least! They want me to 'behave' so to speak and yet something as important as letting me know about this via the book is a pft. Its not that im worried about the other child hitting W, thats not my point its that they didnt send home the dame book. The principal atleast rang jed (he's been told not to ring me any more). So now I sit here waiting for them to call me back so I can ask for the book back tonight.
He made me a card for my bfday yesterday and wrote happy 21st in it he also knows im going in for my op tomorrow and i hope that he isnt to bad for me not being there

HOpe everyone is good as can be, going back to catch up on what ive missed out on

[lestyrox]

Hi all, how's everyone today?

We had a follow up appointment with Ethan's Paed. yesterday.... turns out Ethan's IgM levels are low So my poor little guy has to have another blood test to recheck it... I'm FREAKING out, when he had the last blood test it was HORRIBLE. My poor hubby had to take him and physically hold him while they jabbed his little arms and because his little veins are so tiny they had to jab him like 5 times. He was so traumatised, by the time they got home from the appointment my poor hubby was as white as a ghost from such a horrendous experience and my poor little Ethan was so shook up he wouldn't even let us take the bandaids off his arms because he thought we were going to hurt him and now we have to do it all again.

I was even tempted to just not get it re checked to save Ethan from the pain but i'm a bit worried about his IgM level...i googled low IgM it and lots of scary things like lukemia and cancer comes up...very frightening. His Dr. thinks its probably just a mistake since he looks well and hasn't been sick but i'm still a little freaked out that it could be more. Hubby is going to take Ethan for the blood test next week. I just want it done so i know he's ok.

I don't know whether to tell ethan about the blood test though... i thought i might wait until the last minute to tell him but i know all the bad memories from last time will come flooding back and he'll probably freak out.. but i don't want to spring it on him either... either way i know its going to be horrible

[Lulu]

Ohh, when is the test? It's hard to know how to approach it. Do chupa chups work at your place?

Well it looks like Mitch isn't really ready for school. Not socially anyway . He has hit three kids since he started last week. He got angry and territorial of toys at kinder but never hit anyone.
Popped one kid right on the nose just as I got there....now he is known as the bully. I'm really shattered. I LOVE the way these things are addressed at the school and I was hoping he would catch on quickly....but he just goes nuts if things aren't his way, and if there is no one close enough to cool him down .

His teacher wants him to stay on transitional hours till after March, so I will pick him up when lunchtime starts (12.30) for another 6 weeks.

I don't know how I am supposed get back to work, I am struggling terribly with finances and have held on till he gets to school and now this.

Getting an appointment with a Paed and hopefully into the asd center in the next three months.

Academically he is waaaay ready to go.....I'm just sad to think this is going to be him for the rest of his life. He makes friends but pretty soon after they see a meltdown they get scared off. Will he ever have a best buddy or a little gang of friends???

[christy]

awwww Lulu that is so heartbreaking... IKWYM. Often when M has her own meltdown, she loses friends who don't want to play with her in fear of it happening again. Luckily it hasn't happened at school, but some of the kids see it when they come home with us. We've had to deal with it a lot in the meantime... losing friends who don't want to be around the meltdowns.

[Lulu]

Sanks hun. I've just made an appt for a Paed and got in 6 weeks from now! I would have to wait till June otherwise.....this one specialises in spectrum stuff and was recommended by the head of the asd centre. Gotta love having a mum in the business, she rung the asd bloke direct and had a lovely chat....

[mrsmac]

Lulu, my little SN boy has been hitting kids in the payground too (the one in my class) I have found that its because the other kids are "pushing his buttons" and driving him to it. I have talked to his mum and the librarian and arranged that he either plays with a special friend (a yr1 boy who has ASD and who he plays well with) or if he feels the playground is too much he takes himself up to the library for some time out. I also have a couple of trusted older kids (my DD is one) who will go to his aid if he is having trouble or fighting and steer him away by reminding him "hands down, no touching at school, lets walk away"
Today I was nearly going to commit a violent crime when i was on duty, there's my poor darling T with a circle of Yr2 boys around him taunting him so of course he hit them. I was furious and went off at them and told them to keep away from T and not to go near him again.
I wouldn't mind betting a lot of poor Mitch's problems are the other kids, I have seen it happen, theres a certain kind of child who gets off on manipulating until the poor other kid has a meltdown and loses it.
Sorry vent over, I am just so peeed off that this little boy in my class is doing such an awesome job of fitting into school and its the playground thats causing us grief.

