Christopher has a communication folder that travels between home and school everyday. It is kinda cool that the teacher is doing this for every child in her class. This is the first year that has happened. So a note came home yesterday about Christopher's hand movements. We've been aware of this and it is one of those things that makes me cringe when I catch him doing it. It really hit me hard again when the school is seeing the same thing.
Let me offer a description of what I'm talking about. When Christopher is involved in imaginary play (which is pretty awesome) he will roll his hands together up in front of his face or play with his hands/fingers in other non-typical ways. He's playing on his own and may be sitting with some blocks or running around the house.
My first thought was to schedule an appointment with his doctor with this increase in behavior but then I wonder what will the doctor do. I call and say what....umm...my kid's not sick but I'd like a sick visit to discuss his hand play.... What do I expect to happen? I think his progress and the mildness of symptoms hasn't prepared us for some of the obstacles that are coming our way.
I am also amped up because we are in the beginning stages of transitioning to Kindergarten and I'm scared to death. I'm afraid of the decisions that are being made in the next few months and the impact it could have on the rest of his life. We have his first meeting in a little over a week to discuss the assessments that need to be completed and work on redetermining eligibility. I know what I want for him. I want him to go to his home school, spend the day in a regular kindergarten classroom (with maybe a little pull-out time) and ride the regular bus with his sister. But....perhaps what I want isn't the best for his needs....
Walk 2011
Showing posts with label Autism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Autism. Show all posts
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Worry Worry Worry
Things have been going exceptionally well....at least for Christopher. He was home from school last week after he lost his voice but he's more than made up for that this week. My husband and I have decided that we take turns fretting about the future. So right now it's my turn.
Christopher is in his last year of pre-k and goes off to Kindergarten next fall. Normally I wouldn't mind such a milestone. We even started Allison a year early because she was so smart....sometimes I regret that but she wouldn't have the friends she has or be who she is if we had done it differently. My strong almost 9 year old is in 4th grade and doing awesome. She is in the advanced math group and has always been in the top of percentile for reading. I think it is because things have come so easily for her that I fret over Christopher. By the time Allison was 4, she was reading and spelling words using phonics and doing simple math with manipulatives. Christopher can read the words he is interested in, like Angry Birds, Batman, Stop, Go, Allison, Christopher, Plants vs Zombies but he isn't able to do word manipulation like building -at words.
So why am I so worried, he's in pre-k and has almost an entire school year to go? I worry because I don't know how much his success in Kindergarten is going to affect his future. What if he isn't able to succeed in a regular education classroom? Is he going to be tainted for the rest of his life....set up to not graduate....go to college....get married...have a family? This is what goes through your head when your child is different. We have a happy boy that has progressed so much but the unknown future lingers. It is this unknown that saddens me today. Would I really want to know the future if I could? Allison's future is pretty set. I guess she could always change it but my vision for her is to graduate with her class and go on to college. She wants to be a vet and I can see that happening if that maintains her goal. I'm not sure about that future for Christopher. Perhaps not knowing the future is what will keep us going. If we knew what would happen then we might not work as hard or give up if the future looked too bleak and Christopher can't afford us to give up.
Worrying doesn't do me a lot of good. It does make me think about all of the progress he has made but as I sit here and he starts doing his weird finger/hand thing I am reminded that we still have a ways to go. So on it goes....taking it day by day....one step at a time....
Christopher is in his last year of pre-k and goes off to Kindergarten next fall. Normally I wouldn't mind such a milestone. We even started Allison a year early because she was so smart....sometimes I regret that but she wouldn't have the friends she has or be who she is if we had done it differently. My strong almost 9 year old is in 4th grade and doing awesome. She is in the advanced math group and has always been in the top of percentile for reading. I think it is because things have come so easily for her that I fret over Christopher. By the time Allison was 4, she was reading and spelling words using phonics and doing simple math with manipulatives. Christopher can read the words he is interested in, like Angry Birds, Batman, Stop, Go, Allison, Christopher, Plants vs Zombies but he isn't able to do word manipulation like building -at words.
So why am I so worried, he's in pre-k and has almost an entire school year to go? I worry because I don't know how much his success in Kindergarten is going to affect his future. What if he isn't able to succeed in a regular education classroom? Is he going to be tainted for the rest of his life....set up to not graduate....go to college....get married...have a family? This is what goes through your head when your child is different. We have a happy boy that has progressed so much but the unknown future lingers. It is this unknown that saddens me today. Would I really want to know the future if I could? Allison's future is pretty set. I guess she could always change it but my vision for her is to graduate with her class and go on to college. She wants to be a vet and I can see that happening if that maintains her goal. I'm not sure about that future for Christopher. Perhaps not knowing the future is what will keep us going. If we knew what would happen then we might not work as hard or give up if the future looked too bleak and Christopher can't afford us to give up.
Worrying doesn't do me a lot of good. It does make me think about all of the progress he has made but as I sit here and he starts doing his weird finger/hand thing I am reminded that we still have a ways to go. So on it goes....taking it day by day....one step at a time....
Thursday, April 5, 2012
What's missing...
We had Christopher's IEP yesterday. I think it went fairly well. Pre-school has been good for him, although I'm sure I'll need to let the summer teacher know to write in his book. The thought of the next IEP as we prepare for Kindergarten is scary though. My goals for him include being able to participate in the regular education classroom (hopefully without an aide 1-on-1) and to ride the regular bus. His sister has one year on the bus with him before she changes to middle school and leaving an hour earlier. I think we would have more success if he has her to help him for that year. If we miss that window, I see him riding a special bus through the rest of school.
While that is on my mind, it is not what's missing... I just read a post on Facebook about what kids with Autism wishes everyone else understood (It's posted at the bottom). Some of these things apply to us more than others. It was when I got to number 9 that it really clicked (don't read ahead just yet, I'm getting there). Another post written a couple of days ago by a friend came to mind about a conversation she had with her son, who is close to Christopher's age and also has autism. She wrote about their exchange of "I love you". I can get hugs and even once in a while a kiss from Christopher (although he thinks it is fun to wipe off kisses). My family has never been one to verbalize emotions well but it is that silence after telling Christopher "I love you" that clicked with me today. That is what is missing...the "I love you mommy" that is supposed to follow. While this does make me tear up a little, my goal is not to achieve pitty but to motivate myself to be more vocal in emotions and telling the people around me that I love them and with time, maybe those missing words while cross his lips too.
While that is on my mind, it is not what's missing... I just read a post on Facebook about what kids with Autism wishes everyone else understood (It's posted at the bottom). Some of these things apply to us more than others. It was when I got to number 9 that it really clicked (don't read ahead just yet, I'm getting there). Another post written a couple of days ago by a friend came to mind about a conversation she had with her son, who is close to Christopher's age and also has autism. She wrote about their exchange of "I love you". I can get hugs and even once in a while a kiss from Christopher (although he thinks it is fun to wipe off kisses). My family has never been one to verbalize emotions well but it is that silence after telling Christopher "I love you" that clicked with me today. That is what is missing...the "I love you mommy" that is supposed to follow. While this does make me tear up a little, my goal is not to achieve pitty but to motivate myself to be more vocal in emotions and telling the people around me that I love them and with time, maybe those missing words while cross his lips too.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Overall Update
Behavior has become more trying recently. The other day I turned a movie on for Christopher but I apparently did not do it correctly so he decided to "beat me up". He was hitting, kicking and yelling. At this point I was in disbelief at his behavior. We have not had to deal with aggression very often. When he would have a tantrum it was typically very short and he would quickly move on to something else. However, the behavior has crossed into the classroom and he is hitting the students and staff. This is a behavior that has to stopped now. We know the reason for the behavior. He isn't getting his way or is frustrated with something. Even though this is typical for small children we have to be on high alert because I know what it can lead to. Things that other parents can correct or know the child will grow out of can not be handled haphazardly for us.
