Aspergers/Autism/Sensory Integration Chatter #4

[Early Kids]

I'd love to get Brendan into swimming, but he hates the water. He can't have a bath with any more than an inch of water.... even then he just turns the little tap and has a shower (we have a joint system). We have been able to get him onto a trampoline, so when we get one of our own that should help us.

The biggest issue we are having atm, is with violence. I posted a separate thread the other day Violence in Children - HELP!

I'm looking in to getting him to a see a child psych. The last time he saw one (excluding for his ASD assessment) was at 3yrs corrected and even then she only sat in the corner taking notes while the paed did the assessment. Before that it was at 2yrs corrected. Going to give the State Child development centre a ring in the new year to see if we can go through there (would be so much easier as he is already on the books there) in the meantime my CHN is having a dig around to see if she can organise one to come to us (wooo even better, but not getting hopes up on that one)

I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas xx

[Freya]

Argh. I made the mistake of talking to Rip's godmother (who is an OT) about the paed appt today and she's got me second guessing the delay diagnosis because she feels he wouldnt benefit from OT because physically he is average or above par with motor skills and weight/height etc; which according to her wouldnt fit with a delay diagnosis.
I just figured the paed was indicating he has a COGNITIVE delay, not a physical delay, which is why he doesnt understand consequences/trouble understanding instructions/physical aggression etc.

So now Im fugging confused.

ETA - Sally.

Yael: I would delay the swim lessons for now. Our class sizes are maximum four to a class for kids over 2 because parents dont participate. Our classes are $13.50 a lesson.

[Yael]

Sorry, wasn't clear about the swimming lessons - i meant to do them over the holidays as something to do, and then not to do lessons again until 2nd or 3rd term when he is more settled so to not overwhelm him. Somebody i know has organised a 1 week (each day) swimming thing in January.

Does anyone think sticking him straight into normal lessons is ok, or should i make sure he has something private first?

[Freya]

Id say delay any sort of lessons entirely until he is settled in school. Stopping and starting lessons in any capacity is wasting your money. Just swim with him as a family and save the lessons for later when you can have continuity.

[Lulu]

but the OT can help witht the sensory side of things, and also teach him ways to cope when he is wigging out. It's not just physical therapy - tell her to put that in her pipe and smoke it!

[Freya]

but the OT can help witht the sensory side of things, and also teach him ways to cope when he is wigging out. It's not just physical therapy - tell her to put that in her pipe and smoke it!

Thats what I thought. We've decided to continue with the OT avenue for now and see what they say after an assessment.

I must say I thanked my lucky stars he was his normal self as opposed to his my-mother-is-crazy-Im-an-angel self he was for his other paed appt. He played with 3 animal figurines and they spent the entire time we talked trying to kill each other with guns and knives. Pleasant listening Not to mention his usual 10000000 decibel volume. They could hear him out in the corridor.

[Lulu]

Hahahaha! Mitch threatened to cut the psychs head off on the second appt. They tend to show off at the first one...

[christy]

YEah.... OT's who specialise in Sensory Integration Disorder are more equipped than others. I have a friend who is an OT and who has said that she is no where near able to do what Matilda's OT does because she's not been trained in it and has no understanding of it, so I suppose different OT's have different understandings of things?

Yael, I have done the intensive weeks at swimming and they have been great. Not geared towards ASD kids, but great for holidays and having a routine.

Psych, Matilda refused to talk to the psych during her assessment. She just never spoke to her, had to have her assistant help her because M would go with her.

I need more wine....

[maz]

I think we've only seen the Psych once and he told her how to do her job and asked her VERY personal quesitons

I understand were your pead is comign from Anna but you know what shiats me about it..you now have to fork out the $$$$ and find the help when he could put it down and you could get the careers allowance to help fund the help and a healthcard card for R so you can get reduced fee's.

We've had the 'services' here who dont agree with our Pead that M is on the spectrum but they havent seen him in 4 months and he's getting worse. One of them rang me the other day and she couldnt believe it was him...yep he was screaming loud as hell and saying NO NO NO over and over whilst flappign his hands.
Ive gone from a tame W (in comparison) to a violent little monster....he headbutted me that hard yesterday a bite through my tongue ..*sigh* and then this morning he stands infront of me, tap's his bum and grunts whilst going red and goes''''ahhhhhhhh'''''. So Anna hun, I hear you and it drives me friggen batty!!

Thank go for sewing is all Ive gotta say...W just stayed up and watched Amazing medical stories on GEM becuase it had the young English man who Austic sophonet and draw's those fantastic buildings aroudn the world....he was totally captued by it. Our Pead has said that W is one but it was amazing to actually see someone who is.