Tag Archives: ASD

Transitions…Again

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Summer is here, and for many students, that means a serious break from academics and a time for fun and relaxation. However, for many kids on the autism spectrum, it also includes increasing therapy sessions. Getting additional speech or occupational therapy during the school year can be challenging, so the summer is a great time to add more sessions.

For children or teenagers like my son, this summer also means transitioning from middle school to high school. The transition from fifth grade to sixth grade was scary for me, but now that my son has entered the “teenager” phase, it’s even scarier. He will have to handle a larger school with students ranging from ages 14 to 19, and that worries me. I feel like shouting, “Dorothy, we are no longer in Kansas,” but as a mom who has handled numerous challenges, I know we can overcome the beginning of the high school phase.

Whenever my son is about to enter a new phase in his life, I usually make two planners – one physical and one digital. You can choose whichever one suits you best to keep your child’s information organized. Personally, I like having both because items can sometimes get lost with technology. Many organizations have planners such as TACA (The Autism Community in Action) that are extremely helpful for keeping track of information.

Before summer started, I made an effort to attend numerous events designed for high school students with special needs. My goal was to collect and organize as much information as possible. In the planner, I have sections or folders that contain a list of my son’s therapies, recent evaluations, IEP’s, and essential resources. I categorize physical resources into areas such as volunteering, employment, and applicable camps for the near future, as well as a separate section for future events. For the virtual planner, I include links to the various companies and camps.

During any transition, organization is key. It is important not to become overwhelmed during the midst of camps, therapies, and summer fun activities. You do not want to be burdened by tedious work. Doing a little at a time will help in getting items together.

As I continue on this journey of transition this summer, I am preparing to meet teachers, therapists at my son’s high school as well as look for activities he can be a part of during the school year.

I am also giving myself grace and some time to just enjoy my son outside of academics and therapies. It is still summer and we should “kick up our heels” a bit and enjoy the break as much as possible.

Mother’s Day-A Big Thank You to Moms

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Happy Mother’s Day. 💐

Thanks to all the moms, grandmothers, aunts and sisters who help our kids become the best they can be every day. Autism Spectrum Disorder can be a challenge but we continue to move forward and see the beauty that comes out of all that we do for our kids.

Stay strong moms and keep believing in our children.!!!

CHECKING OUT THERAPIES

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The new school year is in full swing and fall is starting to show in some areas of the country with beautiful multi-colored leaves falling from trees and huge orange pumpkins scattered about on porches and patches. The coolness of the air is welcomed in places where the heat has been bearing down all summer. As fall gears up, so are our kids’ schedules. They are extremely busy with classes, homework, therapies and any other after-school activities.

During this time of year, I like to look at various therapies that are out there that can assist our children with not only speech and development but also social skills and an all-around healthy environment.

Over the next few blog posts, I will share several therapies that are pretty familiar but some that many parents and caregivers may not know about. This is not only helpful for new parents whose child has recently been diagnosed with ASD but also for those who may need a refresher or want to learn something new on what is out there for our kids.

One of my favorite therapies is Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA. I had a lot of success with my son in the past with this particular therapy and he has just started ABA again this past summer. Once again, we are seeing excellent results from the therapy such as improved focus, speech and social skills.

One of the things I love about ABA is that it can be utilized in the home, clinic, classroom with other therapies and in the community. For those of you who do not know about ABA, it is an intensive therapy, “Based on the science of learning and behavior. ABA therapy applies our understanding of how behavior works to real situations. The goal is to increase behaviors that are helpful and decrease behaviors that are harmful or affect learning. ABA helps to increase language and communication skills, improve attention, focus, social skills, memory, and academics.” (https://www.autismspeaks.org/applied-behavior-analysis-aba.)

One of the main points that assists our children in ABA is the fact that it utilizes a positive reinforcement system.  As a child demonstrates good behaviors and/or learning habits, they receive something valued like a reward.  The reward is suited for your child, be it a snack, music, swings, hugs or a huge high-five. Whatever is meaningful will be used as a positive reinforcement.

