Aspie Mom

Importance of early screenings

It is now being recommended that children be screened early on for autism and autism spectrum disorders. I completely agree with this because the earlier you can get a diagnosis, the more time you have to work with a child at the most impressionable of ages. It really can make a huge difference.

With some spectrum disorders however, it isn’t always so easy to diagnose early on. Aspergers can be tricky because the symptoms can cover a vast range of degrees. For example, Kiddo is extremely high functioning so it was impossible to really diagnose until she was older. It was impossible to tell if it was just something she would outgrow or not. Now we know.

The important thing though is to follow your gut instincts and push for evaluations as early as possible.

Don’t become complacent

Just when you think everything is going well with school and everything, a snag will always come up. Kiddo was in the special ed classroom at the beginning of last year. In the second semester, she was completely mainstreamed. She remained mainstream at the start of this year. Now… I’m not so sure it is right for her. For the most part, I think she is fine with provisions but there is one subject that stresses her out so badly that it sends her over the edge — math. She doesn’t understand it. Just basic math is extremely hard for her.

Kiddo was doing so much better with math last year but this year they are using new books and not even I can follow it. It is very confusing and she is completely lost. She got study hall because she didn’t do a page in her workbook but she doesn’t understand it! She got so frustrated that she wrote “I HATE SCHOOL!!!” all over her workbook and made gashes in the cover with her pencil. This is a very bad sign and I know her well enough to know that this is only going to get seriously worse if the school doesn’t do something now.

I have asked the teacher before about putting her back in the special ed room for this subject. All she did was send Kiddo 2-3 times a week to another class that helps kids with math. This just isn’t enough. So I wrote a note to her again for this morning saying that she REALLY needs to be in the SE room. If they are going to be uncooperative about this, then I am first going to call a CSE meeting. If I am unsatisfied, I am pulling her out and home schooling her immediately. I am not going to see Kiddo backslide into the behavioral problems she had two years ago because they refuse to do what she needs.

And then, I am taking this to the state because they would be refusing to honor her IEP. I won’t let them off the hook for that.

YAY!

I am very happy to announce that Kiddo recited the Statue of Liberty poem and got a 100 on it. She came home so proud of herself. YAY!!

Public speaking

I posted in the previous post that Kiddo has to memorize a couple of things and recite them in front of the class. This is hard for the average person but imagine how hard it is for a kid that has a lot of social issues… not to mention anxiety problems. I don’t want to just tell her she doesn’t have to do it because I think that would be wrong. I think she should still give it a try at least but I don’t think she should be pushed over the edge about it either. I hate these fine lines sometimes. LOL

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More school frustrations

The more I deal with this year, the more I think home schooling will be a necessity rather than just a choice. My problem right now is I need to try and hold off if I can until I find out if hubby is going to be discharged from the military or not. If so, I really can’t home school because I am going to have to go back to work full time. There won’t be a choice there. Problem is, I have no idea when we are going to hear anything.

But Kiddo is having anxiety issues about going to school. She says she gets homesick. I don’t know if that is the real reason or if that is just how she is rationalizing it. Hard to say. I know she isn’t happy and I can relate to her. I had these issues when I was this age. I know how hard it is. But I also know how hard it can get the longer you stay home.

Kiddo was supposed to go to school after her psychiatrist appt this morning. We had to come home first to get a few things before going to school. She collapsed on the couch and refused to respond to me. Then when I made her get up, she was bawling her little eyes out. Now the mom in me knows that this is mostly just a tactic to get what she wants. I know that. But I also know kiddo well enough to know that she will not be even slightly cooperative if I send her to school like that. So after much thought… and frustration… I let her stay home under the conditions that there would be no games and no tv. She has make up work from last Friday to complete so she will be doing that today and I think I may just do some extra lessons out of her books as well. It will NOT be a free day off. With that, I gave her the choice of either going to school or having school at home for the day. She thought hard and decided to do the work at home. She’s doing it right now.

I did bookmark a home schooling forum that I want to read through and ask questions on. Something tells me that this is going to be the road we need to go down. If these social issues are only going to hold her back, then we have to do something.

On that note, I am also a little frustrated with her teacher (assuming what Kiddo told me is true of course). They have to memorize this poem and a part of the Declaration of Independence. They have to recite it in front of the class as part of the assignment. Kiddo just can’t handle this and it is making her so upset. She told the teacher this and the teacher said, “Too bad.” Now I am HOPING that Kiddo is exaggerating because if she really did say that, I will be furious. I totally understand that she needs to try. But with her anxiety, if this becomes too much for her… then she is going to go into a melt down and everyone is going to suffer from it… especially Kiddo. So I don’t know how I’m going to handle this yet. The last thing I want to do though is allow her to use her anxiety as an excuse not to try. That would be the biggest mistake.