Re: What would you do have done differently?

October 14, 2003

My daughter (almost 15) is a very good reader and I attribute some of that skill to a focus on story reading every night. She also struggles with math so I'd start early on simple counting and number activities, perhaps. And she still struggles with money values so that might be another area I'd work on, when it occurs naturally. (A nickel is worth five pennies, etc.)

maralee

What would you do have done differently?

Hi all:at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according to his neuropsych has "mild Aspergers") really target handwriting and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those issues at about 3rd grade. For those of you with kids in higher elementary grades or middle school, are there any other skills/issues you would go back and really address, now that you know their importance? Thanks in advance!Elaine

October 14, 2003

My daughter (almost 15) is a very good reader and I attribute some of that skill to a focus on story reading every night. She also struggles with math so I'd start early on simple counting and number activities, perhaps. And she still struggles with money values so that might be another area I'd work on, when it occurs naturally. (A nickel is worth five pennies, etc.)

maralee

What would you do have done differently?

Hi all:at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according to his neuropsych has "mild Aspergers") really target handwriting and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those issues at about 3rd grade. For those of you with kids in higher elementary grades or middle school, are there any other skills/issues you would go back and really address, now that you know their importance? Thanks in advance!Elaine

October 14, 2003

My daughter (almost 15) is a very good reader and I attribute some of that skill to a focus on story reading every night. She also struggles with math so I'd start early on simple counting and number activities, perhaps. And she still struggles with money values so that might be another area I'd work on, when it occurs naturally. (A nickel is worth five pennies, etc.)

maralee

What would you do have done differently?

Hi all:at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according to his neuropsych has "mild Aspergers") really target handwriting and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those issues at about 3rd grade. For those of you with kids in higher elementary grades or middle school, are there any other skills/issues you would go back and really address, now that you know their importance? Thanks in advance!Elaine

October 14, 2003

Elaine,

If I were you I would also start on keyboarding early as your son may

just never have great fine motor skills due to the AS. Push for OT as

soon as your son starts showing any fine motor delay as that is a

huge mistake I made with my 10 yo in not pushing it as soon as the

school said he was slightly delayed, and now at 10 he is functioning

on about a 5 yo level with his fine motor. However he keyboards like

a son of a gun since that is hand eye coordination and he functions

at about a 15yo level at that. (Go figure)

Dana (joey's mom-the greatest 10 year old expert on everything-just

ask him he'll tell you)

> Hi all:

>

> at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got

> some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according

> to his neuropsych has " mild Aspergers " ) really target handwriting

> and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those

> issues at about 3rd grade.

>

> For those of you with kids in higher elementary grades or middle

> school, are there any other skills/issues you would go back and

> really address, now that you know their importance?

>

> Thanks in advance!

>

> Elaine

October 14, 2003

Elaine,

If I were you I would also start on keyboarding early as your son may

just never have great fine motor skills due to the AS. Push for OT as

soon as your son starts showing any fine motor delay as that is a

huge mistake I made with my 10 yo in not pushing it as soon as the

school said he was slightly delayed, and now at 10 he is functioning

on about a 5 yo level with his fine motor. However he keyboards like

a son of a gun since that is hand eye coordination and he functions

at about a 15yo level at that. (Go figure)

Dana (joey's mom-the greatest 10 year old expert on everything-just

ask him he'll tell you)

> Hi all:

>

> at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got

> some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according

> to his neuropsych has " mild Aspergers " ) really target handwriting

> and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those

> issues at about 3rd grade.

>

> For those of you with kids in higher elementary grades or middle

> school, are there any other skills/issues you would go back and

> really address, now that you know their importance?

>

> Thanks in advance!

>

> Elaine

October 15, 2003

Teach the young children that how to ask for help in school when they

need it. I think it's part of the " Theory of Mind " problem that AS

kids have. They think that teachers (and other people around them)

just KNOW when the kid is having trouble with something, & they don't

understand that they must ask for help when they need it. My son is

18 years old, & he still has major problems with that. His school

years could have been so much easier if he had learned this skill at

an early age.

Candace in Colordo

> Hi all:

>

> at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got

> some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according

> to his neuropsych has " mild Aspergers " ) really target handwriting

> and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those

> issues at about 3rd grade.

