This has to be quick, because we are leaving for Michigan in a couple hours, and I have tons of packing to do still!
Mason had his first day of Social Skills Therapy today!!! I was SO nervous about it. And also a little skeptical. The analysist called on Monday, to tell me to bring him in his bathing suit and sunblock, because if it was nice they where going to go out in the sprinkler. And all I could think was "I'm paying you $40/hr to teach my kid to run through a sprinkler?!" Anywho...
We got there, and I sat down to fill out paperwork, when the Lara (behavior analyst) came up to get the kids. He didn't want to go w/her at first, but then she said they where going outside, and he was all over it!
Lara said he did really well. He needed to pushed a little to interact w/the other kids, but he did do it. He talked to her, and Kate (assistant) and even told them when he had to go potty (huge relief for me, I wasn't sure if he would be telling the teachers at pre school or not). She said he got a little quiet towards the end, and if they had let him, he would've just done his own thing, and not played w/the kids (but that doesn't surprise me). When it was over, he said good-bye to the kids, and Lara and Kate and told me he had fun. They will continue to work on communication, but they said he listened and followed directions well. They had to hold hands w/a buddy, when they walked from one activity to another, and he did that too! I'm really proud of him, and he says he had fun.
It was nice to sit w/other parents who are going down this road. No one asked me why he covered his ears when they turned the sprinkler on, and like 2 other kids did it. I also realized how lucky we are, because a couple of those kids are having a lot bigger issues then Mason is. It's just good to be around other people who "get it." Everyone (family and friends) has been wonderful and supportive, but it's not the same as talking to people who are living it.
Well, we are off for a weekend of boating, fishing, and swimming! (and wine drinking after the kids go to bed) It should be tons of fun!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
T - 7 Days
Until Mason starts group therapy! I'm feeling very optimistic about it. I really feel he's going to do well. Hopefully that's not a naive opinion. We are leaving that afternoon for Michigan, so I'll try and do a quick update before we go. If it goes really bad, Kris and Mich can watch my kids and I'll just get really drunk Friday night at the cottage, LOL (like how I put that on you guys??)
Anyway, he's doing well, I'm going to start talking to him about therapy. Not sure how you explain it to a 3y/o, but I guess I'll tell him he's going to play, and to learn how to play w/other kids. I don't think he'll like it much at first. It's certainly going to force him to step out of his confort zone. I'll be there, at the center, but if he's clinging to me, they have a place I can sit and watch w/o him seeing me. This past weekend, he was playing on the back deck, and Jerime was painting the side door of the garage and Mason asked him "Daddy! What are you doing?!" I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but the fact that he's expressing intrest in what someone else is doing, is huge!! Autistic children are often only intrested in what they are doing, and what they like, etc, so this is a good sign. Plus his speech and sentance structure was correct. He screws up pronouns ALOT. It's getting better, because we are constantly correcting him, and forcing him to say it the right way every. single. time. He says "Can you sit on my lap, mommy?" When he wants to sit on my lap. I'll say "Can I?" and he'll say "Sure!" and then climb up. He just doesn't get it yet. In fact, I've noticed alot, recently, that he really has a hard time correctly answering questions. He might say yes, when he means no, or just say something completely unrelated to what you ask him. That is NOT a good sign. Hopefully these issues will resolve w/ttherapy, though.
On a good note, the therapy center called, and they have an opening for speech! He'll start in the middle of July. I didn't think we would be able to get in for months, since there were 25 kids ahead of him on the waiting list. They'll evaluate him then, and determine what he needs. He definately has a language delay. Fortunately, the bloodsucking insurance company WILL pay for his speech. The pediatrician will write an apraxia of speech DX so they have to pay for it. I'm fairly certain he doesn't have apraxia, this is just a way of ensuring the insurance will pay for it.
I think that's it! I'll definately try and update before we leave for MI next weekend!
Anyway, he's doing well, I'm going to start talking to him about therapy. Not sure how you explain it to a 3y/o, but I guess I'll tell him he's going to play, and to learn how to play w/other kids. I don't think he'll like it much at first. It's certainly going to force him to step out of his confort zone. I'll be there, at the center, but if he's clinging to me, they have a place I can sit and watch w/o him seeing me. This past weekend, he was playing on the back deck, and Jerime was painting the side door of the garage and Mason asked him "Daddy! What are you doing?!" I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but the fact that he's expressing intrest in what someone else is doing, is huge!! Autistic children are often only intrested in what they are doing, and what they like, etc, so this is a good sign. Plus his speech and sentance structure was correct. He screws up pronouns ALOT. It's getting better, because we are constantly correcting him, and forcing him to say it the right way every. single. time. He says "Can you sit on my lap, mommy?" When he wants to sit on my lap. I'll say "Can I?" and he'll say "Sure!" and then climb up. He just doesn't get it yet. In fact, I've noticed alot, recently, that he really has a hard time correctly answering questions. He might say yes, when he means no, or just say something completely unrelated to what you ask him. That is NOT a good sign. Hopefully these issues will resolve w/ttherapy, though.
