Re:Door is OPEN- 5th Highest Overall Rated Idea for Change in America..

[Guest guest]

In our board anyway - not sure if it is province wide or not - but in Toronto, Canada we are not allowed to use these small rooms sometimes attached to contained classrooms as time out rooms - they are either to be used as an alternate work area (e.g., easier to focus) or as a sensory room (snoozelen type room). They are putting more and more money into spec ed programs here and parents are welcomed in any time to observe the class or just come in and check out the classroom. I had a parent come in 2 years ago in a panic - asking me what "time out" was - english was a second language - but I explained to him that sometimes students are told to "take a break" by going to their desk or the sensory room to calm down - we had a teaching assistant who would call this "time out" (I think because she was a parent) but it was not a classroom policy to call it

that. I try to encourage my students to identify the need for a break themselves (before they get into trouble) and try to make it as positive an experience I can for them without it being a reward (e.g., task avoidance).

This is very scary - they are also checking weighted blankets, etc. and removing them from classrooms if they are over 10 or 20lbs (I am not sure exactly) because a student somewhere (not our board I don't think) died when a weighted blanket was put on a child as a restraint (not their intent at all) and it was way too heavy - also left on for soo many hours...very very sad.

[Guest guest]

I heard about the death from the weighted vest quite some time ago,

and it was in Canada.. not sure if it's the same as quite some time

ago sometimes means last summer ! It's terrible to see that happen,

I believe that anything over 5 lbs is too much but it does depend on

the size of the child..sometimes 10 lbs is needed. I'm glad to hear

about the basic 'ban' on using time out rooms like that.. that is how

all of them should be.. used for something else. It's great to hear

from a teacher and your point of view. The use of sensory rooms to

calm down makes alot of sense.. that's what needs to happen across the

U.S. .. some time out rooms need to be bulldozed down.. some can be

turned into sensory break rooms and used as you stated - BEFORE the

meltdown occurs.. that's the way it's supposed to happen... you're not

available for any consulting are you ?!?? Thank you

for the excellent input.

E. , Sr.

The Office of Advocacy for Autistic Children

>

> In our board anyway - not sure if it is province wide or not - but

in Toronto, Canada we are not allowed to use these small rooms

sometimes attached to contained classrooms as time out rooms - they

are either to be used as an alternate work area (e.g., easier to

focus) or as a sensory room (snoozelen type room). They are putting

more and more money into spec ed programs here and parents are

welcomed in any time to observe the class or just come in and check

out the classroom. I had a parent come in 2 years ago in a panic -

asking me what " time out " was - english was a second language - but I

explained to him that sometimes students are told to " take a break " by

going to their desk or the sensory room to calm down - we had a

teaching assistant who would call this " time out " (I think because she

was a parent) but it was not a classroom policy to call it that. I try

to encourage my students to identify the need for a break themselves

(before they get into

> trouble) and try to make it as positive an experience I can for

them without it being a reward (e.g., task avoidance).

> This is very scary - they are also checking weighted blankets, etc.

and removing them from classrooms if they are over 10 or 20lbs (I am

not sure exactly) because a student somewhere (not our board I don't

think) died when a weighted blanket was put on a child as a restraint

(not their intent at all) and it was way too heavy - also left on for

soo many hours...very very sad.

>  

>

[Guest guest]

I never knew weighted blankets could kill a child. My 5 year old son has to sleep with one that is 15 pounds. The weight is distributed over a twin size blanket that is covered in memory foam and velvet. Then he has a golden lab he also snuggles up to. Hank ( the dog ) which he will not sleep with also helps him calm down during the night and also keeps him from wandering the house.

But is it is the only way that he will sleep. Sometimes he will remove it with his legs. He has had it for over a year and never seem to have any problems.

He used to sleep sandwiched between my husband and I. He would want to be squeezed tighter and tighter between us. Half the time he would have lefted my arm and my husband arm and put it on his chest.

Subject: Re:Door is OPEN- 5th Highest Overall Rated Idea for Change in America..To: AutismBehaviorProblems Date: Friday, December 26, 2008, 3:24 PM

In our board anyway - not sure if it is province wide or not - but in Toronto, Canada we are not allowed to use these small rooms sometimes attached to contained classrooms as time out rooms - they are either to be used as an alternate work area (e.g., easier to focus) or as a sensory room (snoozelen type room). They are putting more and more money into spec ed programs here and parents are welcomed in any time to observe the class or just come in and check out the classroom. I had a parent come in 2 years ago in a panic - asking me what "time out" was - english was a second language - but I explained to him that sometimes students are told to "take a break" by going to their desk or the sensory room to calm down - we had a teaching assistant who would call this "time out" (I think because she was a parent) but it was not a classroom policy to call it that. I try to encourage my students to identify the need for a break themselves (before they get

into trouble) and try to make it as positive an experience I can for them without it being a reward (e.g., task avoidance).

This is very scary - they are also checking weighted blankets, etc. and removing them from classrooms if they are over 10 or 20lbs (I am not sure exactly) because a student somewhere (not our board I don't think) died when a weighted blanket was put on a child as a restraint (not their intent at all) and it was way too heavy - also left on for soo many hours...very very sad.