01-28-2008, 06:09 AM
Is anyone out there that has a child with Autism/ Autism spectrum disorders having a dificult time with he department of education and feel that they are getting inadequate support and or treatment for their child? As a single mother of two, I have a fourteen year old who was diagnosed with aspergers/ conduct disorder/ADHD/ ......
He has something on every axis. I have engulfed my self in the world of autism in order to learn how to best nurture his strengths and help him become a functioning human being who may someday be able to live on his own and lead a relatively normal life. My struggle has been long and arduous and we still have a ways to go. Throughout the course of his life I attended seminars, attended the university focusing on learning and behavior/psychology.
I spent 7 years doing early intervention with other children on the spectrum as a skills trainer/paraprofessional. Then I became a consultant and case manager. That's a long story ... The bottom line is I was told by many "educators" that my child would never speak amongst other things.
With the use of the Picture exchange card system, serious repitition, positive behavioral interventions, some help from a friend whom has recently been banned from this forum, multiple hospitalizations, and altering the environment. I have overcome the presumptions that were initially made, and guess what!?!
unless you spend a great deal of time with my son you can't tell that he has multiple labels. He is talking, walking, able to follow directions, be interested in age appropriate activities, he appears "normal", yes he has issues, yes he thinks diferrently, his testing scores are well below the 1% on the national average. ButI never gave up on him, or any of the other children that I have worked with. And there are things that work.
It is long, hard, and never ending- but these 'different' people may invent something fabulous, become excellent artists, or many other posibilities. I HAVE hope, I have senn sucess, I a facilitated growth. And these are things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
He has something on every axis. I have engulfed my self in the world of autism in order to learn how to best nurture his strengths and help him become a functioning human being who may someday be able to live on his own and lead a relatively normal life. My struggle has been long and arduous and we still have a ways to go. Throughout the course of his life I attended seminars, attended the university focusing on learning and behavior/psychology.
I spent 7 years doing early intervention with other children on the spectrum as a skills trainer/paraprofessional. Then I became a consultant and case manager. That's a long story ... The bottom line is I was told by many "educators" that my child would never speak amongst other things.
With the use of the Picture exchange card system, serious repitition, positive behavioral interventions, some help from a friend whom has recently been banned from this forum, multiple hospitalizations, and altering the environment. I have overcome the presumptions that were initially made, and guess what!?!
unless you spend a great deal of time with my son you can't tell that he has multiple labels. He is talking, walking, able to follow directions, be interested in age appropriate activities, he appears "normal", yes he has issues, yes he thinks diferrently, his testing scores are well below the 1% on the national average. ButI never gave up on him, or any of the other children that I have worked with. And there are things that work.
It is long, hard, and never ending- but these 'different' people may invent something fabulous, become excellent artists, or many other posibilities. I HAVE hope, I have senn sucess, I a facilitated growth. And these are things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.