Update on us

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
Update on us
5
Mon, 10-02-2006 - 3:54pm
Hi all,
I haven't posted much recently because with the move and then my family being here from Ireland things have just been crazy. After a lot of meetings and phone calls Jake has started in his new school and has a great team of therapists. He LOVES school and I can see why. All the staff are great and very helpful. His aide started today so that means I no longer have to go to school with him and get to spend some quality alone time with Ella for the first time ever.His aide seems nice but seems more like a babysitter rather than someone who's actually going to get Jake to interact with the other kids. Maybe I'm wrong? God, I hope I'm wrong. All in all things are going better than I could have ever hoped.
Teresa
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-09-2005
In reply to: baboig
Mon, 10-02-2006 - 4:04pm

Hey Teresa,


I was wondering where you'd wandered off to?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2003
In reply to: baboig
Mon, 10-02-2006 - 8:00pm

Hi Theresa! Glad things are going well.

Don't be too surprised if the aide appears to be a babysitter. In many ways, they are. My daughter's aide is great...and Claire adores her, but she's really just a babysitter. It could be different in your area, but normally these are not well trained (let alone educated) individuals. As time goes by, the aide may become better acquainted with your child, and the teacher & therapists should suggest ways for him/her to help Jake with daily interactions.

Aides typically get paid less than $10/hour...maybe a bit more, depending on the cost of living in the specific area. In fact, my neice, whose degree is in elem. ed. was offered a job as an aide (teaching jobs are harder to find than you'd think) and even with her qualifications they weren't going to pay her but $8.50/hour.

Amy

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
In reply to: baboig
Tue, 10-03-2006 - 9:33am

Hey Teresa!


Good to see you again. There just aren't enough Irishwomen around here ;)


I'm glad Jake is enjoying school so much. That must be a

-Paula

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: baboig
Tue, 10-03-2006 - 10:06am

Hey Theresa,

I was wondering where you had gotten off too. Moving is such a PAIN!

Glad Jake is enjoying school so much and things are going so well. Want more of an update when you get a chance. Are you still concerned about Ella?

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
In reply to: baboig
Tue, 10-03-2006 - 3:47pm

I think I spoke too soon. When I went to pick Jake up today his aide said he had a bad day.After music class he choked someone in the blue room(a big gross motor room) and then threw sand at someone in the playground. I know exactly why this happened because I was with Jake all last week and could see how hyper he got after music class so I took him home with me then. What I didn't know is right after music class is the blue room which usually contains about 30 kids hopping and jumping all over the place. Then after the blue room the kids go to play in the playground. WAY TOO MUCH MOTOR ACTIVITY FOR JAKE he just can't keep himself regulated when there is that much motor planning involved. I called the school director because I don't think the aide is doing what she is supposed to and the director said Jakes teacher had mentioned his aide sits off to the side and really dosen't get very involved with Jake too much. Mother's intuition.... why do I continue to question myself? I had a gut feeling about her. Maybe it's because she just has no idea what exactly her role is in the classroom. The school director is going to talk to her boss and see what she was told about Jakes needs. I'm praying it works out because I just can't be in school with Jake because it's just not fair to Ella. I just wish there were 2 of me.

Paula,
I hope you are feeling better. I don't know if I'd be any help to Dee right now because I'm still trying to recover from my family visit. I don't know if it's the same for you but I almost need a vacation myself when they leave and of course I got the "He's fine" and the "There's not a thing wrong with him" about Jake. It really upsets me that they are so clueless when it comes to Autism. They won't eat anything we eat here and everything is better in Ireland. My younger sister actually said she will only drink the milk from Irish cows(ROFL)Everytime they bought they converted from the dollar to the Euro. Don't get me wrong I'm proud to be Irish and maybe it's just me family but it's times like that I realize why I came here.

Renee,
Ella is doing really well thanks for asking. Her speech is still unclear but she dosen't qualify for speech but is still getting OT for sensory processing and motor planning problems. I don't think she's would get an Autism diagnosis but she's still so young it would be hard to pick up on a mild case of AS and because she's a girl a lot of her issues have been put down to her personality. Did you find this would happen with Cait? How are you're bunch doing?

Teresa