De-Lurking - Ist grade woes

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Registered: 03-27-2003
De-Lurking - Ist grade woes
4
Thu, 09-29-2005 - 5:03pm

Hey all. My oldest DS Sam (6) was dx'd with AS this past spring just after the birth of DS #2 (now 6 mo.) I think I may have introduced myself once before then got caught up in baby and summer stuff and haven't been around in a while.

Sam is struggling with 1st grade. He did soooo much better in Kindy then we ever thought possible, but 1st grade is so much more demanding. He is in a mainstream class with 29 other kids. His Kindy teacher hand picked his new teacher who I so far get along with and like. She is in an adjoining room to his Kindy class so his old teacher can poke her head in now and then. He had a 504 accomodation plan last year for his previous dx of DSI which helped somewhat. It at least brought it to every one's attention some of what was going on. We have an IEP meeting in Oct to set that up.

He has regresssed to a 3 or 4 yo level of impulse control which I know is not unusual. He has been hitting alot. His usual target is a good friend who he played with over the summer and was in his Kindy class as well. I have started picking him up at the office at the end of the day because he just cannot get through standing in line waiting to be released. Today he pinched this friend during a disagreement while they were standing in line after recess. The line seems to be the theme. I have been telling him to walk away but he brought to my attention today that he can't walk away because he's in line (big DUH!!! on my part.)

My only thought is to have him not stand in line any more. Or not next to this child or if he needs to be in line at all he needs an aide with him. He and the friend ended up in the office with the principle, vice principle and what I am assuming is the school counselor. Of course I don't really know exactly what happened because I got no call or note from any adults about the matter. Sam of course doesn't remember what they said. He cannot keep injuring other kids. I cannot take him getting into trouble everyday and neither can he. I also don't want to wait until the IEP meeting because that isn't until Oct 17th.

What's worse is that the arguement started because the friend said that Sam could take medicine to help him stop hurting people; wonder where he got that idea?!?! (sarcasm implied.)

He's not yet recieving any services other than the SpEd teacher seeing him several times a week for help. He struggles alot with reading and has trouble with letter recognition and phoenetics. He had OT for a year and was on a sensory diet that did little. I think some of his behavior at school stems from anxiousness and stimuli overload. OT didn't seem to help prevent it from happening. I'm unsure if social skills training will help in these situation, but still am looking to enroll him in a program. I also wonder if a psychologist familiar with AS would be beneficial for him and our family. I feel very overwhelmed and sad that everything is so extrememly difficult for him everyday. On a positive note, we signed him up for soccer and he's doing great. He's come a long way the last month and enjoys practice.

Any ideas or BTDT advice?

Thanks!!

Chrystee

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Registered: 10-13-2004
Fri, 09-30-2005 - 1:45am

Hi Chrystee

My first thought is to question whether or not your school is using visuals to support the behaviour that they expect from him. I find that this gives my son immense comfort all day. (When we were in K, he could only do 4 days per week because he was so stressed. But in year 1, a new teacher and new aide finally appreciated the usefulness of visuals - he's been blooming at school ever since)

Interestingly enough, I went to an autism workshop recently and it seems that 'lines' are the bane of an autistic childs life. I mean, what are they for? Completely pointless exercise really. (Unless, of course, you're British. In which case lining up is a way of life LOL). Anyway, I think that if lines are the cause of his sress, perhaps he should be allowed to stand next to the teacher?

Dress Up Games, Doll Makers and Cartoon Dolls @ The Doll Palace
Avatar for nutmegspice
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Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 09-30-2005 - 8:31am

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I sent a note in today to introduce the idea and I'll give a call or talk to the teacher next week to see how it's going.

The IEP team talked about a picture schedule which I will bring up at the meeting. There's a great non profit resource where I live in MA called Community Autism Resources, Inc. that has classes and clinics in visual systems and IEP develpment. All their course are free which is very helpful. I shall keep that in mind too.

Thanks a bunch!

Chrystee

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Registered: 11-05-1998
Fri, 09-30-2005 - 8:55am

For my DS, Christopher, lines were a big issue, too. It turned out to be sensory. He couldn't bear to have other people that close and pressing in on him from the front and the back. So, to give himself some room, he would slug whoever happened to brush against him in line.

Think about it. For a spectrum kid, being that close to other people is very threatening. Add to that a lot of ASD kids' sensory defensiveness (a light touch feels like fire, only a deep pressure hug feels good) and a line is a recipe for disaster.

Our solution was that Chris was always at either the front or the end of the line. Also, social stories about why it's wrong to hit other people in line with you helped to reinforce the lesson.

Elizabeth

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Registered: 02-24-2004
Fri, 09-30-2005 - 1:19pm

This situation is different for Nathan. He's also in 1st grade, but standing in line is ok for him. He's never really had a problem with it. He knows it's the rule, all the kids do it. He does, however, position himself where he is most comfortable!! Usually at the beginning of the line or at the back. He seems to just "know" what to do. Sometimes he doesn't have a choice and will end up in the middle somewhere. But he handles it. Nathan has the ability to hold it together at school though, and then let's loose at home!! lol He's rather quiet at school. Watches the other kids to see what he's supposed to do, act, and say. He wants to do the right thing, follow the rules and do what everyone else is doing.

When he was younger though, we did have the problem of having people too close to him. He didn't like that, and would immediately raise his fist to people!!! LOL I had to teach him that we don't do that!! Now he just tells people not to stand too close to him!!! Correction... he YELLS AT PEOPLE that are standing too close to him!! LOL

Michelle