OT: Is anyone else annoyed by references to functioning-level?

[Guest guest]

I'm raising this question in the hope of generating a little thought and

discussion around this issue...

Is anyone else out there annoyed with references to " functioning-level " ?

Whether a kid is " high-functioning " or " low-functioning " , it seems like such a

pigeon-hole statement, defining an individual with a blanket conclusion

regardless of his/her particular strengths and weaknesses. This is particularly

true of those deemed " low functioning " , and I've gotten at least half a dozen

explanations, all different, about what the heck that means.

I've heard these terms thrown around by professionals, therapists, parents, on

lists, in public, in print and it never ceases to infuriate me. I am not

thinking of any particular individual on this list, but it is food for thought.

IMO, here in Lake Wobegon, all the men are strong, all the women are

good-looking, and all the children are individuals.

Regina

Regina F.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Regina,

I recently got on this soapbox when my family was featured on a PBS special

in PA so I could not resist answering.

I do not think it is fair or accurate to deem a child " high functioning " or

" low functioning " . I know children who can read well but tantrum constantly.

I know children who are in regular ed and basically indistinguishable but have

tolieting accidents twice a week.

I was once told by an admistrator that if my son attended a certain school

he would be " the lowest functioning student here " . I politely asked the

administrator what areas was he referring to.....if he was referring to his

expressive language level, I might agree. But, my son's behaviors are great, he

doesn't tantrum, he is not aggressive, he is toliet trained and has excellent

receptive language and imitation skills.

So here's my soap box>>>

Don't try to line children up in terms of high functioning or low

functioning. Look at all their strengths and needs within all domains

.....language,

social, self care, leisure skills, behaviors, etc. Use their strengths and

work on the weakness to help them become as independent and happy as possible.

Barbera, RN, MSN, BCBA

(Mom to Lucas, ASD, just turned 8, and Spencer NT, 6)

[Guest guest]

I agree with .

I often take phone calls from parents describing their children as either

" high functioning " or " low functioning " . I usually ignore the terms, and

ask specific questions about what the child CAN do, what the child has

difficulties with, and what the parents' hopes and expectations are if they

enroll their child at our school. That is, how do they hope we can help

their child.

HF and LF are simply meaningless labels. It tells me nothing about the

child.

I often wonder who came up with these terms, and what the purpose was.

Every kid is unique and special -- to categorize them into one of two

categories is a great disservice to both the child and his/her family. The

kids who fall into the " low " category lose out because people (read school

districts or other authorities that grant funds) think it's not " worth the

time, money and effort " -- the kids in the " high " category lose out because

people are convinced they are really " fine " and everything will work itself

out in time.

In my book, it rates about the same as telling parents that if their child

isn't talking by age 5, that they never will! (I can personally attest to

the fact that this is definitely NOT true.)

Here's another way to look at it -- what if we were to take all of the NT

kids (because, after all, if they don't have autism then they must be NT,

right?) and put them into one of two categories by, say, kindergarten?

Let's see, we could call the groups, " Smart " and " Dumb " , " Fast " and " Slow " ,

" Successes " and " Failures " ...

The world we live in is NOT binary!

s (Cary, NC)

persistentC@...

President and Executive Director

The Mariposa School for Children with Autism

203 Gregson Drive

Cary, NC 27511

919-461-0600

www.MariposaSchool.org

Re: [ ] OT: Is anyone else annoyed by references to

" functioning-level? "

Regina,

I recently got on this soapbox when my family was featured on a PBS

special

in PA so I could not resist answering.

I do not think it is fair or accurate to deem a child " high functioning "

or

" low functioning " . I know children who can read well but tantrum

constantly.

I know children who are in regular ed and basically indistinguishable but

have

tolieting accidents twice a week.

I was once told by an admistrator that if my son attended a certain school

he would be " the lowest functioning student here " . I politely asked the

administrator what areas was he referring to.....if he was referring to

his

expressive language level, I might agree. But, my son's behaviors are

great, he

doesn't tantrum, he is not aggressive, he is toliet trained and has

excellent

receptive language and imitation skills.

So here's my soap box>>>

Don't try to line children up in terms of high functioning or low

functioning. Look at all their strengths and needs within all domains

.....language,

social, self care, leisure skills, behaviors, etc. Use their strengths

and

work on the weakness to help them become as independent and happy as

possible.

