Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 We'd been sitting on a report from developmental pediatrician that we got this summer which clearly and strongly recommended implementing an ABA (applied behavioral analysis) program with discrete trial training, using floortime activities for breaks, for Charlie, turned 6 in July, Ds, autistic spectrum disorder, left somewhat visually impaired from bilateral congenital cataracts. The same doctor who gave us a dual dx for Charlie a couple of years ago, from follow up visit in May basically said she wasn't satisfied with amount of progress she was seeing and thought it was time to try a more intensive program, at least for a 6 to 12 month trial. Lynn and I had discussed an autistic support program using ABA with school at last IEP meeting last year. They thought the special ed program he was in, using lots of floortime, would be better for Charlie. And we readily, maybe too readily, joined in that consensus opinion. I didn't really like the idea of putting Charlie in an autistic classroom, we liked his current classroom, teachers, aides, therapists. And were not looking forward to the change and the added work that putting him in an ABA program would involve. Well, doctor's report and recommendations says we were wrong. Need at least to try ABA to see if that can get Charlie moving on the developmental track. And this doctor has been right about a number of other issues, moderate sleep apnea and reflux are two, so that I would not want to ignore her. So, we finally got around to discussing her report and recommendations with school staff last Friday. Met with case manager from the school, case manager from our school district, and current teacher. Both case managers stressed that this would be a big change, and one that Charlie might not be too happy about, and that we might find the home component of an ABA program somewhat burdensome. Current teacher, whom we like a lot, liked a lot even before she came to Charlie's Miracle League game the night before, expressed some reservations. Well, first, she said she, of course, would like to keep Charlie in her class. But she also said they had tried ABA type exercises with Charlie and she thought it might be difficult for such a program to work for him. Charlie does things in his own way and in his own time, and when he feels like it. Otherwise, though he's a really easy going, laid back kid--eliminating bad behaviors, addressing problems, is fortunately not at issue here--he can be quite uncooperative, resistant, even stubborn. Maybe being too laid back will be a problem, current teacher thinks may have a hard time finding anything to use as a motivator to get ABA program to work. Anyway, after discussing the pro's and con's and pitfalls of all this, school case manager called across the street and arranged for us to get tour of some autistic classrooms where Charlie might be placed. Got the tour conducted by principal who used to be principal at Charlie's school a couple of years ago. I wasn't overjoyed with what I saw, but was looking at it from the perspective of, well, if this is where we have to go to get the services doctor was recommending, then I was in favor of giving it a try. Lynn, I think, had much stronger misgivings. But, interestingly, the person who came out and said that these classrooms really didn't feel like the right fit for Charlie was case manager from our school district. She said, let's wait, think about it, and explore some other possibilities. There ensued some discussion among the education professionals about how you put a school age kid into a preschool program. And they need to consult with another principal. So, the result of our meeting was we agreed to meet again. Maybe take a look at another class or two. Believe we're exploring the option of placing Charlie in an autistic program for 4 and 5 yearolds, instead of putting him with 6 and 7 yearolds. I believe Lynn and I continue to be very poor resources for how to fight with your school system. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, missing something, or am totally out of it. But our local public education system has always seemed to me to be quite supportive and cooperative in trying to provide good and appropriate services for Charlie. Maybe if Charlie were doing much, much better and we were wanting a fully included program, then we'd have a different story. Dunno. But I have heard and read many stories of parents having to advocate, and sometimes having to fight really hard and long, to get their kids what they need. And that's never been our experience. And this time, it was the person from our sending school district who stepped up and said, wait, let's see if we can't do better here. So, we still don't have any school horror stories. We appear to have run into a bunch of education professionals who not only do their jobs, but try to do their jobs well, sometimes go to extra lengths trying to do their jobs well. Of course, stay tuned. This is not a done deal. And then only later will we see how things work out. Cheers, Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 I just wanted to say that this school year Trisha started in the Autism school and she has made very good progress using ABA as well as other methods of learning. She doesn't have the exposure to as many typical peers as before but then she couldn't interact with them before either. In the month that she has been at this school, her eye contact, answering yes/no questions, her signing, following directions have improved greatly. She has even begun to participate in group without having a melt-down. I had to weigh what was more important for us and for us it was finding a way to help her learn, being social wasn't going to cut it for us if she could function in the real world. As we go along we will find more and more ways of exposing her to more typical peers but to be honest, that is not top priority right now. Even though in her old school she would have resource classes with typical peers it consisted of her sitting away from everyone else in her own little world. I doubt she will be hanging around mostly typical peers when she is older if she is happy and enjoying her friends of any abilites I am happy as well. Trisha is really learning and that is really going to help her in life and I am so grateful that she is being given this opportunity. :-) Carol She isn't typical, She's Trisha! If we always do what we always did, we'll always get what we always gotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Hi Carol! Sounds wonderful, hope things continue to go well for Trisha!