I have constantly tried to stop behaviors that were a higher risk for him. I try to keep him from getting into too many routines or rituals. We are fortunate to not have to deal with meltdowns as often as others. However, when in the car, Christopher thinks he should be navigating. There are so many times he yells "that way" and it isn't the way we are going. This is often followed by some kicking and screaming. Christopher may get into a routine of stepping on certain blocks on the sidewalk or having to use a particular interest. I have been able to move past some of the ritualistic behaviors.
We are noticing more of the "autistic" behaviors recently and the school reports they see them consistently too. This behaviors include: spinning, flapping, and elusive eye contact. There are probably more but those are the biggest ones. Christopher has some good strengths too. He has a friend at school that he will play with but still prefers to play alone. He also shows affection and emotions. At home, hugs are usually prompted by a request; kisses are much harder to get and to give.
His verbal skills continue to improve but I'm questioning my decision to slack off on his alternative communication. The other day he wanted something and I had no clue. We finally got him to use his PECs to say "red" and he was saying a number that I can't recall now, but we never figured it out. I may need to consider purchasing the communication device for the Kindle Fire after all.
I have constantly tried to stop behaviors that were a higher risk for him. I try to keep him from getting into too many routines or rituals. We are fortunate to not have to deal with meltdowns as often as others. However, when in the car, Christopher thinks he should be navigating. There are so many times he yells "that way" and it isn't the way we are going. This is often followed by some kicking and screaming. Christopher may get into a routine of stepping on certain blocks on the sidewalk or having to use a particular interest. I have been able to move past some of the ritualistic behaviors.
We are noticing more of the "autistic" behaviors recently and the school reports they see them consistently too. This behaviors include: spinning, flapping, and elusive eye contact. There are probably more but those are the biggest ones. Christopher has some good strengths too. He has a friend at school that he will play with but still prefers to play alone. He also shows affection and emotions. At home, hugs are usually prompted by a request; kisses are much harder to get and to give.
His verbal skills continue to improve but I'm questioning my decision to slack off on his alternative communication. The other day he wanted something and I had no clue. We finally got him to use his PECs to say "red" and he was saying a number that I can't recall now, but we never figured it out. I may need to consider purchasing the communication device for the Kindle Fire after all.
Friday, January 20, 2012
T.G.I.F.
What a week! We had Monday off for Martin Luther King, Jr. day so that was nice but it still made for a long week. Poor Christopher hated getting dragged out of bed everyday. Unfortunately, it probably won't last for the weekend. Since we can sleep in, he'll be up at 6:30 but I'll keep my fingers crossed.
The hand flapping has been a little worse this week and he even did the fingers in front of the eyes thing once. I haven't been keeping to his vitamin regiment, which is just a multi-vitamin and an omega 3. I haven't been consistent enough with it to know if it is making any sort of change. The omega 3 is supposed to help with brain development. Schedules have been thrown off since the holidays. He hasn't been to his Monday sitter since before the holiday and will finally go back to her next week.
I am very fortunate that we have been able to keep him off of a strict routine. We can get in the car and just go however, he may protest if we don't go the way he thinks we should go but he does well. The longest tantrums are when we go past the McDonald's or Chick-fil-a and he thinks we need to go there. But even those are short.
Our little man will be turning 4 soon. We are having a "real" birthday party this year. The last few have been after church at McDonald's and we would have a few family members come but that was also part of our normal after church routine. This year, I was able to invite his class from school and he does have at least one friend coming and also a couple of other friends he has made. I'm also taking on a new endeavor by baking cupcakes instead of ordering a cake.
The hand flapping has been a little worse this week and he even did the fingers in front of the eyes thing once. I haven't been keeping to his vitamin regiment, which is just a multi-vitamin and an omega 3. I haven't been consistent enough with it to know if it is making any sort of change. The omega 3 is supposed to help with brain development. Schedules have been thrown off since the holidays. He hasn't been to his Monday sitter since before the holiday and will finally go back to her next week.
I am very fortunate that we have been able to keep him off of a strict routine. We can get in the car and just go however, he may protest if we don't go the way he thinks we should go but he does well. The longest tantrums are when we go past the McDonald's or Chick-fil-a and he thinks we need to go there. But even those are short.
Our little man will be turning 4 soon. We are having a "real" birthday party this year. The last few have been after church at McDonald's and we would have a few family members come but that was also part of our normal after church routine. This year, I was able to invite his class from school and he does have at least one friend coming and also a couple of other friends he has made. I'm also taking on a new endeavor by baking cupcakes instead of ordering a cake.
Monday, January 16, 2012
I just need to say WOW!
After posting yesterday I went back and read the stuff from last year. We have really come a long way! I still have the same fears as described yesterday and saw that I voiced those before but when I started writing, Christopher had virtually no verbal skills. He is now talking in full sentences, using I, me and you, calling people by name...it is just amazing. Granted, there is still a lot that he says that I can't understand so we guess a good bit. But even with that he is patient and will say yes or no and repeat it if needed. Christopher is still pretty easy going though. After a while he will just move on to something else.
We have also come a long way in toileting. There are still a lot of accidents, I had to wash a new pair of shoes tonight but I haven't bought pull-ups in over a month. He stays dry at night and doesn't wet first thing in the morning, which is good because he still comes and crawls into our bed. Those were some fearful nights/mornings so as soon as he starts waking up we usher him into the bathroom. I'm not quite as worried now and will give him a little more time to wake up. We still have to do a lot of cues throughout the day to go to the bathroom.
Pretend play and cooperative play are also coming along. His sister is an elaborate story teller, and changes the rules of the game as she goes along, but he can play right along with her. They were vampires earlier today, but only when they had the fake teeth in.
Another amazing feat, today we had lunch out at a sit down restaurant and there were no meltdowns or attempts at escape! We did have the trusty Kindle Fire and he watched cartoons on it for part of the meal. His sister did complain that he had it, but it was working. However, the car ride wasn't as smooth. He has his own sense of direction and I was not driving the way he wanted to go. But like before the meltdowns or tantrums are still very short.
I just need to teach him the difference between a watering can (which we don't own) and a gas can. Back in the spring he poured gas on my mom's flowers to "water" them and while I was cleaning the garage today he lugged an almost empty can down over the hill to "water" them again. Fortunately, my can had a safety latch on it otherwise, the flowers would have gotten it by the time I got to him.
