Hi, want to introduce myself

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Hi, want to introduce myself
2
Fri, 05-06-2005 - 5:52pm

Hi,

I've just spent a half hour typing responses to other posts, so most of my story is probably embedded in there, but I'll do a quick introduction.

I am Carla, a SAH mom to three kids: DS Andy age 5-1/2, Camille age 3 and Sam age 13 months. In a previous incarnation I have been a technical-type editor in the science/medical world and hope to do creative writing at some point in the future for pay. Andy has been dx'd with HFA. We brought him to the Child Psychiatrist directly last fall when the pediatrician poo-poo'd our concerns and said he was just a little boy (for years). I truly felt (and still do) that he had ADHD. An ASD dx never even crossed my mind. Of course it was a big shock. I did tons of reading afterwards and then had to concur that he probably has a very high functioning case of it.

(I'm making SUCH a long story short but) the next time we saw the Child Psych she said, "He is doing so much better, I wouldn't even dx ASD this time, I would say ADHD though!" So we were a little hopeful that OH, maybe he isn't ASD after all! A tenative course on Ritalin was a complete bust so we have never tried any other medication (yet). I still think he has ADHD and as I have read more and more, I think he does indeed have AS or ASD. The school district puts him in the AS category (although they don't do a full dx, just enough to get the IEP).

In Feb. we switched him to the school districts 5 day/week preschool and that is going very well. The sheer act of 5 days/week seems to suit him really well, the routine. It is run by a Speech & Language therapist and they have PT and OT as part of the program. Most of the kids are in his class (Because it is only a mild delay) due to speech and Language issues.

We work at home on eye contact and conversation skills, plus social skills (I am just learning to spell out EVERYTHING that happens out to him): "Look, here comes the brown truck that normally brings packages. It's called the UPS truck. I wonder if it will stop at our house? If it does, I bet that means he has a package for us. Look, he's stopping. Now he is picking out our package. When he gets up to the step, let's look at his eyes and say 'Hi!' When he hands me the package, I will look at his eyes and say 'Thank you! Have a nice day!' You can say it to and that is how we are friendly to people."

This seems to be working really well to help him learn how to interact with people and situations in the world and I will be continuing it. I know that is kind of what we should be doing as parents, anyway, but I am realizing I took for granted that he knew that the grocery store is where we buy GROCERIES and we use MONEY to pay for them and then the WORKERS put the groceries in the BAG and we borrow a CART to load up our groceries... stuff like explaining aloud the whole grocery shopping experience has really helped him. I previously had just figured he got it (for the record, my 3 y/o "just gets it" so I don't think I was talking too little, just expecting a normal type of learning from him, and now we know he needs more).

The main qualities that distinguish Andy are: rambling excessively and speaking too loudly, living in a fantasy-land constantly, pretending he and everyone else is superheroes, villains, characters from TV or books, etc., poor fine motor skills. His strengths are: gross motor skills, memory, energetic, has some friends, can play with his brother and sister somewhat, has an incredible imagination, average or above intelligence and is a terrific actor. He can do facial expressions of trees where you are actually convinced the kid is a tree! If he becomes an actor someday I will not be surprised. Oh, and he's as cute as heck. :) Other than that he has no splinter skills or special focused interest like some AS.

That is all I have time for right now. I have posted more information in some other posts this afternoon. I hope to continue to chime in on this board. I think it's a great fit for us. I will try to check daily. Thanks for being a part of this, I'm sure we all need the support!

Carla

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2004
Fri, 05-06-2005 - 8:07pm

Carla,

Welcome to the board! I'm Michelle and I have 2 boys, Tyler (8 NT) and Nathan (6 HFA). Glad you found us, it's quite a fun board, we have lots of interesting stories to share here!! I've been here for about a year now, and have learned alot from all these great moms!

Andy sounds like a real character! I, too, have learned to EXPLAIN everything in detail to Nathan....it has helped quite a bit!! His speech has picked up this year, so he's talking more and more these days. I'm really getting tired of answering SOOOO MANY QUESTIONS!!! His brother asks a million questions everyday....and has since he was 2, so you can imagine how tired I am!!!

Hope to hear more about your family!

Michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 05-06-2005 - 11:38pm

Hello Carla and welcome.

I live in California too. Southern to be specific. nice to meet you and your family. Andy does sound like a pistol! Sounds alot like my guys in some ways when they were little. Ya know, we went to that ADHD place with mike when he was little. In fact when the doctors said ASD we would list ways he COULDN"T be ASD. Then they would agree with us. Then the next one would ask about PDD or ASD again and so on. BOY where we all wrong! Oh well, water under the bridge now.

Again, welcome. Passing the cookies.

Renee

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