Re: I'm new and need some help!

[Guest guest]

One thing that helped us when Dylan was about 8 was a room they called the Learning Lab. If he was having problems sitting still or following directions or being quiet (fill in the blank) he could choose to go to the Learning Lab, which was a quiet room with one teacher and a few students who were also accessing it for behavior issues. That's what my son was having, behavior issues. Were they intentional? No. Were they directly related to his Aspergers? Yes. Did that really matter if he was disrupting the classroom? Sort of. It mattered in the fact that he shouldn't get in trouble for his behavior but instead be able to go somewhere quiet and finish his work. It wasn't used as a punishment at all. At first I thought this wasn't a good idea b/c he'd like the quiet room so much it might cause him to act out more just so he could leave the room but over

time I realized this was a great idea b/c it helped be able to calm himself down, regardless of the reason he was worked up in the first place. It also helped his relationship w/ his teachers and the other kids I think b/c they got a break from him too and could calm themselves down. So if that's something your school could try, it might be helpful. Dylan hadn't been diagnosed w/ Aspergers at the time, it was officially ADHD. But the room was used for kids with lots of different issues (Aspergers, ADHD, learning disabilities, etc...) who needed help from a teacher or a quiet place to work.

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: Zena <zrjones06@...> Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 3:54:53 PMSubject: ( ) I'm new and need some help!

I'm new to this site and joined b/c i really am at my wits end and don't really know what more i can do for my son. he is an 8 year old and was officially diagnosed w/ asperger's about 1 yr ago. we've struggled thru the school district here in dallas, tx and have i think finally gotten him appropriate placing for him. but what i don't understand and maybe someone could help me w/ this is the fact that these children w/ asperger's seem to slip thru the cracks b/c i'm always being told my son is too high functioning for the autism unit at his school but his behaviors won't let him stay in a regular classroom setting. he's been transferred around about 3x this year and in a 4 mo span from regular education at his home school to an alternative school and from the alternative school back to his home school and now untimately ending up on a behavior unit at another elementary near by. i guess my question is i know my son has asperger's but what does that

mean for him and for me? i want to do what's right for my son and get him the appropriate help he needs. he's bitting on his fingers to the point they are raw and leaving sores behind. he even went to the dr's yesterday and told her that he's eating out of the garbage can b/c he says he's hungry all the time. and he just ate dinner but he says that he's still hungry. he won't come and tell me this or even tell me when somethings wrong and i know this is in some way due to his asperger's but i guess i'm just lost at what does this diagnosis mean for us? my family is extremely supportive and i love them all for this but i just don't know where to go to get the right resources. he does see a psychiatrist but he doesn't really help (in my opinion). if someone could please let me know i would greatly appreciate it.

sincerely,

zena j

[Guest guest]

On Dec 27, 10:46pm, Zena wrote:

} ppropriate help he needs. he's bitting on his fingers to the point they are=

} raw and leaving sores behind. he even went to the dr's yesterday and told =

I'm so sorry you're having such a hard time. I know this only addresses

a symptom, but have you tried redirecting the biting, perhaps with

gum chewing? My son actually has gum chewing in his IEP, he needs it

so much.

Willa

[Guest guest]

Have u tried a developmental pediatrician to write a prescription for special needs resources. Like my son she wrote speech therpy, occupation therpy, pT, and pragmatics in language, social skills therpy, small class room size and peers, communication pecs, etc. The school did comply with most of this. What about an IEP? I can agree with u its hard when our kids are at the end of the spectrum and it hard to get them treatment cause they are not severe. Any type of autism needs treatment and should not ignored. God Bless and prayers to u and ur son:)

From: Zena <zrjones06@...>Subject: ( ) I'm new and need some help! Date: Thursday, April 30, 2009, 1:54 PM

I'm new to this site and joined b/c i really am at my wits end and don't really know what more i can do for my son. he is an 8 year old and was officially diagnosed w/ asperger's about 1 yr ago. we've struggled thru the school district here in dallas, tx and have i think finally gotten him appropriate placing for him. but what i don't understand and maybe someone could help me w/ this is the fact that these children w/ asperger's seem to slip thru the cracks b/c i'm always being told my son is too high functioning for the autism unit at his school but his behaviors won't let him stay in a regular classroom setting. he's been transferred around about 3x this year and in a 4 mo span from regular education at his home school to an alternative school and from the alternative school back to his home school and now untimately ending up on a behavior unit at another elementary near by. i guess my question is i know my son has asperger's but what does that

mean for him and for me? i want to do what's right for my son and get him the appropriate help he needs. he's bitting on his fingers to the point they are raw and leaving sores behind. he even went to the dr's yesterday and told her that he's eating out of the garbage can b/c he says he's hungry all the time. and he just ate dinner but he says that he's still hungry. he won't come and tell me this or even tell me when somethings wrong and i know this is in some way due to his asperger's but i guess i'm just lost at what does this diagnosis mean for us? my family is extremely supportive and i love them all for this but i just don't know where to go to get the right resources. he does see a psychiatrist but he doesn't really help (in my opinion). if someone could please let me know i would greatly appreciate it.