We have also come a long way in toileting. There are still a lot of accidents, I had to wash a new pair of shoes tonight but I haven't bought pull-ups in over a month. He stays dry at night and doesn't wet first thing in the morning, which is good because he still comes and crawls into our bed. Those were some fearful nights/mornings so as soon as he starts waking up we usher him into the bathroom. I'm not quite as worried now and will give him a little more time to wake up. We still have to do a lot of cues throughout the day to go to the bathroom.
Pretend play and cooperative play are also coming along. His sister is an elaborate story teller, and changes the rules of the game as she goes along, but he can play right along with her. They were vampires earlier today, but only when they had the fake teeth in.
Another amazing feat, today we had lunch out at a sit down restaurant and there were no meltdowns or attempts at escape! We did have the trusty Kindle Fire and he watched cartoons on it for part of the meal. His sister did complain that he had it, but it was working. However, the car ride wasn't as smooth. He has his own sense of direction and I was not driving the way he wanted to go. But like before the meltdowns or tantrums are still very short.
I just need to teach him the difference between a watering can (which we don't own) and a gas can. Back in the spring he poured gas on my mom's flowers to "water" them and while I was cleaning the garage today he lugged an almost empty can down over the hill to "water" them again. Fortunately, my can had a safety latch on it otherwise, the flowers would have gotten it by the time I got to him.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
What is "normal"?
Well, I got off to a good start and then it kinda fizzled out. Let's try this again.
All kinds of stuff has been going on, hence the absence. We do have an important day approaching. Our young Christopher turns 4 years old this month. One of the biggest challenges I have is trying to not look too far into the future. I can see how far he has come over the past couple of years but the unknown future still scares me. I know he is only 4 (almost) but I want to know if he will be in regular kindergarten, get a regular diploma, go to college, get married and have a family. It's hard to not worry about the future. It's so easy to settle on what he can't do and then be sad about it.
There are many days you wouldn't even be able to tell he was ever on the spectrum and other days when he's flapping or has that look in his eyes. Do you know the "look"? It's not necessarily the absent look but just a different look. For me, it's his autistic look. I know that autism doesn't come and go like the wind but Christopher is anything but typical, even when it comes to his atypical development. I'm at the point now that I don't even know what "normal" is for a 4 year old. Maybe he is acting more normal than I know and I just blow everything out of proportion.
I've had lots of different times when I thought "I should blog this" but then get distracted so maybe with this little restart I'll manage to write more often.
All kinds of stuff has been going on, hence the absence. We do have an important day approaching. Our young Christopher turns 4 years old this month. One of the biggest challenges I have is trying to not look too far into the future. I can see how far he has come over the past couple of years but the unknown future still scares me. I know he is only 4 (almost) but I want to know if he will be in regular kindergarten, get a regular diploma, go to college, get married and have a family. It's hard to not worry about the future. It's so easy to settle on what he can't do and then be sad about it.
There are many days you wouldn't even be able to tell he was ever on the spectrum and other days when he's flapping or has that look in his eyes. Do you know the "look"? It's not necessarily the absent look but just a different look. For me, it's his autistic look. I know that autism doesn't come and go like the wind but Christopher is anything but typical, even when it comes to his atypical development. I'm at the point now that I don't even know what "normal" is for a 4 year old. Maybe he is acting more normal than I know and I just blow everything out of proportion.
I've had lots of different times when I thought "I should blog this" but then get distracted so maybe with this little restart I'll manage to write more often.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Lost, Found, Locked Up
I've been meaning to write this blog for a while but I'm just now getting around to it. Last weekend I lived every mother's worst nightmare. Was it different because Christopher is autistic? Hmmmm...probably not. I think the story is one that everyone has at some point whether the child is special needs or not.
I still had my second job (working overnight on the weekend) and had just laid down for my before work nap. (Yep, you read still had....meaning no longer have.) There was the normal noise as the kids are running around and Danny is yelling at them to be quiet. Soon after, Allison is back in the house. She is staying over at mammaw's and forgot some stuff. The next thing I hear is Danny yelling for Christopher. I check the windows to see the pool and down to mammaw's and I don't see him. I call to see if he had already made it down there and was inside but no luck. We all hit outside. Of course, Christopher has never responded to his name so why would he now. I send my mom to the neighbor's house, who is having a big get together and she yells back that they haven't seen him. I head the other direction through the neighbor's yard asking if they have seen a little boy. I make it back around to the "party house" and am relieved to see mom with Christopher. He had joined the other kids at the water hose playing and no one paid any mind to another kid. All of this probably only took about 10 minutes but it was the longest 10 minutes ever. Danny and I bring Christopher back home and get our nerves calmed and then head back over to party. I had planned to work my shift and quit at the end (cause I wasn't scheduled for over two weeks and could do a "notice") but decided it was a sign and sent a text to the supervisor that I was calling off and I'd get my resignation letter sent in.
So that covers the lost and found....but locked up.....I had already scheduled to have a fence put in at the side of the house when we lost Christopher. That fence is now up (minus the 2 gates) and I got my brother-in-law to move the porch rail from the side to block the front entrance. I want to make the front of the porch a gate but the rail looks nice. As soon as the gates get put up this week the kids will be able to play on the porch and in the side yard without the fear of them wondering off. Hopefully the dog will behave in the yard too and the kids can be out with her to throw sticks or whatever. We'll be able to open the front door this fall when its nice outside and the kids and dog can have the run of the place. (we'll have to hide the cat away so she doesn't get out.)
I still had my second job (working overnight on the weekend) and had just laid down for my before work nap. (Yep, you read still had....meaning no longer have.) There was the normal noise as the kids are running around and Danny is yelling at them to be quiet. Soon after, Allison is back in the house. She is staying over at mammaw's and forgot some stuff. The next thing I hear is Danny yelling for Christopher. I check the windows to see the pool and down to mammaw's and I don't see him. I call to see if he had already made it down there and was inside but no luck. We all hit outside. Of course, Christopher has never responded to his name so why would he now. I send my mom to the neighbor's house, who is having a big get together and she yells back that they haven't seen him. I head the other direction through the neighbor's yard asking if they have seen a little boy. I make it back around to the "party house" and am relieved to see mom with Christopher. He had joined the other kids at the water hose playing and no one paid any mind to another kid. All of this probably only took about 10 minutes but it was the longest 10 minutes ever. Danny and I bring Christopher back home and get our nerves calmed and then head back over to party. I had planned to work my shift and quit at the end (cause I wasn't scheduled for over two weeks and could do a "notice") but decided it was a sign and sent a text to the supervisor that I was calling off and I'd get my resignation letter sent in.
So that covers the lost and found....but locked up.....I had already scheduled to have a fence put in at the side of the house when we lost Christopher. That fence is now up (minus the 2 gates) and I got my brother-in-law to move the porch rail from the side to block the front entrance. I want to make the front of the porch a gate but the rail looks nice. As soon as the gates get put up this week the kids will be able to play on the porch and in the side yard without the fear of them wondering off. Hopefully the dog will behave in the yard too and the kids can be out with her to throw sticks or whatever. We'll be able to open the front door this fall when its nice outside and the kids and dog can have the run of the place. (we'll have to hide the cat away so she doesn't get out.)