As I’ve said before, this therapy has been a God sent gift for our family because we have seen so much progress with our son. I’ve also known countless families it has helped as well. The therapy is usually done between 10 to 40 hours a week to receive the most benefits. In many states, insurance will cover some or most of the cost.  Since it is such an intensive therapy, it took many years for insurance to cover ABA in the US. Now it has become easier to receive services; this is mostly due to the success ABA has had with children on the spectrum.

If you haven’t tried Applied Behavior Analysis, I think it is a great therapy to start with in correlation with Speech if possible.   My son’s speech and ABA therapists are able to connect and it makes his learning experience so much more productive.

*Please check the resource page for websites to find ABA providers in your area.

 

Hooray for Summer

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Summertime is finally here, and I know many parents are gearing up for various outdoor activities with their kids. As I’ve said previously in one of my posts, summer is a great time to wind down and take it a bit slower with our children.  The hustle and bustle of the school year can be tiring for parents as well as our kids.

This summer I was ecstatic that my son was able to enjoy camp again. As he gets older, I see him experiencing more of the activities and playing with the other children around him.  I think camp is an extremely important activity for kids on the spectrum because it gives them a chance to be with other kids outside of school and therapies.  Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of camps for special needs kids, but they are out there. I have listed a few websites on my resource page to help in the search.

If a child is not able to go to camp or would like to explore other activities outside of therapy, many YMCA’s offer swim classes for special needs as well as tennis, soccer and basketball during the summer.

One key point about summer is to spend some time having fun with your kids.  Explore the parks, museums and even amusement parks in your area.  Taking a simple walk in your neighborhood and pointing out interesting things in nature can be a special bonding time with your child. If they have an older sibling(s) like my son does, the summer months gives them a chance to play games and spend some quality time learning new things from a sister or brother.

I am always thankful for this season because it gives me and my family a time to regroup, relax and reconnect with one another.  I try to enjoy each moment because before you know it, the time comes to get in line at the store for the school supplies, lunchboxes and backpacks. For now, I’m soaking in the sun and enjoying the down time.

Siblings & Other Children Embracing Your Child

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My son is now 8 and still in an Autism classroom that is 3rd-5th grade. At this point, I thought he would be in a regular class, talking my ear off and running around with the kids in our neighborhood. Some days this really gets to me and other days I am so thankful to God that he is thriving, making small victories and running around with his friends at school.  I try to pull these positive visions out whenever I get that, “Why is he not where the neurotypical kids are yet feeling,” especially since his older brother never went through dealing with ASD.

As a mom of two boys, one being neurotypical and the other with ASD, it can be challenging to resist comparing the different milestones of each child, but it is essential that we do.  That goes for all children, even those who are not on the spectrum, because each child has distinct abilities. I “get” that there are indicators of “where children should be academically and socially as we grow,” but we must also look at their individual strengths and talents as well.

I am diligently working on this, so that I always look at my younger son in his own unique light.  It’s a little easier for me because my sons are not close in age, but I have friends who have kids that are twins or one year apart and that can get difficult.

One point I noticed about my older son and my friends’ children is that they have been great in embracing their sisters and brothers on the spectrum.  They try hard to support them in every way possible and in our family, my younger son loves everything about his older sibling and tries to learn from him.

Even at school, I see this happening with my son and some of the neurotypical kids, especially the older ones.  They look out for him. These children explain to those who don’t know that he has ASD, that he may need a little more assistance with a variety of matters at school.  I remember being very cautious about this because I was concerned about how other kids might treat him. I’ve learned that there will always be children who do not understand but there are many that do and will help our kids.

As the numbers of Autism have increased, parents must keep in mind that our children are the lights that shine, to help society understand more about the disorder. Siblings and other children are embracing our kids on the spectrum and as parents, we must continue to do the same. Our children have capabilities beyond our dreams and it is essential that we support those gifts. Families and communities must look at each child in their own exceptional light and let them flourish as God intended.