Guest guest Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 Hi , I was recently surprised when I brought my son to our schools recreation program and a college (special ed.) student already received some education on Aspergers. I believe it won't be long before most schools are familiar with this syndrome and the needs of our children (ie. occupational, speech, social....) Unfortunately, many private therapists (ie. social workers, mental health therapists, counselors) are unaware of Aspergers. I'm a clinical social worker who works primarily with children and adolescents so I know that my fellow co-workers aren't educated in Asperger's. One suggestion that might be helpful is to contact your local Autism Society and asked them if there are any therapists/psychologists that work with children w/AS. From my perspective, one on one " talk " therapy isn't helpful with kids. However, skill based activities/exercises with children are. (ie. anger-management skills, identify/expressing feelings, conflict-resolution skills, problem-solving skills, relaxation techniques, etc...) Many therapists who work primarily with children can help your child develop these skills and make it fun too. Learning social skills at school has many advantages, especially since our kids can immediately use the skills they are learning. Hope this helps. Our 8 year old isn't on medication, however having your child evaluated by a child psychiatrist (for medication) is also an option. Take care, --- lisa mahoney <lmaho2003@...> wrote: > Hi group, > I am pretty knew to all this and it appears that I > may find more answers here than with the > professionals in my area. No one has every told me > about different methods of therapy for children with > as. My son was in a friendship group at school with > the counselor and 3 other children. In talking with > a few people recently I found out it was ridiculous > that my sons school did not give him occupational > therapy. I was told this is so basic and one of the > main things he should be receiving. So we are in > that process. The school mentioned a few times and > put on the IEP that they feel he needs outside > therapy. At school next year he will receive > friendship club 1x per week and one on one with the > counselor to help with anxiety and meltdowns. The > counselors here are just briefly trained by an > Autism Specialist from the area. No formal or > extensive training. Hopefully he will be receiving > occupational therapy as well. I am at a loss > searching for outside help. What type of therapy > should he be > receiving? He will already be in a friendship club > at school. I don't want anyone just sitting there > talking to him for an hour. If that worked he would > have been helped years ago. What are your thoughts > on therapy?works/ doesn't work, will be redundant > with what he gets in school, what type of > therapist/doctor should we look for? The person that > diagnosed him wants to stay away from meds.What in > the world can help my son? It's the same problems > everyday. Mostly playing with other kids. Major > meltdowns all the time. He gets sooooo angry at > them, thinking they are cheating or doing something > terrible to him. He wants to have friends and play > but just can't handle it. We are at a loss. > Thank you all, > > > > --------------------------------- > Start your day with - make it your home page > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 Hi - our son is 9 and when younger he received both play therapy and participated in social skills groups = at one point as many as 3 at once...I found this therapy to be helpful...ann >From: Sherwood <mome2at32@...> >Reply- > >Subject: Re: ( ) Can therapy help >Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 08:35:05 -0700 (PDT) > >Hi , > >I was recently surprised when I brought my son to our >schools recreation program and a college (special ed.) >student already received some education on Aspergers. >I believe it won't be long before most schools are >familiar with this syndrome and the needs of our >children (ie. occupational, speech, social....) >Unfortunately, many private therapists (ie. social >workers, mental health therapists, counselors) are >unaware of Aspergers. I'm a clinical social worker who >works primarily with children and adolescents so I >know that my fellow co-workers aren't educated in >Asperger's. One suggestion that might be helpful is >to contact your local Autism Society and asked them if >there are any therapists/psychologists that work with >children w/AS. From my perspective, one on one " talk " >therapy isn't helpful with kids. However, skill based >activities/exercises with children are. (ie. >anger-management skills, identify/expressing feelings, >conflict-resolution skills, problem-solving skills, >relaxation techniques, etc...) Many therapists who >work primarily with children can help your child >develop these skills and make it fun too. >Learning social skills at school has many advantages, >especially since our kids can immediately use the >skills they are learning. Hope this helps. Our 8 >year old isn't on medication, however having your >child evaluated by a child psychiatrist (for >medication) is also an option. > >Take care, > > > >--- lisa mahoney <lmaho2003@...