All About Autism

[Couragemom]

Hi Seoulover,


My son joined brainy moves when he was around 3 years old too! It is fine, the trainers will moderate the difficulty of the movements to the kid’s ability (and my son is one clumsy boy!)

Btw, your daughter’s condition sounds quite mild, perhaps you want to consider an integrated pre-school (all private)? Integrated pre-school is one where the school offers a mainstream class but also have support for special needs children. I know a few - Ichiban nurture land, St Gerard’s and ZeeHouse.

For my son, what I did was to find a normal 2-hr playgroup for him and then go for intensive therapies for 6 months. He started when he was around 1 year 10 months old. Then when he was around 2.5 years old (condition is better but limited speech), I found a mainstream pre-school for him with shadow support for 5 months. Now he is in N2, the first 6 months weren’t that good but now the complaints are getting fewer! His therapies are still ongoing.

[seoulover]

Hi Couragemom


Thanks for your reply! Ya I think i’ll send my gal for a trial class first before deciding. My gal still cannot jump. Do u think the instructors there can help in this aspect? Heh, I seem to be stinging on OT but no choice her private SLT is making me broke.

Thanks too for sharing your journey thus far. It’s good that your boy started intervention so early. Yes, my girl’s condition seems mild but the lack of speech is worrying. Due to her lack of speech, she was "retained" in playgroup in her daycare though she should be in N1 this year. So young kena retained, lol. Integrated pre-schools r too expensive to consider. Seriously very very expensive. I’ll prefer mainstream + Eipic but for now she’ll just have to do without mainstream. That’s why I’m considering Brainy Moves to let her have a chance too to interact with neurotypical peers.

[pinkamoon]

Hi Seoulover,

From my experience, putting my son with neurotypical children do not help much initially because children are not as patient as adults and need to 'model' after the behaviours of adults. The same goes with speech. My son had words but he could not use them in proper communication. He only started to be more talkative when he was 6. That was when I started to play and talk to him everyday for 3-4 hours a day. Just 1-1 date. I stopped OT and ST when he was 5. Instead, we often go to playgrounds, beaches and parks. All these activities help to train his muscles and are free. Sometimes DIY can yield even greater results.

[Snow24]

Hi


How to teach hand writing to ASD kids.Child having handwriting difficulties.

[mceducation1]

Snow24:

Hi


How to teach hand writing to ASD kids.Child having handwriting difficulties.

Hi Snow24,

Handwriting is basic tool used to express thoughts and learning and a lack of such skill can have significant effect on motivation and performance in school. I can understand your concern in this area. Usually ASD children find handwriting difficult due to sensory difficulties and poor visual motor skills. Not sure how old is your child but there are a few common ways that you can try to help improve his fine/visual motor skills to strengthen the control in his small muscles of his hands and fingers:

-\tRolling a small ball of clay or dough between the tip of the thumb and tips of the index and middle fingers
-\tPutting puzzles together
-\tPicking up small objects e.g. green/red beans up with tweezers
-\tMoving a badge/key from the palm to the fingertips of one hand
-\tPinching and sealing a ziplock bag using the thumb opposing each finger while maintaining an open web space
-\tCompleting simple dot-to-dot pictures and mazes
-\tBuild with blocks (start with bigger ones and gradually move to smaller ones, as control is gained).
-\tPaint, color, and trace (start with thicker brushes, crayons, and pencils and move to thinner tools, as control is gained).

Try to let him note his own performance and give him feedback only every five-six tries. Top it up with appropriate encouragement and rewards when he tries to write on his own after you guiding him using the “hand over hand” method which allows him to experience the sensation of writing guided by an adult. Celebrate and display his work pieces when he makes a good effort to motivate him further.

All the best!

^Tabitha – Science & Education Specialist
For Marshall Cavendish Education

[Double E]

Hi


I have successfully registered my boy in a mainstream primary school. It was a nerve-wrecking experience. Until Monday morning, we knew we had to ballot as the number of SC within 1km registering for the school has exceeded the number of vacancies. But in the afternoon, the school called to say all SC within 1km are in, no need to ballot. So yes, my boy will go to P1 mainstream next year.

I have been preparing him, telling him what to expect in Pri 1 like buy his own food, clean his bum after pooping, follow instructions, must write faster, cannot whisper or talk to himself etc, must button his own clothes etc. He sort of get it but was upset when I told him mei mei will not be joining him as she will be K2. Mei mei will only join him in 2017.

Mothers who have kids in Pri, what else do I need to prepare him? And how do you train him to follow the school timetable? I will be submitting his psychology report to the school during orientation so that the school can take note when allocating a class for him.

[Double E]

Niu2009,

how abt you? Hope u got a place for your son in phase 2C.

[Niu2009]

Hi DoubleE,


I got a place in 2B. I am quite nervous now. My son quite busy recently to prepare his piano grading.

[Double E]

Niu2009:

Hi DoubleE,


I got a place in 2B. I am quite nervous now. My son quite busy recently to prepare his piano grading.

That's good!! Hope our boys can adapt well in their respective primary schools.

Wah your son is learning piano. Has it been tough? i didn't let my boy learn cos I thought his clumsy fingers will not be able to do it.

[Niu2009]

Hi Double E,

For my son, he can cope. At first, don’t want to go grading, but his ST said let him go. Just an exposure.