RE: HELP HELP--- need some ideas here.........

[Guest guest]

Wow....I can't believe they are limiting his 'worry' time! My daughter is also very anxious and I can't see her school (spec ed) ever doing this. She always has worries. That's who she is. Do they think he can just turn it on and off? I know my daughter can't. That is why she panics. She struggles with her anxiety every day.....and they help her through it, reassure her, comfort her....talk it through with her.

Maralee

HELP HELP--- need some ideas here.........

Ok some of you.... I have written some on some of my lists, and some of my online friends, of my concern and upset the other day and informed that the high school has this conract idea for my son. , being both Aspergers and ADHD, has some issues with worrying. RECENTLY, one time he sent himself to the office of Spec Ed, the supposed "Safe Haven" and worried to them. Then he went to choir, after that he had study hall. THe SLP came to see him. She wanted to talk about things that she had planned and obsessed over his thoughts and worries about that same project he wil have to work on over Christmas break that upset him. They said that was upsetting to the staff as he couldnt stop obessing about his project that he was assigned.. SO, to supposedly help him. (They said that is what they want to do, and it is a good idea, but I want this fair to him) They set up a contract. I did not like the way it was written one sided. They said that they would change it per my requests, but I got a copy to day and it is the exact thing. I am upset. The only thing that they changed is that they stated that it was a "responsiblity plan". I just do not know what to make of this or what to do about this.

[Guest guest]

Limiting 'worry' time would just make me worry even more, and being

cut off in the middle of trying to explain it would only make it

worse. I mean jeez, 10 minutes? I spend 2 hours each night

worrying about pretty small things I guess, but I just have to do it.

> Wow....I can't believe they are limiting his 'worry' time! My

daughter is also very anxious and I can't see her school (spec ed)

ever doing this. She always has worries. That's who she is. Do they

think he can just turn it on and off? I know my daughter can't. That

is why she panics. She struggles with her anxiety every day.....and

they help her through it, reassure her, comfort her....talk it

through with her.

[Guest guest]

I think the second one sounds reasonable, IMHO. They're giving him at least 20 minutes per incident, and there is no limit on the number of incidents per day. They're trying to teach him that other people have limits, and to prevent him from monopolizing their services. I don't think this is anything against him; he's just not the only child they service, so they really can't have him in there all day long. I think they realize that he may come right back as soon as he leaves for a while.

Have you tried other ways for him to vent his worry? Has he tried journaling at all? I don't like to journal on paper, but with a keyboard my fingers can keep up with my brain, and it can be helpful for me to "talk" to the computer about it.

The other thing I've always done is find a chat room online and talk to a faceless stranger about it. Probably not appropriate for school, though, although it helped me through school. <g>

I don't know about them not providing a scheduled time with the SW. I agree with you, that if his IEP states it, then he needs that regular, scheduled time, and the times that he comes in on his own are more of a bonus.

Elaynemommy to Brenden, Tamara, & Caitlin (10/12/1999 @ 26w2d) and Liam (10/15/2002 @ 40w4d)