> wrote: > > > Hi group, > > I am pretty knew to all this and it appears that I > > may find more answers here than with the > > professionals in my area. No one has every told me > > about different methods of therapy for children with > > as. My son was in a friendship group at school with > > the counselor and 3 other children. In talking with > > a few people recently I found out it was ridiculous > > that my sons school did not give him occupational > > therapy. I was told this is so basic and one of the > > main things he should be receiving. So we are in > > that process. The school mentioned a few times and > > put on the IEP that they feel he needs outside > > therapy. At school next year he will receive > > friendship club 1x per week and one on one with the > > counselor to help with anxiety and meltdowns. The > > counselors here are just briefly trained by an > > Autism Specialist from the area. No formal or > > extensive training. Hopefully he will be receiving > > occupational therapy as well. I am at a loss > > searching for outside help. What type of therapy > > should he be > > receiving? He will already be in a friendship club > > at school. I don't want anyone just sitting there > > talking to him for an hour. If that worked he would > > have been helped years ago. What are your thoughts > > on therapy?works/ doesn't work, will be redundant > > with what he gets in school, what type of > > therapist/doctor should we look for? The person that > > diagnosed him wants to stay away from meds.What in > > the world can help my son? It's the same problems > > everyday. Mostly playing with other kids. Major > > meltdowns all the time. He gets sooooo angry at > > them, thinking they are cheating or doing something > > terrible to him. He wants to have friends and play > > but just can't handle it. We are at a loss. > > Thank you all, > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Start your day with - make it your home page > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > > >__________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 , The therapist who works with our 17 year old son is a Ph.D. therapist who is trained to work with all ages, ranging from one year olds through adults. She works a lot as a play therapist. She has a great sense of humor and shares my son's love of a good political discussion. She sets firm limits, but is very loving, too. (Before she became a therapist, she was a preschool teacher.) We found her by asking our health insurance provider for names of therapists who could help someone with a chronic illness (my daughter at the time). Liz On Jul 26, 2005, at 3:35 AM, lisa mahoney wrote: > Hi group, > I am pretty knew to all this and it appears that I may find more > answers here than with the professionals in my area. No one has every > told me about different methods of therapy for children with as. My > son was in a friendship group at school with the counselor and 3 other > children. In talking with a few people recently I found out it was > ridiculous that my sons school did not give him occupational therapy. > I was told this is so basic and one of the main things he should be > receiving. So we are in that process. The school mentioned a few times > and put on the IEP that they feel he needs outside therapy. At school > next year he will receive friendship club 1x per week and one on one > with the counselor to help with anxiety and meltdowns. The counselors > here are just briefly trained by an Autism Specialist from the area. > No formal or extensive training. Hopefully he will be receiving > occupational therapy as well. I am at a loss searching for outside > help. What type of therapy should he be > receiving? He will already be in a friendship club at school. I don't > want anyone just sitting there talking to him for an hour. If that > worked he would have been helped years ago. What are your thoughts on > therapy?works/ doesn't work, will be redundant with what he gets in > school, what type of therapist/doctor should we look for? The person > that diagnosed him wants to stay away from meds.What in the world can > help my son? It's the same problems everyday. Mostly playing with > other kids. Major meltdowns all the time. He gets sooooo angry at > them, thinking they are cheating or doing something terrible to him. > He wants to have friends and play but just can't handle it. We are at > a loss. > Thank you all, > > > > --------------------------------- > Start your day with - make it your home page > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 How old is your son? --- lisa mahoney <lmaho2003@...> wrote: > Hi group, > I am pretty knew to all this and it appears that I > may find more answers here than with the > professionals in my area. No one has every told me > about different methods of therapy for children with > as. ____________________________________________________ Start your day with - make it your home page http://www./r/hs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 2, 2005 Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 My son will be 8 years old in Sept. He is starting 2nd grade. Laurie Feller <lfeller_us@...> wrote:How old is your son? --- lisa mahoney <lmaho2003@...> wrote: > Hi group, > I am pretty knew to all this and it appears that I > may find more answers here than with the > professionals in my area. No one has every told me > about different methods of therapy for children with > as. ____________________________________________________ Start your day with - make it your home page http://www./r/hs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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