My Goodnes! Poor Hamish. That is absolutely terrible! Will he end up with long term scarring?
So EI lady came over, and I could tell that she looked scared to talk to me. She then began to explain the PEP III test that J completed to me. Basically it is a clinical test that has to be done within 1.5 hours regardless of if the child can sit through it or not. Then you get a age in months for each area at the end. J's all were quite low, and well under his age, which upset me no end. Not that it was the result, but that it was so insensitive to just put it in the post.
Well it turns out that you lose 6 months off your age for each task you fail - J flat out refused to do a lot of the assessment even though it is stuff that he can do, so it was a fail. For example he lost 12 months off Gross motor as he has not shown preference for left or right hand and he wouldn't swing a ball around for her.
I am not saying that he isn't lagging in some areas's but he is def as not far behind as the test indicates. He has behaviour/anxiety probs, so of course he was never going to complete the tasks set in a clinical setting. Although in regard to the behaviour scale, he actually sits on the Lower side of normal. So there is work that needs to be done, but he is going better than first thought. He is also not on the spectrum, so again I feel funny posting in here, but I think with his behaviour/anxiety issues, if you guys don't mind I would love to be able to keep posting.
It was also clear that he prefers to learn through technology such as computers and ipad's etc. EI is going to put in an application to try and get him an ipod touch. They have said that he may be eligiable for an aid at kindy next year as he has defecits in 2 areas (behaviour and speech) so although technically I doesn't really need one, they may be able to get one which would be great as he would get that extra attention. I now have an interview with the kindy on the 14th as well as a different worker from EI so that will be good.
I have decided I am not going to put in a formal complaint, because I have to keep working with these people and I want it to be as postive as possible.
On a +++ note - we went to a 4th birthday party today, as he was awesome. So well behaved. Not one incident.
Lilima I am glad that some one came and sat and explained it all to you. Sorry that it didn't happen that way first. Sounds promising that they are going to look at getting J some extra support.
Lulu I don't know how I managed not to loose it at this child's mother. I think the fact that I was so focused on trying to get Hamish to breathe and help him as much as I could.
I am still quite angry , especially when Emma told me after that the two boys had turned it on and knew that it was hot. So they knew it was hot and they still told him to touch it.. I cannot get my head around a child that does this.
Emma also told me that the child tried to blame the other by saying he turned it on. I am really mad. I know this Mum quite well and we have been friends for a while. The boys went to kindy together. Unfortunately she also sees this one child (she has two) through rose colored glasses.
As for scaring we are not sure yet, he has some dressings on , which are meant to be on for 7 days but already today he has been picking them off. He hates anything on his hands and the tape holding the dressings is driving him crazy. Tomorrow I have to go get it re dressed. I can see some very nasty blisters and some skin which is dry and cracked. My main aim is to try and keep dressings on and infection out. I am aiming for Wednesday that the blisters still be intact. I guess we will know then as he is going to the burns unit so they can have a better look.
It appears that the main concern is the large blister he has which is at the base of his fingers, we are hoping it will not tighten and impair movement.
I cannot believe a trip to the local park for a picnic would end in burns... I watched him like a hawk next to the creak. I stood next to him as he climbed a tree and i watched as he happily played on the playground and rolled down the hill. I never expected a burn, we were not using the bbq's and were no where near them.
Today Emma sat him down and told him that she didn't think he was a very good friend and Hamish told me he doesn't like him anymore. He was quite upset because this little boy is coming to his birthday party in 2 weeks, that's if he can still bowl..he is meant to have a bowling party.
Sorry I just rambled along trying to get my thoughts out of my head. While Hamish lay sedated in hospital I shed a few tears with a wonderful nurse as I explained what had happened and about his Aspergers. She sat with me as I cried wondering if we will always face these challenges. I am thankful to her for taking the time to sit with me...
Last edited by tan32; October 2nd, 2010 at 11:06 PM.
: add some more rambling
Tan. Poor little Hamish It's so saddening that even at such young ages, there are others who will take advantage of his condition (as it seems that this is what this little boy has been doing, and it's incredibly disturbing that his mother won't acknowledge his behaviour).
Heya girls! Sorry I haven't been around, been working heaps and I got sick while working... blah blah blah.
OT. Occupational Therapist. The kind our children generally see are paediatric sensory OT's. To get a good one, you need one that understands Spectrum issues as well as SPD (sensory processing disorder). If they don't know what SPD is.... move on.
88% of kids on the Spectrum have SPD. All of their issues with SPD are different, some kids only have one area, others have different ones and sometimes they have them all.
Pre-OT Matilda was 4 years old and screaming 3 hours a day and having meltdowns where we had to physically restrain her and escaping once or twice daily and running away. Matilda is now 6 and after 18 months of OT it is rare for her to have a full meltdown. I can happen maybe once or twice a month and she doesn't run anymore at all. I can now go to the toilet and shower without dead bolting the house. The OT helps them learn how to cope with their sensory issues, and has helped Matilda learn how to teach her body to calm down when she gets upset.
When Matilda got anxious, she would breath shallowly and almost hyperventilate when she was winding up for a meltdown. The OT taught her how to take deep breaths by doing exercises and games with bubbles and races with those blow toys... (think party noise makers). She gave us a listening tool to help Matilda cope with different noises (AMAZING!!) and gave us exercises to train Matilda's body to hold urine and be able to make it to the toilet.
I know that was just a peek into what we do with the OT, but I thought I'd write it out for you all
Oh Tan my heart breaks for him I hope his hands are okay.
Lilima, the ipod touch is an awesome idea, I have known quite a few spectrum families who have gotten them on funding. I haven't tried yet, but I will
OMG Tan, I feel sick reading about what those monsters did to Hamish. To me THEY need some psychiatric help, I am a teacher and that kind of behaviour is disturbing in the extreme. Normal children do not encourage other children to do things which will harm them.
Will come back later and write more about OTs too!!
Christy - youalways have awesome information to share.
Nelle - How is Riv going with Spath? What are they hoping to achieve for him in OT?
I hope everyone else is going well.
I am still not feeling the best about everything. I really want to pull him out of this EI and find something else, but as we are semi rural, the options are limited. I think because I have anxiety, I just make the whole thing worse for J.
I got a report back from our psych yesterday. She has written it in fairly strong terms to ensure we can access the maximum school aide funding....but it's still fairly confronting to read.
Tan. Poor little Hamish 
It's so saddening that even at such young ages, there are others who will take advantage of his condition (as it seems that this is what this little boy has been doing, and it's incredibly disturbing that his mother won't acknowledge his behaviour). 
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