On a good note, the therapy center called, and they have an opening for speech! He'll start in the middle of July. I didn't think we would be able to get in for months, since there were 25 kids ahead of him on the waiting list. They'll evaluate him then, and determine what he needs. He definately has a language delay. Fortunately, the bloodsucking insurance company WILL pay for his speech. The pediatrician will write an apraxia of speech DX so they have to pay for it. I'm fairly certain he doesn't have apraxia, this is just a way of ensuring the insurance will pay for it.
I think that's it! I'll definately try and update before we leave for MI next weekend!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Randomness
Mason is going to DNS for sure, YAY! I talked to Donna on Saturday, and he's definately going to go there 2 mornings a week, and then to Westlake, however many days they deem is necessary. Such a small victory! It felt like such a big thing, though. Just the thought of him not going to the nursery school I always thought he'd go to, made the whole thing that much more real. We are so lucky to have found DNS. It's such a wonderful school. Hayley has certainly thrived there the last 2 years. I'm so glad Mason will get to have that experience too.
On Sunday we went to a birthday party. There were a zillion kids there (it was at a park), and it made me sad to watch him. He obviously Wanted to join the other kids, but just didn't know how. I could see on his face that he knew he was missing out on some of the fun, he just didn't know what to do about it. I don't want him to miss out. :( He deserves so much better then that. He had fun, reguardless. Mostly playing on his own, and then one of the older kids (she's 7) took him under her wing for awhile, and he sort of played w/her for a bit. It just doesn't make sense to me. He can ask any one of us to play w/him. But you put him out of the family, and he just doesn't know what to do.
Later, after he ate, he was done w/the kids. He wouldn't even go to the playground anymore. He wanted to run around and chase the birds, lol. But he would not go play even near the kids at that point. He can only tolerate so much, and then he's done. At that point, if you even mention playing w/the kids he'll have a meltdown. He was pretty exhausted by then.
Today, I told him to finish his milk, and he told me "Hey! You go over there and read that book!" So I couldn't see him NOT drink his milk, LOL. The attitude is starting already! Hayley better outgrow it before he's fully in it, or I may throttle them both!
I've been reading a book about sensory processing disorders, and some of it is really hitting home for him. The fact that he hates swinging, the trampoline, and it took him until he was 3 to learn to jump are all big symptoms of sensory issues. Something about not having his feet firmly on the ground really freaks him out. That's probably why he can't pedal his trike yet, too. He wants too, but he is really having a hard time coordinating those muscle movements. It makes me so sad to see him missing out on things. He wants to ride his bike up and down the driveway w/his sister. He wants to join the kids, and do the things they are doing. He just can't seem to do it. I think we will be looking at some physical therapy, come fall.
I got something in the mail from UIC today. Nothing really helpful, though. When I did the intake call w/them, they asked for permission to enter him (us, the girls) in certain studies if he qualifies. One is a genetic study, and one is a sibling study. I said, yes, of course, so hopefully they can find a cause/cure so no one else has to go through this. So the paperwork I got (a dictionary, to be filled out in triplicate) is for those studies. Funny....it's been over a week, and I've gotten no word as to whether or not they will even see him there, but they were awfully quick to send out the paperwork to help them out. I'm not filling it out until I know he'll be evaluated by them.
So, basically, we're just waiting now. Waiting for Group Therapy to start this month. Waiting to hear from the ever-elusive UIC, and waiting for school to start this fall. I am not patient. At all. Waiting sucks!
On Sunday we went to a birthday party. There were a zillion kids there (it was at a park), and it made me sad to watch him. He obviously Wanted to join the other kids, but just didn't know how. I could see on his face that he knew he was missing out on some of the fun, he just didn't know what to do about it. I don't want him to miss out. :( He deserves so much better then that. He had fun, reguardless. Mostly playing on his own, and then one of the older kids (she's 7) took him under her wing for awhile, and he sort of played w/her for a bit. It just doesn't make sense to me. He can ask any one of us to play w/him. But you put him out of the family, and he just doesn't know what to do.
Later, after he ate, he was done w/the kids. He wouldn't even go to the playground anymore. He wanted to run around and chase the birds, lol. But he would not go play even near the kids at that point. He can only tolerate so much, and then he's done. At that point, if you even mention playing w/the kids he'll have a meltdown. He was pretty exhausted by then.