Sunday, July 17, 2011
I'm the mom
I was a bit skeptical when Christopher started pre-school after his birthday. My fears have slowly dissipated and I ended the school year feeling good about how it had gone. Summer school has been a totally different matter. For some reason the school and bus don't want to deal with me. Before the term started I expected to receive a phone call regarding the transportation. The call never came so I had to bug the bus garage to make sure Christopher wasn't going to get left at school. When he started in January the driver made an extra trip to meet myself and Christopher and have him get used to the van. I talked to the summer bus driver and it was like I was an annoyance in wanting to make sure everything was set up. Apparently he had called the sitter to arrange for Christopher's drop off. I ended up having to alter his transportation arrangement and called the bus garage to get it set up. I wasn't able to speak to the person in charge so I left a message about the change and was told I would get a call back. I left MY number. The change involved adding a pick-up for Christopher in the morning at his sitters. Did I get the call back? NO. The driver told the sitter that he would be there to get Christopher at 8:15. Don't you think I'd like to know this information. Anyway, its all settled and tomorrow is the first day of the new routine. You better believe I'll be noting this if I get any evaluations to fill out, but then they may just go right to the sitter.
Okay so now I'll move off of the bus and talk about school. Does anyone know what an IEP is? That magic little legal document that outlines the services. I give it a few days and no one is writing in the communication book. I write a note to please write in the communication book, still nothing. I have to call the teacher, and ended up getting a substitute to tell them to write in his communication book. Summer school is only 4-5 weeks long, who needs a substitute the second week? I let it slide. At least now she is writing in the book. When I talk to the sitter she requests a way to know if Christopher has eaten his lunch since he is so picky and she gives him something when he gets off of the bus. I write a somewhat lengthy blurb in his communication book about a particular achievement we have made and at the end I write a request to write how well he ate his lunch. Do you think they did that? NOPE! I also noted for them (because I'm about 100% sure they don't know what an IEP is) that Christopher has an allowance for an adaptable chair. She did let me know that they were not using the chair and he was sitting at the table. I will have to follow-up with his regular teacher about whether or not to use the chair when school starts in August.
My overall opinion of extended school year so far: a D-. That's being hopeful that he is receiving some socialization and educational services while he is there.
By the way, the achievement: I got Christopher to say his name in response to "who are you", although you wouldn't know he said Christopher.
Okay so now I'll move off of the bus and talk about school. Does anyone know what an IEP is? That magic little legal document that outlines the services. I give it a few days and no one is writing in the communication book. I write a note to please write in the communication book, still nothing. I have to call the teacher, and ended up getting a substitute to tell them to write in his communication book. Summer school is only 4-5 weeks long, who needs a substitute the second week? I let it slide. At least now she is writing in the book. When I talk to the sitter she requests a way to know if Christopher has eaten his lunch since he is so picky and she gives him something when he gets off of the bus. I write a somewhat lengthy blurb in his communication book about a particular achievement we have made and at the end I write a request to write how well he ate his lunch. Do you think they did that? NOPE! I also noted for them (because I'm about 100% sure they don't know what an IEP is) that Christopher has an allowance for an adaptable chair. She did let me know that they were not using the chair and he was sitting at the table. I will have to follow-up with his regular teacher about whether or not to use the chair when school starts in August.
My overall opinion of extended school year so far: a D-. That's being hopeful that he is receiving some socialization and educational services while he is there.
By the way, the achievement: I got Christopher to say his name in response to "who are you", although you wouldn't know he said Christopher.
Monday, July 4, 2011
July 4, 2011
We had a pretty awesome July 4th this year. We had family and friends join us for an afternoon of swimming, games, jumping, eating and fireworks. Christopher changed clothes several times throughout the day. He would get in the pool and then get dried off and dressed just to get back in again later. I don't think he ate much beyond chips and the family's secret zucchini chocolate bars. He even enjoyed the fireworks and was able to hold a sparkler without trying to touch the end. We did have to hold him back from trying to blow-out the lit fountains.
My 2 month old niece made an appearance and Christopher is infatuated with his little cousin. He likes to know where she is at all times and really wanted her to get down and play with him. He tried to pry mammaw's hands off of her so she could get down. Ever since our last visit, he has loved babies. He went to the park with Mammaw and every time a baby came by he was on it. I don't know if he thinks all babies are Scarlett or if he just likes babies. He will say "Where Baby At?" and "Baby all gone" in the correct situations. When the family was packing up to go home he kept hanging around their car and I had to go get him. As they pulled up the driveway, Christopher said "Baby all gone" and he was sad.
We haven't had a lot of success in getting Christopher to respond to "what's your name" or to get a reaction when we pretend to be sad or crying but he can put out that pouty lip and be the saddest boy in town when he wants to be.
Overall, it was a great day. I didn't feel stressed over making sure Christopher was where he was supposed to be. He either was or there was enough adults keeping an eye on things that I was alright. I head out of town in the morning for a week and will drop Allison off at her cousin's so it will be just Daddy and Christopher holding down the fort. Christopher goes back to school on Thursday so hopefully daddy can keep it all straight and get him to where he needs to go each day.
My 2 month old niece made an appearance and Christopher is infatuated with his little cousin. He likes to know where she is at all times and really wanted her to get down and play with him. He tried to pry mammaw's hands off of her so she could get down. Ever since our last visit, he has loved babies. He went to the park with Mammaw and every time a baby came by he was on it. I don't know if he thinks all babies are Scarlett or if he just likes babies. He will say "Where Baby At?" and "Baby all gone" in the correct situations. When the family was packing up to go home he kept hanging around their car and I had to go get him. As they pulled up the driveway, Christopher said "Baby all gone" and he was sad.
We haven't had a lot of success in getting Christopher to respond to "what's your name" or to get a reaction when we pretend to be sad or crying but he can put out that pouty lip and be the saddest boy in town when he wants to be.
Overall, it was a great day. I didn't feel stressed over making sure Christopher was where he was supposed to be. He either was or there was enough adults keeping an eye on things that I was alright. I head out of town in the morning for a week and will drop Allison off at her cousin's so it will be just Daddy and Christopher holding down the fort. Christopher goes back to school on Thursday so hopefully daddy can keep it all straight and get him to where he needs to go each day.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Fun in the Sun
We finally had a nice day and was able to get into the pool. Christopher had a good time and didn't fight me too much. He did eventually get cold and was willing to get out of the pool if he could go down to Mammaw's. He has a little girlfriend that he likes to play with. He gets so sad when Tori goes home. We are having a fourth of July bash tomorrow with family and friends. Christopher will get to play with Tori some more. He liked the fireworks last year so hopefully it will be just as good this year. We don't go anywhere to watch since our neighbors usually set off some nice ones and I don't like crowds. I still get frustrated when I have Christopher out in different places.
He did do exceptionally well at lunch today. Usually I put him in a high chair to keep him contained but for some reason I didn't today. I let him set in a chair that didn't have him blocked in a corner. He sat through all of lunch and actually ate this time.
Check out the podcast that I joined my husband to do on lonelyfriday.org
He did do exceptionally well at lunch today. Usually I put him in a high chair to keep him contained but for some reason I didn't today. I let him set in a chair that didn't have him blocked in a corner. He sat through all of lunch and actually ate this time.