[Lulu]

You've half hit the nail on the head mrsmac. Last year at a birthday party I noticed this happening (bloody lord of the flies) and all of a sudden it hit me that this is very likely going to happen at school. One of the other mums mentioned one of the instigators has an older brother so he is pretty arrogant because of this. Some kids do notice a 'weakness' and will push buttons at every opportunity to watch the fireworks.

So I changed schools very late in the year to this tiny little one (80 students) with a philosophy that can't be beat.

the incidents do happen at lunchtimes - the kids are allowed in the classrooms to play, they wander in and out. It always happens if someone dares go near anything Mitch might decide he wants to play with. Today he put a block down and another child picked it up - whammo in the face for poor little Ben.

We took Ben to sick bay and sat them both down and Ben had the chance to explain what happened and Mitch too. Clearly poor Ben didn't know Mitch wasn't finished with the block...it gave Mitch some understanding that it isn't a worldwide block conspiracy and also that Ben doesn't want to play with him in case he gets hurt again.

Hair trigger temper and has problems regulating his emotions. If someone isn't there at all times to put out potential fires and this is the result

[christy]

*nods head* Jovie even does it to her big sister.... and we get the hair pulling tumbling girl fights over it.

You know Lu, when M was at Montessori, I loved it, but it was the playground issues that left a bad taste in my mouth. The girls would pick on Matilda. I still remember the screaming meltdowns over the fact that I didn't wear skirts.... I remember her laying in the bathroom screaming and vomitting and it took 3 hours to calm her down (the meltdown started when I picked her up) and it was all due to a girl telling her that "girls wear skirts, if you aren't wearing a skirt, you aren't a girl". Matilda hated skirts until that day. And now its an issue getting her to not wear skirts...

[tan32]

Hi all I just had to pop in to write as i am still buzzing from a great meet the teacher night at school.
Hamish is in his second year of school this year and last year wasn't our best. I had spoke to his teacher about the possibility of Aspergers and was blow off, then all the things i pointed out to her he was punished for, arghhhhhhhhhhh very frustrating year.

Anyhow I went in and told his teacher earlier in the week that Hamish was going in to start his assessments for Aspergers, she was very understanding and great. Tonight she told me Hamish had a melt down in class over his pencils today. In his last class they had a pot of their own, this year he is meant to share with the girl sitting next to him. Well apparently he just couldn't deal with it, it was out of his control and he didn't like it, he didn't like her sharpening the pencils when he felt they didn't need it etc... anyhow the teacher assured me it wasn't a sharing issue as he shares other things, this was him not being able to hand control over to someone else, anyhow he now has his own pot of pencils again.
She also told me about how he takes everything literally , she said to write your name in big writing so he wrote in capitals really big
We had a great chat and he has shed a few tears as he is trying to settle into a new routine and a different class and students. The big bonus is his teachers mother is currently studying a masters degree in education for children with autism/aspergers and I know her yeah it looks like Hamish has a teacher who finally gets us.

sorry i feel so excited for my little man

[Lulu]

We had a great chat and he has shed a few tears as he is trying to settle into a new routine and a different class and students. The big bonus is his teachers mother is currently studying a masters degree in education for children with autism/aspergers and I know her yeah it looks like Hamish has a teacher who finally gets us.

sorry i feel so excited for my little man

SQUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Oh that's FANTASTIC Tan! Doesn't it make a difference to the way you feel? I'm really happy for you!

A slightly better day at school today. No hitting Apparently he had a meltdown because he didn't win a game. A different teacher held the class for it - she told me screamed and cried that he was a loser and crap and never wins anything - and that it was heartbreaking "where does he get this stuff from?"

My hackles went up a bit so I explained that he can take a throw off comment from his older sister (17) and take it literally (she wouldn't have said it to him though) , that he gets very anxious that he can't do everything perfectly.
She agreed he seemed very black and white and may not be ready for school at all. Grrrr. I felt I had to explain how well he did at Kinder, we were all sure he was ready for school and I was sad and surprised at how he has been coping. That he has been seeing an OT and I wasn't sure about going ahead with a aspy dx yet.

I've sent an email to his teacher (she asked me to let me know how I handle his meltdowns so she could reinforce it at school. Love her), and now I've included more background and that I am well aware of his quirks and stresses. I just felt like this other teacher thought I had no idea Although she seemed satisfied that I have a handle on it after I finished explaining.....