Today, I told him to finish his milk, and he told me "Hey! You go over there and read that book!" So I couldn't see him NOT drink his milk, LOL. The attitude is starting already! Hayley better outgrow it before he's fully in it, or I may throttle them both!
I've been reading a book about sensory processing disorders, and some of it is really hitting home for him. The fact that he hates swinging, the trampoline, and it took him until he was 3 to learn to jump are all big symptoms of sensory issues. Something about not having his feet firmly on the ground really freaks him out. That's probably why he can't pedal his trike yet, too. He wants too, but he is really having a hard time coordinating those muscle movements. It makes me so sad to see him missing out on things. He wants to ride his bike up and down the driveway w/his sister. He wants to join the kids, and do the things they are doing. He just can't seem to do it. I think we will be looking at some physical therapy, come fall.
I got something in the mail from UIC today. Nothing really helpful, though. When I did the intake call w/them, they asked for permission to enter him (us, the girls) in certain studies if he qualifies. One is a genetic study, and one is a sibling study. I said, yes, of course, so hopefully they can find a cause/cure so no one else has to go through this. So the paperwork I got (a dictionary, to be filled out in triplicate) is for those studies. Funny....it's been over a week, and I've gotten no word as to whether or not they will even see him there, but they were awfully quick to send out the paperwork to help them out. I'm not filling it out until I know he'll be evaluated by them.
So, basically, we're just waiting now. Waiting for Group Therapy to start this month. Waiting to hear from the ever-elusive UIC, and waiting for school to start this fall. I am not patient. At all. Waiting sucks!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Pre-School Update!
I could not have hoped for this to go any better! In fact, i didn't dare hope that what did happen, could have happened.
We went in, talked to the psychologist, and she sat and played w/him for about 30-45 minutes. When they where done, we talked about the things that concerned me (not necessarily things he did while he played) and the things that she saw. Her main concern, was the echolalia. You can't really have a conversation w/Mason. He'll ask/answer questions, but that's about it. If you try to engage him conversation, he will mostly just repeat back to you what you said to him (echolalia). This is very normal and common in very young kids, as they learn to talk, but at 3.5, he shouldn't be doing it (or doing it as much as he does....it wasn't clear to me.) He played normally w/all the toys and was happy to show off his knowledge of colors and the various other objects there :). He was very cute w/her. She made a comment about him not having good eye contact. I didn't even know that was an isssue, as he makes good eye contact w/us all the time. The longer we where there, the better his contact w/her got, so apparently, it's something he does w/people he doesn't know well, or is uncomfortable w/. I was totally shocked to hear that. It's something I'm going to have to keep an eye on when we are out.
She is, at this point, recommending for him to go to Westlake (sp. ed. pre-school) in the fall. We won't get an "official" recommendation until she observes him in the class for a couple days, but that won't happen until the fall. She did say, that if we wanted, to keep him enrolled at DNS (typical pre-school he's registered at) and let him go to Westlake also. The thought behind that is, that at DNS he'll be surrounded by 'typical' peers. Having peer role models is the best way to learn to interact w/other kids (fortunatelly, since they are only a year apart, Hayley is considered a peer too). He won't need to be at Westlake 5 days a week (probably 2 days), so he can spend 2 days at DNS, and 2 days at Westlake getting the therapy that he needs. I need to call Donna from DNS to run this by her, but it's probably what we will do. We will also keep him in the Group Behavior Therapy at Wee Care that starts this month. It can do nothing but help him.
I saved the best news for last......She doesn't think he's PDD!!! She can't say for sure, but at this point, she believes he just has some developmental delays, and w/therapy, he will do awesome! She thinks if he does get a PDD DX, that it will be mild, and he will be very high functioning. He definately has some autistic characteristics, but it may not be enough for a DX. And, w/therapy, hopefully most of these things will resolve themselves. I don't see how they can resolve the sensory issues, so he may just end up being a bit quirky about certain things. I wish I'd had the presence of mind to ask about that at the time. I was just so happy and shocked to hear she didn't think he's PDD! I was so relieved, I just sat there and cried! I never thought I would be so happy to hear my kid is developmentally delayed.
Hmmmm.....I think that's it.
If there's more, I'll come back and update later.
Peace out, ya'll.
We went in, talked to the psychologist, and she sat and played w/him for about 30-45 minutes. When they where done, we talked about the things that concerned me (not necessarily things he did while he played) and the things that she saw. Her main concern, was the echolalia. You can't really have a conversation w/Mason. He'll ask/answer questions, but that's about it. If you try to engage him conversation, he will mostly just repeat back to you what you said to him (echolalia). This is very normal and common in very young kids, as they learn to talk, but at 3.5, he shouldn't be doing it (or doing it as much as he does....it wasn't clear to me.) He played normally w/all the toys and was happy to show off his knowledge of colors and the various other objects there :). He was very cute w/her. She made a comment about him not having good eye contact. I didn't even know that was an isssue, as he makes good eye contact w/us all the time. The longer we where there, the better his contact w/her got, so apparently, it's something he does w/people he doesn't know well, or is uncomfortable w/. I was totally shocked to hear that. It's something I'm going to have to keep an eye on when we are out.
