/Sara/Gareth update

[Guest guest]

<<Another acronym coming up - SHDC - wonder how many of our kids have this

one too???>>

Hi, Everyone.... & Sara....LMAO.....Gareth had this, too!!! His

autism and behavioral issues all went away as soon as he was dumped into a Life

Skills class in the *school district from H#$$* Oh, them there magical

doors, them there magical doors!!! Unfortunately, our district did waste

over $70,000 fighting inclusion.....and lost....big time!!! After that

fiasco, the head of Spec Ed, her side kick, and the IU 13 spec ed person all

decided to find employment elsewhere. Even the superintendent didn't last long

after that!!!

Unfortunately, from what I hear from others still in the district, it's

still pathetic for spec ed kids.

I finally got the courage to start Gareth on that new med last Monday. I

gave it to him in the morning (Monday) and he dozed on and off all day. So

the next day (Tuesday), I gave it to him at bedtime. The med is

Amantadine....used to prevent or lessen flu symptoms and used by Parkinson pts.

Anyways....I don't want to be overly optimistic just yet, BUT....for the first

time in two yrs or more, Gareth is *lucid* enough to answer questions,

promptly responds to questions/conversations, initiates conversations (!!!),

wanted a haircut (I took 6 " off !!!), and wants to run errands with me

instead of vegging out in his hammock swing all day. The kid that I thought we

had lost is coming back!!! The med is suppose to be eliminated from the

system daily, not build up, which is good. The other plus, and it's a big

plus!!!, is that I have dropped his nightly Risperdal completely with NO side

affects as for anger/aggressiveness, non-compliance, etc. Sooooooooooo,

he's down to 1 mg of Risperdal in the morning and that's it. Now watch,

tomorrow morning I will wake up and the bubble will be burst!!! It's been an

enjoyable week.........

Take care, Everyone.

Margaret