>

> For those of you with kids in higher elementary grades or middle

> school, are there any other skills/issues you would go back and

> really address, now that you know their importance?

>

> Thanks in advance!

>

> Elaine

October 15, 2003

Teach the young children that how to ask for help in school when they

need it. I think it's part of the " Theory of Mind " problem that AS

kids have. They think that teachers (and other people around them)

just KNOW when the kid is having trouble with something, & they don't

understand that they must ask for help when they need it. My son is

18 years old, & he still has major problems with that. His school

years could have been so much easier if he had learned this skill at

an early age.

Candace in Colordo

> Hi all:

>

> at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got

> some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according

> to his neuropsych has " mild Aspergers " ) really target handwriting

> and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those

> issues at about 3rd grade.

>

> For those of you with kids in higher elementary grades or middle

> school, are there any other skills/issues you would go back and

> really address, now that you know their importance?

>

> Thanks in advance!

>

> Elaine

October 15, 2003

Teach the young children that how to ask for help in school when they

need it. I think it's part of the " Theory of Mind " problem that AS

kids have. They think that teachers (and other people around them)

just KNOW when the kid is having trouble with something, & they don't

understand that they must ask for help when they need it. My son is

18 years old, & he still has major problems with that. His school

years could have been so much easier if he had learned this skill at

an early age.

Candace in Colordo

> Hi all:

>

> at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got

> some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according

> to his neuropsych has " mild Aspergers " ) really target handwriting

> and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those

> issues at about 3rd grade.

>

> For those of you with kids in higher elementary grades or middle

> school, are there any other skills/issues you would go back and

> really address, now that you know their importance?

>

> Thanks in advance!

>

> Elaine

October 15, 2003

I agree with reading every night. Teach your child that books &

reading are pleasurable things. This is great even with non-AS kids.

Children who are read to regularly at an early age develop a love of

the printed word that carries them through life.

My son didn't have problems with math. I don't know if it was a

natural ability or not, but one thing I know that helped: starting

at about pre-school age we played board games that involved numbers

of some sort. One of his favorites was Monopoly Junior. He loved to

count the money, and quickly learned basics of adding and subtracting

small amounts from playing that game. It was just fun for him, not

work. If you start to think about it, & take a good look at them,

all kinds of games involve counting of some sort.

Candace in Colorado

> My daughter (almost 15) is a very good reader and I attribute some

of that skill to a focus on story reading every night. She also

struggles with math so I'd start early on simple counting and number

activities, perhaps. And she still struggles with money values so

that might be another area I'd work on, when it occurs naturally. (A

nickel is worth five pennies, etc.)

> maralee

> What would you do have done

differently?

>

> Hi all:

>

> at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got

> some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according

> to his neuropsych has " mild Aspergers " ) really target handwriting

> and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those

> issues at about 3rd grade.

>

> For those of you with kids in higher elementary grades or middle

> school, are there any other skills/issues you would go back and

> really address, now that you know their importance?

>

> Thanks in advance!

>

> Elaine

>

October 15, 2003

Teach the young children that how to ask for help in school when they

need it. I think it's part of the " Theory of Mind " problem that AS

kids have. ........ [Gail Africa] yes, very important. Also, teach the

why of everything, direct instruction without the child understanding

why will not translate to other situations.

>

> at our local Asperger's support group meeting this week, I got

> some great advice that we (my son is in GenEd K and according

> to his neuropsych has " mild Aspergers " ) really target handwriting

> and notetaking early, since many AS kids fall apart on those

> issues at about 3rd grade. .....Gail: I would teach hand writing

with the program called 'Handwriting Without Tears " , I have heard many

good reports about this. Also, key boarding as others have said.

[Gail Africa] I find the 'note taking' early suggestion interesting, I

hope they provided 'how to' do this. I would say it is a very difficult

skill, which would need to be done slowly and systematically.

[Gail Africa] Again, as Maralee said, read everyday and discuss the

emotions of the characters. Stop and make comments about the character,

get to the point of the emotions.

[Gail Africa] I would do more sensory work. Go to the play ground more,

exercises at home, play doe, paint, cook... listen to books on tape,

music...Got to go..Gail

October 15, 2003