Parents of Autistic Children Kith

**MomToTwoBoys** · 05-05-2009, 10:46 AM

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/04...ala/index.html

So this gives us a new light of hope with Autism!

Could they possibly develop a medication that shrinks that part of the brain back to normal sizes? Would it reverse the autism? What do you think?

**norcalmommy** · 05-07-2009, 12:20 AM

Can you ask for a behavior modification plan? Most school districts have a behavioral therapist that can observe your child, talk to teachers, etc and find out what the disruptive issues are. They then work out a plan on how to handle the situation.

**NewLeaf** · 05-12-2009, 07:00 PM

I talked w/the behavioral specialist - she had visited w/my son. Bonus: I am already aquainted w/her. She feels like ds is doing well socially and that his drawings of people w/guns & bombs are really just "boy" behavior. She said it is really developementally appropriate for his age. Evidentally alot of the 1st grade boys are doing this. So she told me in so many words not to worry about it for now. But if he continues to draw these at school or I feel worried that she would set up weekly visits w/ ds to talk w/him.

She is really good, so I do trust her judgement. I am still glad school is almost out for the year. Both of my ds's are stressed and we all need a break.

**norcalmommy** · 05-14-2009, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by NewLeaf

I talked w/the behavioral specialist - she had visited w/my son. Bonus: I am already aquainted w/her. She feels like ds is doing well socially and that his drawings of people w/guns & bombs are really just "boy" behavior. She said it is really developementally appropriate for his age. Evidentally alot of the 1st grade boys are doing this. So she told me in so many words not to worry about it for now. But if he continues to draw these at school or I feel worried that she would set up weekly visits w/ ds to talk w/him.

She is really good, so I do trust her judgement. I am still glad school is almost out for the year. Both of my ds's are stressed and we all need a break.

My 6 year old son, also in first grade, draws those things too. Luckily his school is not like yours, we are slightly redneck here. DS drew a Mothers Day card at school that had a bomber airplane bombing a ship in the water. LOL He was very proud of that.

**norcalmommy** · 05-14-2009, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by MomToTwoBoys

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/04...ala/index.html

So this gives us a new light of hope with Autism!

Could they possibly develop a medication that shrinks that part of the brain back to normal sizes? Would it reverse the autism? What do you think?

Wouldn't that be amazing if a 'cure' could be found? My daughter, nephew and cousin might be cured. That is a dream of course, but maybe one day it might be possible.

**NewLeaf** · 06-08-2009, 06:34 PM

5 more days of school to go and so far so good..... What is everyone doing w/your kids this summer? We only get 8 weeks due to the massive amount of school missed for bad weather this winter.
I usually plan alot of things to do to keep us busy but this year all I have planned is a short vacation to Atlanta - the whole family. After that we are just going with the flow and relaxing.

**jantana** · 06-08-2009, 09:13 PM

DH and I run a therapeutic foster home which specializes in special needs. Two of our boys that we have are autistic. Ages 4 & 8. They are totally opposite. The younger one loves all the attention, nonverbal and is very happy. The older one in non social, can read, write but is very self abusive. Boy what a difference. About a year ago, we had another autistic child that no one wanted to label him as autistic for future placements. I kept telling everyone he needed that autistic label for all the services he could get.

Jan

**NewLeaf** · 06-09-2009, 04:13 PM

I had a hard time at first labeling my child for the the school. Then I decided that if we had any hope of getting him help we had to. In the end it was a waste of time. He gets no services. What social skills help he gets is from our family. He had a great teacher this year and I hope and pray he will be as lucky next year (2nd grade).

**MomToTwoBoys** · 06-09-2009, 04:39 PM

I'm actually thinking of sending DS10 to Sensory Camp this summer. It's 4 days of stuff but it's also $220. With the costs of both kids' school fees coming up in August/September, it's hard to justify the costs.

I usually take the kids to the park in the summertime but DS10 isn't fond of it. He's a big indoors kid. We'll see what we can get him to do this summer.

**NewLeaf** · 06-12-2009, 04:59 PM

I thought since school was finally over that we would have some rest from the school battles. But no. Ds was assigned a teacher that is known not to have the personality for AS adhd kids. I have to start another battle to get him moved to a different teacher. Please pray that we can get this settled soon.

**NewLeaf** · 07-19-2009, 11:38 AM

Well, our summer has gone very smoothly. Ds has spent time w/his Nana at her house. He loves it there. He plays in the creek and runs around. She takes him to the playground and library. Here at home we have gone to the pool and park to feed the ducks. We set up an aquarium in ds' room and are still working w/it to get the ecosystem right. Ds learned to tie his shoes !!!!!!

I finally talked to the principal at his school about the new teacher. It seems that her style of teaching is very routine oriented which is what ds responds well to. She has worked w/adhd students. I am going to meet w/her to talk about the aspergers' quirks and hope she can be understanding. I decided to give it a chance and if things don't work out then I will make sure he gets a different teacher or I will pull him out to another school. I am not going to let him be miserable. He is too sweet and lovable to be mistreated because he is a little different.....

I will insist that he be retested if we don't get the accomodations we need. Virginia law just sucks. The school does not have to put the doctor's diagnosis first. Their own testing what counts. In kindergarten he was tested on medication and I think that skewed the results. I understand that they wanted to test on meds because he would be on meds while in school.
I am also going to write a letter requesting the test for the gifted program this year.
Wow!!! I already feel tired just thinking about it all.

The worst thing about all of this is that they go back to school early this year because they missed so much school due to bad winter weather. We go back on August 6!!!!! They got out on June 13th!!!!

How has every one elses summer gone????

**NewLeaf** · 07-28-2009, 07:50 AM

We met ds new teacher yesterday. She seems nice and very confident in her abilities w/adhd/aspergers students. Ds liked her. I guess, after all of the bad experiences we have had , I find it hard to trust people around my child. He is so precious and so few people want to take the time to really understand Aspergers. They just want to say it is odd or bad behavior..... I am trying to take a more relaxed approach w/his teacher this year, but it is hard.

**celina** · 07-28-2009, 11:49 AM

new leaf i sooo understand where you come from....

dd is back to school this fall...after homeschooling..and i'm petrified...she's happy and it was her request to go back..i just try to be hopefully and optimistic..and not to be sick to my stomach...

**fernykins** · 07-28-2009, 07:39 PM

ok I have some queations. My grandson has autism. He's 8yo. It was only because of my son getting involved with his mother that the mother found out there was a problem. He is very defient. He over eats and I mean he will sit there and eat as long as there is food. We have cut down on his food intake. He has a habit of touching girls in the wrong places. We have been working on that. Is this normal(no I don't know what kind of autism he has). We are now having problems becaus him other grandmother is here. Get mad because he hs rules, or we don't let him eat forever, or he got in trouble for lifting up the other gms shirt and started touching. I'm about ready to scream. the other gm thinks he should beable to do as he pleases and he sure does try. Is this behavior normal?
Fern

**2ndGenGranola** · 07-29-2009, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by fernykins

. Is this behavior normal?
Fern

There is a saying that goes "you meet 1 autistic kid, you meet 1 autistic kid". There really is no "normal". My oldest and middle are about as far opposite as you can get.

Two things do concern me. The first is the over eating. I would have a dr make sure there is not something medically wrong there. The second is an 8 year old touching girls. Autism or not, he has learned this somewhere and needs to stop before he gets into trouble.