Check out the podcast that I joined my husband to do on lonelyfriday.org
Monday, June 20, 2011
Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
It has been a hectic couple of months. I'm in my final week of class and will have a one week break before starting the next class. I'm only doing one class next term to ease my stress levels. The kids finished school earlier this month. Christopher will start Summer School in a couple of weeks. I'll actually be out of town for work his first two days. Allison is away for Girl Scout Camp and is trying to talk us into sending her to church camp next week. With that over with, the meaning behind today's title:
What are Little Boys Made of? Some versions say Snips and others say Frogs. How does that apply to my world? Christopher has developed an imagination. At times, it seems to be a little extreme. He has started to pretend to be a puppy. He barks and tries to give puppy kisses, but I think I put a stop to that one. My mom lives behind our house down a hill and keeps Christopher until I get home from work. I've been calling to say send the kids up and I wait for him half-way down the hill. Christopher has been crawling up the hill on his hands and feet. He will stand every few feet to regain himself and then its back to all fours. I'll admit it has been cute. He looks up with those big eyes and gives a little bark and on he goes. Perhaps something a little more disturbing has been he wants to eat like a puppy too. This may include licking his plate but it has also included eating off of the floor. So far I can say thank goodness he isn't eating or drinking out of the dog's bowls.
Christopher has continued to be an inspiration at church. He causes some disruption but I take him to class after we sing so he will not disrupt the sermon. My goal is not to get attention for him but for him to tolerate following my direction and what I want him to do for that short time period. When we are consistent, he has been able to maintain good behavior for the entire singing time. The congregation has appreciated him being in the service and I have not had anyone complain to me about his behavior. I have people tell me they miss him when we've attended the other service.
Another awesome thing was our last haircut experience. Christopher had been getting a bit shaggy so it was time to deal with it. The girl that cut his hair has worked with him before and did very good. She suggested we try clippers and that was a lot easier. I think I like the scissor cut look for the top but its just hair. It grows back. He'll need another cut before fall. They gave him a sucker and he sat really well (Mammaw still holds him). We did have to do a little clean-up afterwards because he was finished before the stylist. But in the end he has a good little boy cut.
What are Little Boys Made of? Some versions say Snips and others say Frogs. How does that apply to my world? Christopher has developed an imagination. At times, it seems to be a little extreme. He has started to pretend to be a puppy. He barks and tries to give puppy kisses, but I think I put a stop to that one. My mom lives behind our house down a hill and keeps Christopher until I get home from work. I've been calling to say send the kids up and I wait for him half-way down the hill. Christopher has been crawling up the hill on his hands and feet. He will stand every few feet to regain himself and then its back to all fours. I'll admit it has been cute. He looks up with those big eyes and gives a little bark and on he goes. Perhaps something a little more disturbing has been he wants to eat like a puppy too. This may include licking his plate but it has also included eating off of the floor. So far I can say thank goodness he isn't eating or drinking out of the dog's bowls.
Christopher has continued to be an inspiration at church. He causes some disruption but I take him to class after we sing so he will not disrupt the sermon. My goal is not to get attention for him but for him to tolerate following my direction and what I want him to do for that short time period. When we are consistent, he has been able to maintain good behavior for the entire singing time. The congregation has appreciated him being in the service and I have not had anyone complain to me about his behavior. I have people tell me they miss him when we've attended the other service.
Another awesome thing was our last haircut experience. Christopher had been getting a bit shaggy so it was time to deal with it. The girl that cut his hair has worked with him before and did very good. She suggested we try clippers and that was a lot easier. I think I like the scissor cut look for the top but its just hair. It grows back. He'll need another cut before fall. They gave him a sucker and he sat really well (Mammaw still holds him). We did have to do a little clean-up afterwards because he was finished before the stylist. But in the end he has a good little boy cut.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
To everything there is a season....
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
Things are changing in our house. The first major change is the reason I'm awake at 1 am to write this. I got a part time job that is supposed to be my fun money. The fun right now is working to get things caught up and cover a few extras. There are further employment changes coming. I've put in my notice to leave the safety and security of a job I've held for the past 5 years to begin a new program in the community. Its scary and exciting at the same time. I've become the "go-to" person at the office for anything and everything, which could be one of the precipitating factors for wanting to leave. When there is a question about anything, I seem to be the first person people run to. Even though people understand my decision to leave, I have caused several people (and more to come) sadness. It's hard to disappoint people, even when its "just a job". I've taken pride in my work and the reputation that I have in the community.
Things are starting to catch up with me. I'm near the point of exhaustion. I have 2 weeks of school to finish a bunch of work. To reduce that stress, I'm only taking one class next term instead of 2. I'm taking a break from my reading to do this entry. It's been a while since I wrote anything too. The full time job has had me busy and the part time job wears me out on the weekends. There is absolutely no time to clean my house or do laundry. I'm short tempered and irritable. I want to go lay in my bed and sleep for a week.
On a separate note, Christopher continues to do spectacularly. Both kids are off from school but Christopher goes back for the month July. He is trying to say more. We don't always understand what he's saying. He's also showing just how smart he is. If we can get him to "perform" I don't see any problem with him going to regular ed Kindergarten. He still has 2 years of pre-school to get ready for that obstacle. The clapping and yelling in church has become expected. He's doing better at staying for all of the singing and letting me hold him. He may be able to sit through a church service eventually.
Allison goes away for her first week of camp in another week. She's planning to be gone for two weeks. She leaves on Sunday and returns on Saturday for Girl Scout Camp. Church camp runs the following week. I'm thinking she's going to be too intolerable to do both weeks.
Things are changing in our house. The first major change is the reason I'm awake at 1 am to write this. I got a part time job that is supposed to be my fun money. The fun right now is working to get things caught up and cover a few extras. There are further employment changes coming. I've put in my notice to leave the safety and security of a job I've held for the past 5 years to begin a new program in the community. Its scary and exciting at the same time. I've become the "go-to" person at the office for anything and everything, which could be one of the precipitating factors for wanting to leave. When there is a question about anything, I seem to be the first person people run to. Even though people understand my decision to leave, I have caused several people (and more to come) sadness. It's hard to disappoint people, even when its "just a job". I've taken pride in my work and the reputation that I have in the community.
Things are starting to catch up with me. I'm near the point of exhaustion. I have 2 weeks of school to finish a bunch of work. To reduce that stress, I'm only taking one class next term instead of 2. I'm taking a break from my reading to do this entry. It's been a while since I wrote anything too. The full time job has had me busy and the part time job wears me out on the weekends. There is absolutely no time to clean my house or do laundry. I'm short tempered and irritable. I want to go lay in my bed and sleep for a week.
On a separate note, Christopher continues to do spectacularly. Both kids are off from school but Christopher goes back for the month July. He is trying to say more. We don't always understand what he's saying. He's also showing just how smart he is. If we can get him to "perform" I don't see any problem with him going to regular ed Kindergarten. He still has 2 years of pre-school to get ready for that obstacle. The clapping and yelling in church has become expected. He's doing better at staying for all of the singing and letting me hold him. He may be able to sit through a church service eventually.
Allison goes away for her first week of camp in another week. She's planning to be gone for two weeks. She leaves on Sunday and returns on Saturday for Girl Scout Camp. Church camp runs the following week. I'm thinking she's going to be too intolerable to do both weeks.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Grocery Shopping
I meant to write this a few days ago but I've been so busy with everything.