She is, at this point, recommending for him to go to Westlake (sp. ed. pre-school) in the fall. We won't get an "official" recommendation until she observes him in the class for a couple days, but that won't happen until the fall. She did say, that if we wanted, to keep him enrolled at DNS (typical pre-school he's registered at) and let him go to Westlake also. The thought behind that is, that at DNS he'll be surrounded by 'typical' peers. Having peer role models is the best way to learn to interact w/other kids (fortunatelly, since they are only a year apart, Hayley is considered a peer too). He won't need to be at Westlake 5 days a week (probably 2 days), so he can spend 2 days at DNS, and 2 days at Westlake getting the therapy that he needs. I need to call Donna from DNS to run this by her, but it's probably what we will do. We will also keep him in the Group Behavior Therapy at Wee Care that starts this month. It can do nothing but help him.
I saved the best news for last......She doesn't think he's PDD!!! She can't say for sure, but at this point, she believes he just has some developmental delays, and w/therapy, he will do awesome! She thinks if he does get a PDD DX, that it will be mild, and he will be very high functioning. He definately has some autistic characteristics, but it may not be enough for a DX. And, w/therapy, hopefully most of these things will resolve themselves. I don't see how they can resolve the sensory issues, so he may just end up being a bit quirky about certain things. I wish I'd had the presence of mind to ask about that at the time. I was just so happy and shocked to hear she didn't think he's PDD! I was so relieved, I just sat there and cried! I never thought I would be so happy to hear my kid is developmentally delayed.
Hmmmm.....I think that's it.
If there's more, I'll come back and update later.
Peace out, ya'll.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Blah, blah, blah
So Mason's evaluation is tomorrow and I'm ridiculously nervous about. Like he could pass or fail it... Argh. This whole thing just sucks!
We've decided to wait for UIC to get him checked out by a doctor. Of course it's been a week, and I haven't heard from them, so I don't know if he was "triaged" in or not. I guess I'll have to put them on the list of phone calls to make at nap time.
I had to fill out 300 forms in triplicate for his eval tomorrow. Some of the questions where so obscure and impossible to answer. "What does your child do in a group situation when drugs or alcohol are involved?" Um, he does nothing, because he's 3, doesn't know what those things are, and wouldn't be anywhere where such things where going on. Really, I'm just hoping to hold myself together until the end. I'm sure it would be a fine show for the psychologist for me to be a blubbering mess in the middle of the whole thing.
I guess this is more of a vent then any kind of an update. This whole thing is actually harder to deal w/now that the ball is rolling. I don't have any faceless strangers to be angry at. I just have to deal w/the situation, and my anger at the whole thing.
Classes start next week for summer school. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for it. It seems like a distant memory now, the classes I had 5 weeks ago. So much has changed since then. I have a feeling it's going to be harder to focus on school this semester. And semesters to come, for that matter. Not sure how to deal w/classes and everything else that is going on.
I guess that's it until tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully we have a good idea if he'll be going to Westlake or not. Hopefully he is, so he can get the therapy he needs.
Peace-out, ya'll.
We've decided to wait for UIC to get him checked out by a doctor. Of course it's been a week, and I haven't heard from them, so I don't know if he was "triaged" in or not. I guess I'll have to put them on the list of phone calls to make at nap time.
I had to fill out 300 forms in triplicate for his eval tomorrow. Some of the questions where so obscure and impossible to answer. "What does your child do in a group situation when drugs or alcohol are involved?" Um, he does nothing, because he's 3, doesn't know what those things are, and wouldn't be anywhere where such things where going on. Really, I'm just hoping to hold myself together until the end. I'm sure it would be a fine show for the psychologist for me to be a blubbering mess in the middle of the whole thing.
I guess this is more of a vent then any kind of an update. This whole thing is actually harder to deal w/now that the ball is rolling. I don't have any faceless strangers to be angry at. I just have to deal w/the situation, and my anger at the whole thing.
Classes start next week for summer school. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for it. It seems like a distant memory now, the classes I had 5 weeks ago. So much has changed since then. I have a feeling it's going to be harder to focus on school this semester. And semesters to come, for that matter. Not sure how to deal w/classes and everything else that is going on.
I guess that's it until tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully we have a good idea if he'll be going to Westlake or not. Hopefully he is, so he can get the therapy he needs.
Peace-out, ya'll.
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