Barbera, RN, MSN, BCBA

(Mom to Lucas, ASD, just turned 8, and Spencer NT, 6)

[Guest guest]

Since bringing in some aspects of RPM into our ABA-AVB programming

(www.halo-soma.org) I have found that my " low-verbal-functioning " son

is quite " high-receptive-functioning. " And we have begun to work on

age level academics (he is 8) while targeting low rate behavior like

speech.

He is doing so great! We have three word mands, tons of tacts, and

he is tacting words, spelling, and putting out an effort

to write. A non-verbal child does not have to be labeled low

functioning. I have taken non-vocal behavior and am transfering it

to vocal (i.e. text to tact transfers or text to intraverbal) Even

more, I am able to write to him information and this can get us

through a rough spot (like wanting to swim naked in the public pool

and me explaining that is was not socially OK). We had a great time

at SeaWorld and he rode all the kiddie the rides. So much plain old

functioning behavior. For me, it is always a teaching issue...I am

trying to gather and create procedures for the more " severe " or

older children and hope to replicate with other kiddos. If any of

you have had experience with text to IV or text to tact procedures

PLEASE write or have had AT to vocal experience, I'd love to hear

from you too. Lastly, if any of you are using RPM in your ABA

programs, I would love to discuss tracking data. I know I have to

stay data driven to validate so wish me luck! And good luck to all

of you!

--- In , " persistentC " <persistentC@n...>

wrote:

> I agree with .

>

> I often take phone calls from parents describing their children as

either

> " high functioning " or " low functioning " . I usually ignore the

terms, and

> ask specific questions about what the child CAN do, what the child

has

> difficulties with, and what the parents' hopes and expectations

are if they

> enroll their child at our school. That is, how do they hope we

can help

> their child.

>

> HF and LF are simply meaningless labels. It tells me nothing

about the

> child.

>

> I often wonder who came up with these terms, and what the purpose

was.

> Every kid is unique and special -- to categorize them into one of

two

> categories is a great disservice to both the child and his/her

family. The

> kids who fall into the " low " category lose out because people

(read school

> districts or other authorities that grant funds) think it's

not " worth the

> time, money and effort " -- the kids in the " high " category lose

out because

> people are convinced they are really " fine " and everything will

work itself

> out in time.

>

> In my book, it rates about the same as telling parents that if

their child

> isn't talking by age 5, that they never will! (I can personally

attest to

> the fact that this is definitely NOT true.)

>

> Here's another way to look at it -- what if we were to take all of

the NT

> kids (because, after all, if they don't have autism then they must

be NT,

> right?) and put them into one of two categories by, say,

kindergarten?

> Let's see, we could call the groups, " Smart " and " Dumb " , " Fast "

and " Slow " ,

> " Successes " and " Failures " ...

>

> The world we live in is NOT binary!

>

> s (Cary, NC)

>

> persistentC@n...

>

> President and Executive Director

>

> The Mariposa School for Children with Autism

>

> 203 Gregson Drive

>

> Cary, NC 27511

>

> 919-461-0600

>

> www.MariposaSchool.org

>

>

>

>

>

> Re: [ ] OT: Is anyone else annoyed by references

to

> " functioning-level? "

>

>

> Regina,

>

> I recently got on this soapbox when my family was featured on a

PBS

> special

> in PA so I could not resist answering.

>

> I do not think it is fair or accurate to deem a child " high

functioning "

> or

> " low functioning " . I know children who can read well but tantrum

> constantly.

> I know children who are in regular ed and basically

indistinguishable but

> have

> tolieting accidents twice a week.

>

> I was once told by an admistrator that if my son attended a

certain school

> he would be " the lowest functioning student here " . I politely

asked the

> administrator what areas was he referring to.....if he was

referring to

> his

> expressive language level, I might agree. But, my son's

behaviors are

> great, he

> doesn't tantrum, he is not aggressive, he is toliet trained and

has

> excellent

> receptive language and imitation skills.

>

> So here's my soap box>>>

>

> Don't try to line children up in terms of high functioning

or low

> functioning. Look at all their strengths and needs within all

domains

> ....language,

> social, self care, leisure skills, behaviors, etc. Use their

strengths

> and

> work on the weakness to help them become as independent and

happy as

> possible.

>

>

> Barbera, RN, MSN, BCBA

> (Mom to Lucas, ASD, just turned 8, and Spencer NT, 6)

>

>

>