I went to the grocery store the other night to get some stuff for the kids for breakfast and for dinners and realized I hate grocery shopping. It isn't just the thought that groceries are so expensive its that I have no idea on what to buy. Danny and I both work day jobs and get home around dinner time so there isn't much time to cook. We usually end up with the box dinners that are pretty easy to put together. The kids have generally already eaten (but may eat again). When we have money and don't want to cook, we order a pizza. Most kids like pizza, mine don't. Allison may eat it once in a while but Christopher won't touch it.
Box dinners do get boring after a while. The other problem we have is that Christopher only eats a handful of things. He eats hamburgers and nuggets, but only from McDonald's. Spaghetti is usually pretty successful. He also eats some hamburger helper. He really likes bananas and corn. He used to eat other things and we try things whenever we fix it, but try to keep a can of spaghetti-o's on hand. Breakfast has always been our easiest meal. Its not easy to get him to eat but he will eat the most variety of breakfast foods. I spend some mornings trying to get him to eat before his van comes and end up chasing him around the house with his breakfast.
So what did I buy at the grocery store? I bought frozen waffles, pancakes and french toast sticks. I also got the box dinners, milk, sugar, bread and cheese. The kids have breakfast and we have some quick dinners to fix.
The glutein & cassein free diets (GFCF) are popular among the autistic population. We did do a brief trial removing glutein but it wasn't for us. Could you imagine what I'd be able to buy if went GFCF? Hopefully, we won't need to change his diet.
I went to the grocery store the other night to get some stuff for the kids for breakfast and for dinners and realized I hate grocery shopping. It isn't just the thought that groceries are so expensive its that I have no idea on what to buy. Danny and I both work day jobs and get home around dinner time so there isn't much time to cook. We usually end up with the box dinners that are pretty easy to put together. The kids have generally already eaten (but may eat again). When we have money and don't want to cook, we order a pizza. Most kids like pizza, mine don't. Allison may eat it once in a while but Christopher won't touch it.
Box dinners do get boring after a while. The other problem we have is that Christopher only eats a handful of things. He eats hamburgers and nuggets, but only from McDonald's. Spaghetti is usually pretty successful. He also eats some hamburger helper. He really likes bananas and corn. He used to eat other things and we try things whenever we fix it, but try to keep a can of spaghetti-o's on hand. Breakfast has always been our easiest meal. Its not easy to get him to eat but he will eat the most variety of breakfast foods. I spend some mornings trying to get him to eat before his van comes and end up chasing him around the house with his breakfast.
So what did I buy at the grocery store? I bought frozen waffles, pancakes and french toast sticks. I also got the box dinners, milk, sugar, bread and cheese. The kids have breakfast and we have some quick dinners to fix.
The glutein & cassein free diets (GFCF) are popular among the autistic population. We did do a brief trial removing glutein but it wasn't for us. Could you imagine what I'd be able to buy if went GFCF? Hopefully, we won't need to change his diet.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Not the A-word again....
I wear my scarlet letter proudly. I openly share my experience and our success with Christopher. I am a huge advocate of early identification. I think the wait-and-see approach is one of the worse things you can do to a child with difficulties.
Parents can not rely on their doctors to sense something is wrong. Think about how much time the doctor actually spends in the room with you and your child during the routine well-child check-ups. When they ask you the questions, how do you answer? Do you respond with what you know they expect? And when you do see a problem and bring it to the doctor's attention what is the response? Before I had a child that had no out of the ordinary needs, our pediatrician was just fine. When I started to question things and had to be more pro-active in Christopher's care his pediatrician was not so great anymore. Pediatricians are very difficult to obtain in this area. Unless your child is born under the care of a pediatrician good luck getting or switching. Fortunately, there are several pediatricians in the practice we use so I was able to start scheduling with a different doctor. It was amazing to have a doctor listen and converse the first time I took him in to this different doctor. He listens to my concerns and things I have researched and is able to speak to me normally. I guess the point of this tangent is that if you see something you are not sure about, learn more and don't be ashamed to seek help.
I took Christopher to his sitter's this morning and ended up in another one of those conversations. Usually the conversation starts with "how did you know Christopher had Autism" but this one was a little different. This sitter has cared for Christopher since I returned to work after his birth. She has seen the progress he has made over the last year. She saw him "at his worst" when the symptoms were more apparent. This conversation was more "how do I tell another parent that I think their child has Autism". People come across kids at various points in their lives. There are some jobs, like child care that will place you with kids more often. It can be a touchy subject to try to bring up with a parent. After a brief conversation, my suggestion was to suggest to the parents a hearing test or speech evaluation. This other child has other symptoms but focus on the apparent ones. He is almost 2 and doesn't respond to his name or have any words. If the parents will start there, his evaluators should notice the other stuff and may be able to approach it easier. Parents will respond in different ways. There may be relief that someone else has seen the problem too. There may be anger at the thought of their child being different.
After a diagnosis or a suggestion of a diagnosis, parents will go through the stages of grief. The child has not changed but the parent's view may have. The dreams are different. Instead of the dream for graduation, college, marriage and kids the dreams may be more short-term. The dream may be for the child to learn to say a couple of words, to not have melt-downs, potty training, using silverware, playing independently, playing with others, to give hugs and kisses without prompts and a number of other things. The bigger dreams are still there but I try not to think about those. We have no idea how far Christopher will be able to go. My furthest goal (or worry) right now is probably trying to figure out if he will need a special ed classroom or if his needs will be met in general ed for Kindergarten and this is 2 years away.
I will continue to be a resource to those that need me. I will advocate for early identification and intervention. I will continue to dread the next time a family is faced with the possibility their child has Autism. I will continue to let them know their lives are not over and their child is the same one they loved yesterday.
Parents can not rely on their doctors to sense something is wrong. Think about how much time the doctor actually spends in the room with you and your child during the routine well-child check-ups. When they ask you the questions, how do you answer? Do you respond with what you know they expect? And when you do see a problem and bring it to the doctor's attention what is the response? Before I had a child that had no out of the ordinary needs, our pediatrician was just fine. When I started to question things and had to be more pro-active in Christopher's care his pediatrician was not so great anymore. Pediatricians are very difficult to obtain in this area. Unless your child is born under the care of a pediatrician good luck getting or switching. Fortunately, there are several pediatricians in the practice we use so I was able to start scheduling with a different doctor. It was amazing to have a doctor listen and converse the first time I took him in to this different doctor. He listens to my concerns and things I have researched and is able to speak to me normally. I guess the point of this tangent is that if you see something you are not sure about, learn more and don't be ashamed to seek help.
I took Christopher to his sitter's this morning and ended up in another one of those conversations. Usually the conversation starts with "how did you know Christopher had Autism" but this one was a little different. This sitter has cared for Christopher since I returned to work after his birth. She has seen the progress he has made over the last year. She saw him "at his worst" when the symptoms were more apparent. This conversation was more "how do I tell another parent that I think their child has Autism". People come across kids at various points in their lives. There are some jobs, like child care that will place you with kids more often. It can be a touchy subject to try to bring up with a parent. After a brief conversation, my suggestion was to suggest to the parents a hearing test or speech evaluation. This other child has other symptoms but focus on the apparent ones. He is almost 2 and doesn't respond to his name or have any words. If the parents will start there, his evaluators should notice the other stuff and may be able to approach it easier. Parents will respond in different ways. There may be relief that someone else has seen the problem too. There may be anger at the thought of their child being different.
