Behavior Challenge Thread

[bookwormde]

Hoepfully this wil help "wake up" clinicans and educators (a little)

bookwormde

 

[C&G'sMama]

@Bookwormde, let's hope

WE have a friend with a 7 1/2 girl. She and DS have been in school together since Pre-K. Based on what I've read here, our research we've done with DS and the stuff we've read about girls on the spectrum this girl is probably on the spectrum And this isn't just coming from us. But the peditrician said oh she's fine, she's just a little odd. Don't get her tested those places are just mills to diagnoses. She'll eat when she feels like it.

She is very smart, she doesn't eat, texture and sensation issues, doen't like certain clothes, needs routine and the list goes on. School didn't help any.
Mom knew something was wrong but at the same time thought she was just a bad parent. She finally switched pediatricians. New pediatrician respectfully disagreed with the former ped (who was one of the new peds professors in med school) This ped has a background in Pre-school education. she explained to the girl why she needed to eat fruits and vegatables and how they affect the body. Now it makes sense to the girl why she needs to eat. She has referred mom to someone who specializes in holistic nutrition (sound familiar GraceluvsWDW).

Mom feels like a weight has been lifted. Anyway hopefully the medical professionals will take heed in the above and more of our kids will get what they need.

 

[C&G'sMama]

We have DS's CSE meeting coming up on Wednesday. As you all can probably tell from my recent posts we've pretty much thrown in the towel. Enter 3 different District employees in the 2 months. First is the Autism Specialist who've we deemed totally useless. But then there's the district Psychologist and the head of the Speech department each of whom came out to observe and test DS at different times. They get it!!! And they are both going to be at the CSE on Wednesday. They loved DS and "get" him. They understand that while he's academically advanced that within 2 years he might check out if the social issues aren't addressed.

They are going to suggest he has a table or book shelf next to him for 3rd grade (next school year) to organize his stuff and that they work with him to put stuff in his folder and into his backpack every night. He's being classified as 2E which NYS doesn't recognize but they are going to do what they can to get as much social and organizational stuff into his IEP as possible. If the CSE goes well we will probably send him back to school next year after all. There are two 3rd grade teachers. There is one we can work with and we will make sure DS is in that teacher's class.

Cross your fingers and we'll let you know how it goes.

 

[bookwormde]

Good luck

bookwormde

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

C&G'sMama & Koolaidmoms, best wishes for a productive meeting and a positive outcome for your DS!

 

[C&G'sMama]

Good luck

bookwormde

C&G'sMama & Koolaidmoms, best wishes for a productive meeting and a positive outcome for your DS!

Thank you both. Keep your fingers crossed. We'll let you know how it goes.

 

[C&G'sMama]

The CSE meeting went very well.

At this point we will most likely send DS back to school next year. His staying there will be dependent upon the plan being followed.

So this is what he will get.

1 day of occupation therapy per week down from 2 days per week this year

2 days of Speech per week with emphasis on social interaction. The recommendation is that he meets two times a week in small group, no more than 4 students to work on social modeling. He has nothing like this now

Autism Team on an "as needed" basis. The therapists can call upon the team, the teacher can call upon the team. WE can call up on the team.

One of the things that will go in the plan is the recommendation that he does not have a desk next year but a table and book shelf, which will be more critical as he reaches the upper grades One of our biggest issues is him getting his homework from school to home and back.

Quarterly meetings with the team and us, the parents, to go over where things are. All we've been getting to date are quarterly reports, we didn't know enough to request quarterly meetings be part of his IEP.

So we'll see. The speech pathologist who spent 1/2 a day oberserving him last Thursday and 1/2 day working directly with him on Friday is awesome. We feel so lucky to have had her show up. She observed the social issues and explained what the progression will most likely be if he doesn't get the help now.


It all sounds good, keep your fingers crossed it actually happens. We will do our best to make sure it does.

 

[bookwormde]

At least you have it on paper, on to the next step of ensuring it gets followed

 

[C&G'sMama]

At least you have it on paper, on to the next step of ensuring it gets followed

Therein lies the rub.

I don't know if I"m cautiously optimistic or just less skeptical. The one lady on the team is really good, it just all depends on how much say she has next year. We also have the psychologist that observed him and the psychologist that was in the CSE in our corner. And we have a little more knowledge than we did last year. So we'll see.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

At least you have a Plan B, so if they don't live up to their responsibilities you know you have another option.

