Re: Please help - IEP for Kindergarten

[Guest guest]

I thought I would let you know that they suspected my son had AS when

he was 4. They do not issue a true diagnosis until they are older (8

or 9) as the first signs of AS are very similar to a few other

disorders. My son is at the low end of the spectrum. His AS is

social and multi tasking. He is also borderline for ADD and has a

sensitivity issue that has gotten better as he has gotten older. He

has only had an IEP for about 18 months so he could receive the help

at school once he entered middle school.

Goals for you IEP should be that the teacher is well versed about his

needs and that you are open to meet with the teacher whenever they

have an issue. Communication with the school is going to be the best

thing for all. Also find out if there is a chance to have a lunch

buddy session with the onsite counselor once a week. This will help

build social skills with other kids that have some social issues and

a chance for him to connect with another child that may have a

similar interest in something as him.

I wish you much success.

Janice

On Jun 9, 2009, at 5:53 PM, allgfcf wrote:

> Hi everyone! I've been a lurker for long - I have learned so much

> from all of you, and it really helps to know what issues are common

> as AS kids grow, so I have a sense of what certain behaviors etc.

> really 'mean'. Thank you.

>

> My son is 5 and will be entering kindergarten in the fall in a

> regular classroom with supports and an additional program where he

> will receive services (no pull out at this time with half-day

> kindergarten). While I clearly see the AS in him, as do his

> therapists, both the specialist teams we went to over the space of

> 2 years have stopped short of a diagnosis- both mentioned

> Aspergers, saying they won't rule it out. His main challenges (as

> with all our kids) are in pragmatic language, and sensory

> regulation; he also has some gross motor issues, and a lot of fine

> motor challenges - pretty much par for the course. Lots of Need to

> socialize, just unable to do it appropriately/successfully. He

> already feels the pain of this. My guess is that while he has all

> of the difficulties, he may possibly be 'milder' on the

> spectrum...? and hence no diagnosis...? Also, his special interests

> are not as intense, and seem to come and go- I can 'deflect' it

> too. I apologize for the rambling and my choice of words, but I

> just wanted to draw a picture of my son here, and I haven't met

> another child with AS. He also has several food allergies.

>

> He has been in the school district preschool program with an IEP.

> I have gone over the archives for our IEP meeting that's coming up

> in a few days. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on goals

> for the IEP, and also any insight into what you may have done in my

> situation, or if you could revisit the kindergarten years. Would

> you have sent your child to typical private school if it was

> possible financially? We can't at this time, but I was wondering if

> down the line, it may help for me to go back to work to be able to

> afford it, if it may help. Right now, we have behavior and

> attention issues that make me think he needs the support at public

> school; will these only worsen as he gets older? Please send me any

> opinions/ suggestions/ comments. He currently receives speech, OT,

> and social skills group, though very little of each.

>

> Thanks much for staying with this long post.

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, welcome to our group. I noticed kids with prosody speech issues

are easy kids to diagnosis with AS. My daughter didn't

fit this profile so from age 4 on the " experts " wondered is her issues

OCD, anxiety disorder, PDD etc. What a deservice all this

nonsense was and apparently still is. AS is a good diagnosis for children with

social skill disorders that clearly are not just

" shy " kids.

Your child has a set of problems that are typcial for AS kids.

Some AS kids have anxiety issues. You didn't mention that.

Some AS kids have a non verbal learning disorder. You would

know if he has this if he has difficulty transitioning, get's

lost easily and has visual spatial issues.

When my daughter was in K her kindergarten teacher a women

near retirement called her a slowpoke and pushed and proded her to move faster.

My daughter was miserable. She was anxious to attend school. She was not

classifed until 3rd grade. At the same school the same

year another boy in her grade had the clear cut prosody of speech

issues with AS and was classifed got speech, OT and was

in a class room with a special ed teacher. He had a more

positive experience.

If money was not an issue I would have sent her to a private

school and had the staff trained in AS and NLD. I still

don't think educators or even private Learning consultants

understand NLD.

I think my daughter suffers because her anxiety gets in the

way of her participating in therapy, social skills etc.

Many kids use special interests as a way to cope with

anxiety and stress.

I hope your child's issues don't worsen. I don't think

my dauhgter's issues changed but the world's expectation

did.

One doctor said AS kids and many kids with LD's are 2/3 the age

of their peers. So a 12 year old is more like an 8 year old.

I would treat your son as AS until it doesn't fit and another

DX fits better.

Pam

increased and sehesen.

[Guest guest]

How did your IEP meeting go? I am behind reading posts so I did not get to reply sooner. I would have pulled goals from your description, which hopefully they did that. As for behavior and attention issues - it is hard to say if they will get worse over time or not. Every kid is different. And kids mature as well - some things improve over time and other things may pop up along the way as well.

Roxanna

Autism Happens

( ) Please help - IEP for Kindergarten

Hi everyone! I've been a lurker for long - I have learned so much from all of you, and it really helps to know what issues are common as AS kids grow, so I have a sense of what certain behaviors etc. really 'mean'. Thank you.

My son is 5 and will be entering kindergarten in the fall in a regular classroom with supports and an additional program where he will receive services (no pull out at this time with half-day kindergarten). While I clearly see the AS in him, as do his therapists, both the specialist teams we went to over the space of 2 years have stopped short of a diagnosis- both mentioned Aspergers, saying they won't rule it out. His main challenges (as with all our kids) are in pragmatic language, and sensory regulation; he also has some gross motor issues, and a lot of fine motor challenges - pretty much par for the course. Lots of Need to socialize, just unable to do it appropriately/successfully. He already feels the pain of this. My guess is that while he has all of the difficulties, he may possibly be 'milder' on the spectrum...? and hence no diagnosis...? Also, his special interests are not as intense, and seem to come and go- I can 'deflect' it too. I apologize for the rambling and my choice of words, but I just wanted to draw a picture of my son here, and I haven't met another child with AS. He also has several food allergies.

He has been in the school district preschool program with an IEP.

I have gone over the archives for our IEP meeting that's coming up in a few days. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on goals for the IEP, and also any insight into what you may have done in my situation, or if you could revisit the kindergarten years. Would you have sent your child to typical private school if it was possible financially? We can't at this time, but I was wondering if down the line, it may help for me to go back to work to be able to afford it, if it may help. Right now, we have behavior and attention issues that make me think he needs the support at public school; will these only worsen as he gets older? Please send me any opinions/ suggestions/ comments. He currently receives speech, OT, and social skills group, though very little of each.

Thanks much for staying with this long post.

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