After a diagnosis or a suggestion of a diagnosis, parents will go through the stages of grief. The child has not changed but the parent's view may have. The dreams are different. Instead of the dream for graduation, college, marriage and kids the dreams may be more short-term. The dream may be for the child to learn to say a couple of words, to not have melt-downs, potty training, using silverware, playing independently, playing with others, to give hugs and kisses without prompts and a number of other things. The bigger dreams are still there but I try not to think about those. We have no idea how far Christopher will be able to go. My furthest goal (or worry) right now is probably trying to figure out if he will need a special ed classroom or if his needs will be met in general ed for Kindergarten and this is 2 years away.
I will continue to be a resource to those that need me. I will advocate for early identification and intervention. I will continue to dread the next time a family is faced with the possibility their child has Autism. I will continue to let them know their lives are not over and their child is the same one they loved yesterday.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Getting ready for war?
Growing up in church and going to camp you hear about putting on the armor of God. Each piece has a different meaning but the one that stands out (and the only one I can recall from memory) is that the Bible is your sword. There is also armor that must be put on for parents with a child with a disability.
The sword (or AK-47) for this person would be the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is written to ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities in various aspects of their life. The ADA has crossed my mind a few times within the last 24 hours. There is a possibility we will be trying to fly to Florida in the near future. Flying with children can be difficult itself but add in a touch of Autism, not knowing how he will react to everything and a heightened sensitivity of the airline and passengers to disruptions. I foresee some prepatory communications with the airline and determining what I need to do to make it an enjoyable trip for all of us. Another incident happened this morning when my husband commented that he didn't know if he would have the opportunity to coach Christopher in soccer. My immediate response was that he could play soccer and we'd hire some high school kid to be on the field with him as his one-on-one and the league would have to make accomodations.
Another piece of armor would be night vision goggles. These aren't for us to see our children not sleeping or to watch them sleep after a particularly stressful day but a tool to see things through their eyes. When you have a non-verbal child or child with limited communication skills you have to learn to see through their perspective to understand them and their desires. When your child is crying for no apparent reason or saying something you can barely understand, you have to look at it from their point of view to understand it.
We also need to be equipped with a good communication system. Many times the parents are the only voice of the child with disabilities. It is our responsibility to make sure their needs are being met and that they are treated properly. The communication system also includes codes and signals. We have to be cued into our children for signs of an upcoming meltdown and that they may need something. We also have to be their voice and at times their translators.
The last thing I'm going to discuss in this post is the uniform of normalcy. (There may be future references to this topic but I'm going to stop here). Parents teach every child how to behave but when there is autism involved it is a little different. Most children will have an emotional response when they see someone crying or laughing. The child with autism may require a lot of prompting to take notice and then would not know how to respond unless taught. It also takes longer to teach appropriate behavior. Many parents avoid situations that will be difficult for their child. We avoid going to certain places to eat because of the wait time involved and it does not have the food choices he will eat.
So there is some initial equipment needed to fight this war that I wake up to every day. Most days its pretty easy but I live, eat and breathe autism. It is a part of who I am.
The sword (or AK-47) for this person would be the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is written to ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities in various aspects of their life. The ADA has crossed my mind a few times within the last 24 hours. There is a possibility we will be trying to fly to Florida in the near future. Flying with children can be difficult itself but add in a touch of Autism, not knowing how he will react to everything and a heightened sensitivity of the airline and passengers to disruptions. I foresee some prepatory communications with the airline and determining what I need to do to make it an enjoyable trip for all of us. Another incident happened this morning when my husband commented that he didn't know if he would have the opportunity to coach Christopher in soccer. My immediate response was that he could play soccer and we'd hire some high school kid to be on the field with him as his one-on-one and the league would have to make accomodations.
Another piece of armor would be night vision goggles. These aren't for us to see our children not sleeping or to watch them sleep after a particularly stressful day but a tool to see things through their eyes. When you have a non-verbal child or child with limited communication skills you have to learn to see through their perspective to understand them and their desires. When your child is crying for no apparent reason or saying something you can barely understand, you have to look at it from their point of view to understand it.
We also need to be equipped with a good communication system. Many times the parents are the only voice of the child with disabilities. It is our responsibility to make sure their needs are being met and that they are treated properly. The communication system also includes codes and signals. We have to be cued into our children for signs of an upcoming meltdown and that they may need something. We also have to be their voice and at times their translators.
The last thing I'm going to discuss in this post is the uniform of normalcy. (There may be future references to this topic but I'm going to stop here). Parents teach every child how to behave but when there is autism involved it is a little different. Most children will have an emotional response when they see someone crying or laughing. The child with autism may require a lot of prompting to take notice and then would not know how to respond unless taught. It also takes longer to teach appropriate behavior. Many parents avoid situations that will be difficult for their child. We avoid going to certain places to eat because of the wait time involved and it does not have the food choices he will eat.
So there is some initial equipment needed to fight this war that I wake up to every day. Most days its pretty easy but I live, eat and breathe autism. It is a part of who I am.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Child Care
Every parent has the struggles of finding appropriate child care for their children so they can work. What happens when you have a special needs child? I have seen a lot of families struggle to get some much needed adult time but are unable to rely on anyone to take care of their child. This problem still is not much out of the ordinary for me because Christopher is still a toddler and all toddlers need child care if both parents work.
However, Christopher attends a special needs pre-school and it is only half day. How is a parent supposed to work a 9-5 job and get their child to and from school? Fortunately the school does offer transportation for the kids in the special needs pre-school, where they don't for the regular pre-k. I stressed over this last fall as I prepared for Christopher's transition. My full day sitter is located out of state so there was no way that was going to work for the school transport. Finally I located a neighbor (parent of one of Allison's friends) to watch him after school. She is less than 1/2 mile from us so the transport was able to pick him up at home at an early 7:30 am and drop him off at the sitters before lunch. This sitter just told me that she will not be continuing after this school year ends. And its back to square one.
We have found a prospective sitter (through a friend of mom's). Unfortunately she is not 1/2 mile up the road so we can't get pick-up and drop-off transport. We will have to drop Christopher off at school in the morning and the van will take him to the new sitter's. I guess it is worth it because she has agreed to keep our current financial arrangements. (We do get a pretty good deal).
I love that the school is continuing his education since Birth to Three ended and that there is a Pre-K program in the county but these half-days are very tough. I'm not sure how people manage it. I guess they do it just like we are.
I wonder who will be getting up 4 days a week to get Christopher to school by 8 am.....
However, Christopher attends a special needs pre-school and it is only half day. How is a parent supposed to work a 9-5 job and get their child to and from school? Fortunately the school does offer transportation for the kids in the special needs pre-school, where they don't for the regular pre-k. I stressed over this last fall as I prepared for Christopher's transition. My full day sitter is located out of state so there was no way that was going to work for the school transport. Finally I located a neighbor (parent of one of Allison's friends) to watch him after school. She is less than 1/2 mile from us so the transport was able to pick him up at home at an early 7:30 am and drop him off at the sitters before lunch. This sitter just told me that she will not be continuing after this school year ends. And its back to square one.