DD has come amazingly far this year in making up the regression from last year's public school problems. I am so happy with where we are! Also, I was able to get her a slot in a summer program that specializes in developmental disabilities here so I am really happy they will be working with her this summer! The school is called The Morgan Center http://www.themorgancenter.net/index.html

 

[bookwormde]

My DS is doing quite a few weeks in day camp at our local natuaral history museum.

bookwormde

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

hello all. I came on here to vent about my dd's behavior issues right now. For the past month our previously rare meltdowns have become a 3-4 times a week occurrences. And they're really really bad ones. I don't know what's going on and I am really feeling down and helpless to help her.

She seems manic in a way. She gets these days where she just seems animalistic. She seems wide eyed, moving all the time, talking constantly, extremely agitated and aggressive. She had a meltdown about a week ago and began hitting herself it the head-really, really hard. We haven't had these behaviors for quite a while so I am trying to figure it out.

She is also very defiant during these times. Won't look at me, won't be still, won't slow down and become calm. She'll just run away from me and leaves a trail of destruction behind her. I can't confine her because she refuses to go or stay in her room. I don't know what to do!

Anyway had to vent. The neighborhood kids won't come over because they are afraid of her. She won't realize she is acting different-she is angry and blames everyone else. I tried to call for an appt with the Dev Pedi but there is a 3 month wait. Her therapist says she seems "different" and we are trying to figure out what to do.

Hope all is well with everyone else!

 

[jerseymom473]

Grace, no advice but hang in there! Usually when it gets really hard for no reason, it soon gets better!

 

[bookwormde]

GraceluvsWDW

Many of our kids who have have had a rough time present somewhat PTSD. Remember behavior is all about comunication, both about the present and the past.

Once she "settles" after an event, getting her to talk at the most base level is important. Children who are as intellegent, creative and strong as your daughter will react strongly to the struggle, abuse and discrimination that is a part of thier everyday lives (even with the best supports). Just remember how hard she is working all the time every day to adapt the best she can to the NT world.

It sounds like her therapist needs to dig deeper into what she is feeling and trying to communicate with these episodes.

bookwormde

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

She's very resistent to talk about it. Resistent is an understatement. When her therapist tries to talk about feelings she goes mute and unresponsive. Very, very rarely will she discuss how she feels.

Our last day of school was Friday, maybe things will get better.

 

[Piper]

As a teacher, I know that the last few weeks of school can be difficult. Our school started checking in textbooks, library books, supplies and materials four weeks before school ended. I had my own materials (collected over many years) so my classes weren't affected. I usually used my own things and only supplemented with the schools most of the time anyway. I had my own extensive library and used those "real" books to teach reading.

We were also required to completely disassemble our rooms and stack everything against one wall. I never took anything off my walls, put anything away, etc. until the very last day of school. Some teachers began doing this weeks ahead. Where the walls had been full of children's work, posters, etc.--they were suddenly nude! Then the teachers wondered why they had behavior problems!

Do you know if her classroom has had any changes? This could be part of her difficulty.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

There were some changes in her classroom but mainly the goodbyes are quite difficult for her. We will stay in touch with those kids she gets along with but saying goodbye to her teacher was HARD for her. She's quite happy school is over but change is hard, even a good change! Plus her birthday party is in 2 weeks and our WDW trip is in 3 weeks so lots going on now. I hope the transition to the summer school will go ok.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

She used to act this way when she would eat "bad" foods-food dyes, too much sugar. She's had none of that but the behaviors are similar. Last ight she practically passed out, exhausted (normally she tosses & turns and struggles to fall asleep). She was the "energizer bunny" all day yesterday.

 

[bookwormde]

I hear you about how hard it is to get our kids to open up.

bookwormde

 

[C&G'sMama]

@GraceluvsWDW first

It's so hard because they can go along so well for awhile and then it seems like they revert. Do you keep a journal? Koolaidmoms was asking me (she does, she's better at the stuff) But it sounds like all the transitions might be it.

With DS there are times we'll ask if something's bothering him and he'll just say "I don't want to talk about it" and he won't.

Keep us posted.