annmarie62197

[Guest guest]

Hi Kalle,

Just wanted to chime in - I am mostly a lurker but wanted to say hi. I

don't think 6 is too young for a diagnosis and think that the issues you

mentioned; not being able to stand in line, running down the hall, not

pulling his pants up fast enough in the bathroom - are pretty typical for

any child with a cognitive disability. I have two boys with Down syndrome

and autism, both just had birthdays and turned 10 and 12. They are pretty

able, the older one in particular loves academic work and is surprising even

me with what he can do. I think once this year he ran down the hall but he

did it many times last year - in a very much naughty little boy way, maybe

just like your son.

I feel that a part of advocacy is helping the teachers understand that our

kids are SUPPOSE to be immature, which doesn't mean we just accept it but

that they have to be taught to stand in line like everyone else. They have

to be taught to hurry, hurry in school bathrooms, and while it is great fun

to run down the hall and watch teachers make lots of noise, it isn't

appropriate.

Do you think the school is wrong about your son having autism because he is

so social? My boys are very social. If they are feeling safe and their

sensory needs are met, it is difficult to believe they have autism. It

becomes more clear when trying to explain the depth of social relationships.

I don't know how many times I have had to explain, " If you call someone a

poopy, they are going to get mad " . It only sinks in if we write a social

story about it.

I lived in the Chicago area when my oldest was first adopted and discovered

that I did a better job with early intervention than anyone else we met so

we skipped formal early intervention. I did work with him daily and

continue to work with both my boys so I can't say they didn't get

intervention. My job took me to Columbus, Ohio for a few years. I remember

trying one preschool where they believed children should " discover " how the

classroom works. About an hour after I dropped my son off I received a

phone call saying he was throwing blocks and to come get him. When I got

there he was holed up in the bathroom. When I asked him what happened he

said, " They won't explain the rules to me mom. I don't know what to do. " I

was so frustrated, someone couldn't have talked him through the first hour?!

But this is the autism piece, this need to know what is going to happen

next.

So, a diagnosis can be helpful. It can be used in identifying new

strategies for teaching. But it should feel right to you as wll. And I'll

confess that I moved my boys to Madison, Wisconsin because the school

district here practices full inclusion. I may have to advocate for better

behavior strategies but there isn't any place else for them to go but in the

regular classroom.

My 10 year old is more of a reluctant learner and I have wondered if a

specialized classroom could do more for him but when I weigh it all out, he

believes he belongs in his classroom and that is good enough for me.

Blessings,

Lori, mom to Isaac 12 and Tony 10