We have found a prospective sitter (through a friend of mom's). Unfortunately she is not 1/2 mile up the road so we can't get pick-up and drop-off transport. We will have to drop Christopher off at school in the morning and the van will take him to the new sitter's. I guess it is worth it because she has agreed to keep our current financial arrangements. (We do get a pretty good deal).
I love that the school is continuing his education since Birth to Three ended and that there is a Pre-K program in the county but these half-days are very tough. I'm not sure how people manage it. I guess they do it just like we are.
I wonder who will be getting up 4 days a week to get Christopher to school by 8 am.....
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Another Sunday
We had another Sunday thrown out of routine and had to make adjustments. A lot of times Autism is a very routine oriented disorder. We are fortunate to not be a very routine family. We actually make efforts to avoid routines because of the risk for it to become ritualistic.
We left for church a little early because I knew I had to get gas along the way. This in itself is out of routine because Mammaw was out of town and we were not leaving in her car. Christopher did pretty well understanding that "Mammaw was all gone" and we were going in Mommy's car. I chose to go to the Flying J because the gas was nine cents cheaper per gallon and I had a huge fill-up to do. I guess it only saved me a couple of dollars to wait the 10-15 minutes but when the bill is going to hit over $50 the couple of dollars is worth it. So even though we left early, we was late getting to church. (Let me also say it took a little bit of chasing to get Christopher to put on clothes, Oh the phase we are in).
I took Christopher to class and he didn't want to go in. I took him into service with me to get through music. The awesome thing was, even before Christopher started to clap after the first song ended, others were clapping. Apparently, Christopher started a trend a couple of weeks ago for people to clap when a song was particularly moving. I felt a whole lot better about having him in service today. He still clapped and made some noise but I didn't fret over it. And amazingly, after the singing I carried him to class and he went in without incident.
Christopher was down for his nap when Mammaw came home so after he came in to see me upon waking I said Mammaw was home. He didn't believe me initially but when he checked the window he got SOOOO excited. We got ready and headed down to Mammaw's. He RAN to her door and RAN to give her a huge hug. Then he was done, but we stayed for a while anyways.
Overall, it was a pretty good day. Allison is doing well in her cartwheel class. Christopher stayed partially dressed most of the time. And I felt good having him at church and not as anxious as last time. He even settled down after a little while and let me hold him without wrestling.
Ahhhhh.......life is good......
We left for church a little early because I knew I had to get gas along the way. This in itself is out of routine because Mammaw was out of town and we were not leaving in her car. Christopher did pretty well understanding that "Mammaw was all gone" and we were going in Mommy's car. I chose to go to the Flying J because the gas was nine cents cheaper per gallon and I had a huge fill-up to do. I guess it only saved me a couple of dollars to wait the 10-15 minutes but when the bill is going to hit over $50 the couple of dollars is worth it. So even though we left early, we was late getting to church. (Let me also say it took a little bit of chasing to get Christopher to put on clothes, Oh the phase we are in).
I took Christopher to class and he didn't want to go in. I took him into service with me to get through music. The awesome thing was, even before Christopher started to clap after the first song ended, others were clapping. Apparently, Christopher started a trend a couple of weeks ago for people to clap when a song was particularly moving. I felt a whole lot better about having him in service today. He still clapped and made some noise but I didn't fret over it. And amazingly, after the singing I carried him to class and he went in without incident.
Christopher was down for his nap when Mammaw came home so after he came in to see me upon waking I said Mammaw was home. He didn't believe me initially but when he checked the window he got SOOOO excited. We got ready and headed down to Mammaw's. He RAN to her door and RAN to give her a huge hug. Then he was done, but we stayed for a while anyways.
Overall, it was a pretty good day. Allison is doing well in her cartwheel class. Christopher stayed partially dressed most of the time. And I felt good having him at church and not as anxious as last time. He even settled down after a little while and let me hold him without wrestling.
Ahhhhh.......life is good......
Friday, April 29, 2011
Let's Get NAKED!
Since my mom is out of town visiting the new grand-baby, I had to pick Christopher up from his after school sitter and bring him home. Within minutes he decided he didn't want to wear clothes. (I think his goal was a bath but he didn't mention that until I said it was not bath time). He has been on this kick taking off his socks and shoes. Well, today it started with the shirt. He managed to get the 2 buttons undone and pull the shirt off over his head. It wasn't smooth like someone who has been doing it a while but he did pretty good. (Mental note- let Christopher dress and undress himself). Next came the socks and shoes. He's gotten pretty good at that one. But no stopping there, down came the pants. At this point I tell him "no bath" in hopes that the diaper stays on. The diaper stays but he heads back the hallway saying bath so I use this as an opportune time to get him to go potty. He uses the potty and on goes a pull-up. (Whew- no meltdown about not getting a bath right now) Christopher spent the afternoon running around the house in a pull-up.
It's innocent today, and I'm hoping it doesn't cross environments and become a trend that turns into a problem. His IEP is next week so wouldn't it be great to have to address "Christopher has started stripping in class...."
It's innocent today, and I'm hoping it doesn't cross environments and become a trend that turns into a problem. His IEP is next week so wouldn't it be great to have to address "Christopher has started stripping in class...."
Thursday, April 28, 2011
He said what?
Communication is a huge hurdle to jump. When Christopher was 1 1/2 he had no words and did not babble. I always joked before he was born that he wouldn't talk because with his sister around, he'd never get a word in. He was diagnosed just before his second birthday and communication was non-existent. After the diagnosis, we finally started with PECS and Signing Time videos. PECS taught him to communicate but I think the bigger skill was learning that he had a way to get something he wanted. Christopher has never been a fussy child. He's always been very happy and would just go with the flow of things. PECS began that exchange process. He says something, he gets something and after a short time it began to click. He also learned a lot from the videos. I would have to watch the video and try to figure out what he was signing. The signs aren't always perfect but may be approximations. Over time, he has fluctuated between the frequency of each use. We probably use signs the most currently. He tries to say a lot of things.
Christopher has really taken to singing songs. I can't understand the words but he gets the melody enough to know what he is singing. I'm not sure what he is doing as far as speech development. I can't pin point sound or syllable replacement and I'm looking forward to the speech therapist's evaluation. He will just babble away at times. Sometimes I know he is trying to tell me something but it is just the same sounds over and over.
I have toyed with the idea of getting the IPOD Touch or another system and getting a communication program downloaded but I have hesitated because the speech has been coming slowly.
Christopher has really taken to singing songs. I can't understand the words but he gets the melody enough to know what he is singing. I'm not sure what he is doing as far as speech development. I can't pin point sound or syllable replacement and I'm looking forward to the speech therapist's evaluation. He will just babble away at times. Sometimes I know he is trying to tell me something but it is just the same sounds over and over.
I have toyed with the idea of getting the IPOD Touch or another system and getting a communication program downloaded but I have hesitated because the speech has been coming slowly.
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