~ Viola Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Bob: Where do you guys live. Tori & Charlie are too much alike. She was born with bilateral cataracts as well...DS/PDD-NOS....etc.. We are in Pa. Liz Latest school visit > We'd been sitting on a report from developmental pediatrician that we got > this summer > which clearly and strongly recommended implementing an ABA (applied > behavioral > analysis) program with discrete trial training, using floortime activities > for breaks, for > Charlie, turned 6 in July, Ds, autistic spectrum disorder, left somewhat > visually impaired > from bilateral congenital cataracts. > The same doctor who gave us a dual dx for Charlie a couple of years ago, > from follow up > visit in May basically said she wasn't satisfied with amount of progress > she was seeing and > thought it was time to try a more intensive program, at least for a 6 to > 12 month trial. > Lynn and I had discussed an autistic support program using ABA with school > at last IEP > meeting last year. They thought the special ed program he was in, using > lots of floortime, > would be better for Charlie. And we readily, maybe too readily, joined in > that consensus > opinion. I didn't really like the idea of putting Charlie in an autistic > classroom, we liked his > current classroom, teachers, aides, therapists. And were not looking > forward to the change > and the added work that putting him in an ABA program would involve. > Well, doctor's report and recommendations says we were wrong. Need at > least to try ABA > to see if that can get Charlie moving on the developmental track. And this > doctor has been > right about a number of other issues, moderate sleep apnea and reflux are > two, so that I > would not want to ignore her. > So, we finally got around to discussing her report and recommendations > with school staff > last Friday. Met with case manager from the school, case manager from our > school district, > and current teacher. Both case managers stressed that this would be a big > change, and > one that Charlie might not be too happy about, and that we might find the > home > component of an ABA program somewhat burdensome. Current teacher, whom we > like a > lot, liked a lot even before she came to Charlie's Miracle League game the > night before, > expressed some reservations. Well, first, she said she, of course, would > like to keep > Charlie in her class. But she also said they had tried ABA type exercises > with Charlie and > she thought it might be difficult for such a program to work for him. > Charlie does things in > his own way and in his own time, and when he feels like it. Otherwise, > though he's a really > easy going, laid back kid--eliminating bad behaviors, addressing problems, > is fortunately > not at issue here--he can be quite uncooperative, resistant, even > stubborn. Maybe being > too laid back will be a problem, current teacher thinks may have a hard > time finding > anything to use as a motivator to get ABA program to work. > Anyway, after discussing the pro's and con's and pitfalls of all this, > school case manager > called across the street and arranged for us to get tour of some autistic > classrooms where > Charlie might be placed. Got the tour conducted by principal who used to > be principal at > Charlie's school a couple of years ago. I wasn't overjoyed with what I > saw, but was looking > at it from the perspective of, well, if this is where we have to go to get > the services doctor > was recommending, then I was in favor of giving it a try. Lynn, I think, > had much stronger > misgivings. But, interestingly, the person who came out and said that > these classrooms > really didn't feel like the right fit for Charlie was case manager from > our school district. > She said, let's wait, think about it, and explore some other > possibilities. There ensued > some discussion among the education professionals about how you put a > school age kid > into a preschool program. And they need to consult with another principal. > So, the result of our meeting was we agreed to meet again. Maybe take a > look at another > class or two. Believe we're exploring the option of placing Charlie in an > autistic program > for 4 and 5 yearolds, instead of putting him with 6 and 7 yearolds. > I believe Lynn and I continue to be very poor resources for how to fight > with your school > system. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, missing something, or am totally > out of it. But > our local public education system has always seemed to me to be quite > supportive and > cooperative in trying to provide good and appropriate services for > Charlie. Maybe if Charlie > were doing much, much better and we were wanting a fully included program, > then we'd > have a different story. Dunno. > But I have heard and read many stories of parents having to advocate, and > sometimes > having to fight really hard and long, to get their kids what they need. > And that's never > been our experience. And this time, it was the person from our sending > school district > who stepped up and said, wait, let's see if we can't do better here. So, > we still don't have > any school horror stories. We appear to have run into a bunch of education > professionals > who not only do their jobs, but try to do their jobs well, sometimes go to > extra lengths > trying to do their jobs well. > Of course, stay tuned. This is not a done deal. And then only later will > we see how things > work out. > Cheers, > Bob > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------- > Checkout our homepage for information, bookmarks, and photos > of our kids. Share favorite bookmarks, ideas, and other information by > including them. Don't forget, messages are a permanent record of the > archives for our list. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ > -------------------------------------------- > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2005 Report Share Posted October 9, 2005 Hi Carol, Trisha must feel very happy and content in her new school. It is so nice to hear that she is getting the right services and is doing so well. I think you made a good move for her sake. Inclusion is all well and good if the accomodations and services are done properly and available, if not it is the worst possible situation. It certainly is not the least restrictive environment for all children. Trisha is with other children and probably enjoys and relates to them more than she ever did with her typical peers. Whatever environment that works is what's best. I wouldn't even be concerned about her having exposure to her typical peers. It's wonderful that Trisha was able to stay focused for three hours and actually enjoyed her project that had meaning to her. Charlyne Mom to Zeb 12 DS/OCD/ASD? Csvillars@... wrote: I just wanted to say that this school year Trisha started in the Autism school and she has made very good progress using ABA as well as other methods of learning. She doesn't have the exposure to as many typical peers as before but then she couldn't interact with them before either. In the month that she has been at this school, her eye contact, answering yes/no questions, her signing, following directions have improved greatly. She has even begun to participate in group without having a melt-down. I had to weigh what was more important for us and for us it was finding a way to help her learn, being social wasn't going to cut it for us if she could function in the real world. As we go along we will find more and more ways of exposing her to more typical peers but to be honest, that is not top priority right now. Even though in her old school she would have resource classes with typical peers it consisted of her sitting away from everyone else in her own little world. I doubt she will be hanging around mostly typical peers when she is older if she is happy and enjoying her friends of any abilites I am happy as well. Trisha is really learning and that is really going to help her in life and I am so grateful that she is being given this opportunity. :-) Carol She isn't typical, She's Trisha! If we always do what we always did, we'll always get what we always gotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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