sincerely,

zena j

[Guest guest]

he has a behavioral specialist assigned by the school district and he has done some wonders w/ the behavior plan for my son. most of my issues w/ him are behavioral but he's starting to have like what i believe are emotional imbalances as well. i don't know if the psychiatric med has anything to do w/ it or not. but it just seems odd that he has these crying spells at school and i haven't seen him have any of those since kindergarten and he's now in second grade. he is receiving the speech therapy and coping skills at school currently and he is in a smaller class size w/ him being on the behavior unit and we even have visuals for him at the house but i will definitely look into getting him a developmental pediatrician and see if this will help him as well.

thank you for your suggestion they are greatly appreciated.

zena jones

From: Zena <zrjones06 (DOT) com>Subject: ( ) I'm new and need some help! Date: Thursday, April 30, 2009, 1:54 PM

I'm new to this site and joined b/c i really am at my wits end and don't really know what more i can do for my son. he is an 8 year old and was officially diagnosed w/ asperger's about 1 yr ago. we've struggled thru the school district here in dallas, tx and have i think finally gotten him appropriate placing for him. but what i don't understand and maybe someone could help me w/ this is the fact that these children w/ asperger's seem to slip thru the cracks b/c i'm always being told my son is too high functioning for the autism unit at his school but his behaviors won't let him stay in a regular classroom setting. he's been transferred around about 3x this year and in a 4 mo span from regular education at his home school to an alternative school and from the alternative school back to his home school and now untimately ending up on a behavior unit at another elementary near by. i guess my question is i know my son has asperger's but what does that

mean for him and for me? i want to do what's right for my son and get him the appropriate help he needs. he's bitting on his fingers to the point they are raw and leaving sores behind. he even went to the dr's yesterday and told her that he's eating out of the garbage can b/c he says he's hungry all the time. and he just ate dinner but he says that he's still hungry. he won't come and tell me this or even tell me when somethings wrong and i know this is in some way due to his asperger's but i guess i'm just lost at what does this diagnosis mean for us? my family is extremely supportive and i love them all for this but i just don't know where to go to get the right resources. he does see a psychiatrist but he doesn't really help (in my opinion). if someone could please let me know i would greatly appreciate it.

sincerely,

zena j

[Guest guest]

A lot of kiddos do this; my daughter did this too and had callouses at one

point!

The tendency to bite when over-stimulated/excited is very strong so you may have

to replace it with a object for a while (better than hands!) There are many

solid therapy items that can be purchased (or a favourite, safe, object) that

can be with your child. Some can be pinned to a shirt, for example, so that it

is readily available.

> } ppropriate help he needs. he's bitting on his fingers to the point they are=

> } raw and leaving sores behind. he even went to the dr's yesterday and told =

>

> I'm so sorry you're having such a hard time. I know this only addresses

> a symptom, but have you tried redirecting the biting, perhaps with

> gum chewing? My son actually has gum chewing in his IEP, he needs it

> so much.

>

> Willa

>

[Guest guest]

HE USE TO LIKE CARS BUT THEN HE WOULD TAKE ALL THE TIRES OFF EVERY CARE HE GOT SO I ENDED UP W/ SMALL CAR PARTS ALL OVER THE FLOOR WHICH WAS OKAY BY ME BUT DANGEROUS FOR HIS BABY BROTHER. BUT I FIGURED THIS HAD SOMETHING TO DO W/ HIS AS. BUT HE MOVED OFF OF THE CARS (STILL INTERESTED BUT NOT AS MUCH AS HE USE TO) AND IS NOW ONTO LEGOS AND BREAD TIES. I MEAN THE THINGS THIS KID CAN MAKE OUT OF A COUPLE OF BREAD TIES IS JUST FASCINATING. SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU KNEW WHERE I COULD FIND SUCH ITEMS THAT WOULD HELP HIM TO NOT BITE HIS FINGERS AND WOULD BE BETTER FOR HIM TO HAVE AT SCHOOL?

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THE INFO IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!

From: tdhssp <johnvel@...>Subject: Re: ( ) I'm new and need some help! Date: Friday, May 1, 2009, 10:48 AM

A lot of kiddos do this; my daughter did this too and had callouses at one point!The tendency to bite when over-stimulated/ excited is very strong so you may have to replace it with a object for a while (better than hands!) There are many solid therapy items that can be purchased (or a favourite, safe, object) that can be with your child. Some can be pinned to a shirt, for example, so that it is readily available.> } ppropriate help he needs. he's bitting on his fingers to the point they are=> } raw and leaving sores behind. he even went to the dr's yesterday and told => > I'm so sorry you're having such a hard time. I know this only addresses> a symptom, but have you tried

redirecting the biting, perhaps with > gum chewing? My son actually has gum chewing in his IEP, he needs it> so much.> > Willa>