Liam's regressing...biiig time

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Registered: 04-28-2007
Liam's regressing...biiig time
6
Mon, 09-10-2007 - 10:13pm

Well, after a summer of consistent steps forward, school seems to be thrusting Liam back into the throws of major autie symptoms again. At first I thought it was transitioning blah blah blah. But he's been in school 6 weeks now and if anything it's getting worse. Then it hit me (about 3 mins ago btw). Liam as NOT around other auties much all summer. He did day camp for a few weeks (broken up) but it was a mixture of kids, Na Liam seemed to gravitate to the NT counselors more, and did very well there. Now he's back in a class of 5 and he is the HF one the group...again. And guess what he's regressing....big time. The echoing is getting out of control (echoes movie lines, repeating what he just said to me or another quietly under his breath etc). I wonder if being in the self contained room and he being the hf one is affecting this regression.

He is getting poor behavior grades in school every day, and seems to not understand many of the social conventions he had before the summer. AAAARRRGHGHGH!!!! Here we go again, 3 steps forward, 5 steps back. So much for inclusion next year...

Dee

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Registered: 08-27-2007
Tue, 09-11-2007 - 12:20am

Well my son was been in class for 5 weeks now with all "typical" children and he has also been having tons of issues with echolalia too. His teachers keep bringing it up and she even mentioned it to me again today. Actually since he has started school we have noticed more symptoms than usual, which how I ended up thrown into the world of IEP's etc... Its like school is exaggerating all his quirks. Like one day he was doing some weird tic hand movement, then another day he saw some Transformers( his current obsession) and got all excited and started hand flapping. I about passed out because I had never really noticed him doing anything with his hands like that, besides spinning toys near his face.

I wonder if it is just the stress of school itself. I am at a loss too. I do see your point of view too. That makes me wonder if he could be picking up on the other children. My daughter does some things like my son since she copies him, but I don's suspect her of having Aspergers at all. She is a major ADHD child though...LOL..

Sorry I don't know what advice to offer. I just wanted you to know there are other moms out there going through the daily struggle of school with their child. At least our meeting is tomorrow.

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Registered: 10-03-2004
Tue, 09-11-2007 - 8:46am

Hi Dee!

I have had Malcolm in classes where it was mostly ASD kids, some quite severe. He has never picked up their behavior. His autistic symptoms only escalate when he himself is deeply stressed. This also used to happen when he was with NT kids, but he has matured and now does keep his autistic sympoms more in check in public ... but also these days he is one super relaxed dude. Therefore his symptoms are very minimal.

Sara

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Registered: 01-19-2005
Tue, 09-11-2007 - 9:27am

{{{{{{Dee}}}}}}

I can relate, we're going through something similar, but a flipped version. But first, I know you've already thought of this, but could it be fall coming on, cycles? We've also had terrible allergies down here, probably not the main thing, just a thought.

But Eric had a fabulous summer too, but in an ASD-oriented camp. He was the youngest in a group of 10 aspies. First time he was not the highest kid on the totem pole. He loved it! It was the happiest I have ever seen him. The teachers were ESE teachers and some OT's. He made so many social gains.

Now, we are in week 5 of school. He couldn't have started at a better developmental level than he did after this summer. We are having our first real inclusion experience in less than ideal circumstances. Great teachers, but a BIG class and a BIG school that has lots of rules and regs mostly for security reasons. He does have ESE push-in for academics.

Eric is not unhappy, but not happy either. He's doing his work, but it's like that joyful kid I saw for the first time this summer is slipping away. He definitely comes home and has to decompress which means stims, obsessions, laying with pillows and blankets all over him, unresponsiveness. I think it's the stress of the big class and the big, loud school. I don't know what to do about it bc the only options at our school are this class(and I do think these teachers are pretty good, given the over-crowding) or a self-contained class that has 5 kids, grades k-2 and all are non-verbal. That's not for Eric either. What he needs is something in the middle, which doesn't exist.

I know this is different than Liam, but I wonder if his behavior is stress-related too? Not that he is imitating the other kids, but that something is making him feel stress which brings out the symptoms? Don't you wishyou could just open their heads and peer inside to find out what they are thinking? I do!

Sorry I don't have much advice except that maybe it's a combo of seasonal things, though Eric usually crashes in November that way, and the stress--whatever is causing it--of school.

Don't you just love back to school?

Katherine

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2003
Tue, 09-11-2007 - 9:50pm

Obviously I'm of no help because to the best I can recall, Claire's been regressing since 2nd semester of last year! You know I'm at a loss, and after my "run-in" with the autism consultant today, I don't seen any answers on the horizon.

Hang in there, keep truckin', and since I can't be there to do it with you, have an extra cold one on my behalf.

Amy

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Registered: 06-25-2003
Wed, 09-12-2007 - 9:41am

Dee,


I agree with Sara that is is probably stress and not learned behaviour.

-Paula

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Registered: 04-28-2007
Wed, 09-12-2007 - 11:10am
needed to make this it's own post


Edited 9/12/2007 3:34 pm ET by roanmom