Re: How do I find an aide?

[Guest guest]

mommytopaul@... wrote:

> Hello everyone! We had an IEP meeting & they suggests a 5 day full

> day program for . He turns 3 on Sept. The problem is that my son

> doesn't do very well at all separating from us. We think that the

> full day program is not going to work. WE don't want him to feel

> unloved & abandoned by letting him cry all day for many days, so he

> will get use to the school. We're thinking that a regular half day

> nursery school will be better for him. Then we can have someone come

> in for ABA Therapy couple of times a week. NOt sure the school

> district will agree to pay for it though

> Anyway, I have been reading posts here about a shadow or aide for

> their children. How do you find one? What are the circumstances you

> would or you use one? I need help! My son is diagnosed last March &

> everything seemed so very overwhelming ever since.

>

> yhen

>

I didn't think my son could do a whole day program either. He wasn't even

three when he started. But, it worked out well. They let him nap when

needed and generally let him lead his own program. When he went through a

particularly sleepy period, because he was up most of the night, he would

sleep in a wagon that they had in the classroom. They then just pulled hi to

the next activity in case he woke up, then he could participate. He is now

almost 6. This is his 3rd summer of school. He loves school and is quite

grumpy on vacations. Play it by ear, see what happens.

Maureen

[Guest guest]

> doesn't do very well at all separating from us. We think that the

> full day program is not going to work.

> yhen

Sorry this is going to be long.

Well I probably am not the right person to get the answer from, but

I just wanted to " comfort " you as I could. We need to start treating

out " special " children like normal. We pamper them too much. Yes it

is true that they react badly when left for a long time, but don't

all children do? My NT twins cried everytime I left them in child

care, but a few minutes after I had left they were fine and played

happily. So did my autistic child-actually he didn't care really that

I was there or not, he liked the play rooms and teachers-But what I

really mean is that maybe you are worring too much; and a good way,

if you have the time is doing what I did: I spent one month-or more?I

don't remember-in the childcare with my son, ; every day I would

cut a few minutes and leave a while, then come back. I started with

1/2 day when we both went to school and come home together; then the

3rd day " I went for coffe " for 10 min; the " I went for coffee " for 20-

25 min; then went to " the store next door to buy a snack for later "

that I actually did buy so he believed me, and so on, every time was

a little more and he was happy that way. Later the school provided a

1:1 aid to him so that helped too for attention and all. But this was

in Italy where I come from. I am sure you can probably work out

something like this here, to start until you find the help you want

for him. The point is: do you want him to be in a full time school?

or maybe you're not 100% happy with their program? Or maybe you'd

love to homeschool. But guilt should never be the issue. Our children

are stronger that we grant them, believe it or not.And they deserve

that we give them the chance to prove it. My child is not in an ABA

program yet, but I'll be starting soon, I hope. It took me forever to

let go of him here in a strange-to me-country, where I know no one

and have no family but my husband and children. But I have to let go,

because he has to deal with the problem sooner or later, and the only

thing that can be done different is the way we let them see we love

them and care for them and trust them with all our hearts.

I could go on but i have taken enough space here. Whichever you

decide, you'll do the best for your child and good luck.

Cristina-WA

(Mom to 4 1/2 with autism, & 21 mo twins NT)

[Guest guest]

Yhen,

I'm not sure I ever saw an answer to your original question, so I'll

tell you what worked for us:

We put ads in the metro paper under Education- Part Time that read

something like: Teaching Assistant needed for developmentally

delayed 3 yo boy. Then gave our general location, pay ($9-15/hr),

and phone number. This is how we found all of our ABA therapists

(although we had to train them ourselves with the help of our

curriculum coordinator), and several of them have functioned as aides

at Brett's private preschool. I'm not sure what the policies are in

the public schools around here about hiring your own aid, or if they

assign one of their own employees to your child. My suggestion would

be that if possible, provide your own, especially if it's someone who

is familiar with your home ABA program. That way, the aid knows

exactly what your son is working on, where his current strengths and

weaknesses are, and can help to generalize the ABA concepts to the

classroom setting.

Like I said, we've done all of this privately up to now, so we've

been able to use the people we want for the job. We're considering a

part-time public special needs preschool program in the fall, but I

don't know what their policies are about providing your own aide.

Good luck! This educational stuff is a royal pain to deal with, but

well worth the effort!

Sue

[Guest guest]

> Just a note on this part of your letter....how did you get in-home ABA,

> and do you have to pay for it yourself? Just wondering.

>

>

I do the in-home ABA myself. A specialist with the school system helped me

get it running. (I'm sure so that they wouldn't have to pay for it!) She

did tell me that if school did not work, they would pay for 1 to 2 hours

daily for a home program, but I would have to find the aide myself.

[Guest guest]

Your son might surprise you. My son started the 5-day full day (9-2

on 4 days, and 9-12 on Wednesdays) program when he was 3 1/2. My son

clings more to me than my husband, so I let him drop my son to school

on the first day. In the afternoon, he takes the bus home. And

things were fine from then on. My son loves the bus, so he never

minds taking the bus even if I'm the one standing there at the bus

stop. He would cry if I'm the one dropping him off at school. I'm

pretty sure your son will have bus transportation from your door.

My son will soon finish his first year at school, and he's much

improved academically and socially (partly due to his additional ABA

in-home therapy). Hope this helps.

Huong

> Hello everyone! We had an IEP meeting & they suggests a 5 day full

> day program for . He turns 3 on Sept. The problem is that my

son

> doesn't do very well at all separating from us. We think that the

> full day program is not going to work. WE don't want him to feel

> unloved & abandoned by letting him cry all day for many days, so he

> will get use to the school. We're thinking that a regular half day

> nursery school will be better for him. Then we can have someone

come

> in for ABA Therapy couple of times a week. NOt sure the school

> district will agree to pay for it though

> Anyway, I have been reading posts here about a shadow or aide for

> their children. How do you find one? What are the circumstances

you

> would or you use one? I need help! My son is diagnosed last March

&

> everything seemed so very overwhelming ever since.

>

> yhen

[Guest guest]

this is going to sound like a stupid question, but i am very new to

this--dylan (2yrs, 8 mnths) is going for his initial neurologic evaluation

tomorrow--what is ABA therapy, and what does it accomplish? my sons

pediatrician suggested he may have pdd--very limited verbal, some

self-stimulating behaviors, compulsive behaviors, but otherwise very happy

and social--so i have been doing nothing but researching for the month i

have been waiting for the appointment. i am very nervous as to what is

going to happen tomorrow. any advice? thanks

amy

[Guest guest]

this is going to sound like a stupid question, but i am very new to

this--dylan (2yrs, 8 mnths) is going for his initial neurologic evaluation

tomorrow--what is ABA therapy, and what does it accomplish? my sons

pediatrician suggested he may have pdd--very limited verbal, some

self-stimulating behaviors, compulsive behaviors, but otherwise very happy

and social--so i have been doing nothing but researching for the month i

have been waiting for the appointment. i am very nervous as to what is

going to happen tomorrow. any advice? thanks

amy

[Guest guest]

> My son will soon finish his first year at school, and he's much

> improved academically and socially (partly due to his additional ABA

>

> in-home therapy).

Just a note on this part of your letter....how did you get in-home ABA,

and do you have to pay for it yourself? Just wondering.

[Guest guest]

> My son will soon finish his first year at school, and he's much

> improved academically and socially (partly due to his additional ABA

>

> in-home therapy).

Just a note on this part of your letter....how did you get in-home ABA,

and do you have to pay for it yourself? Just wondering.