All About Autism

[bs1975]

My son is very hyper as he likes to run back and fro from Point A to Point B. If I don’t distract him, he could run for up to 15 to 20 minutes. He also likes to look at his shadow on the wall when walking.

I have removed casein from his diet since 2 weeks ago. He is now taking 1 serving of isomilk a day and oat at night.
His hyper improved initially but came back since he started eipic last week.
Any solution to treat his behavior issue? His diet is now CF but I have not removed gluten from his diet yet as it is too difficult.

[sharonkhoo]

bs1975:

Any solution to treat his behavior issue?

I can't comment on dietary solutions as I never tried any. For behaviour issues, I believe that the best way is to teach and encourage/enforce the desired behaviour and give disincentives for the unwanted behaviours. Pretty much like what ABA and other therapies recommend. Read up on those and see if they make sense to you.

I firmly believe that rest and sleep is paramount, especially for small kids. If something needs to be cut, it shouldn't be sleep. A tired child will be un-cooperative and possibly hyper, and mine would be really cranky. Even now at 19yo, if she is tired, she is much more cranky, and her tics and other Aspie traits become more noticeable.

[ImMeeMee]

Gisten:

First, you must know about the grades for standard and foundation are totally different. For standard the grades are A* (91% and above), A (75%-90%), B (60%-74%), C (50%-59%), D (35%-49%), E (20%-34%) and U (Ungraded). For foundation it's Grade 1 (85% and above), Grade 2 (70%-84%), Grade 3 (50%-69%), Grade 4 (30%-49%), U (Ungraded). For foundation, the passing grade is Grade 4, meaning so long you achieve a 30% it's considered a pass. So during the subject banding IEP, I was briefed that:
1. For full standard, the pathway is to Express or NA, depending on the T-score.
2. For merged with 2 standard subjects and 1 foundation subject, it can also lead to Express or NA, depending on T-score. However from what I see from my boy's cohort all of them are in NA except for 1 who managed to go Express and had thus withdrawn from Pathlight to join the mainstream.
3. For merged with standard English and foundation Math and Science, I was briefed that it only leads to NT. At that point of time, I was thinking then what's the use of taking standard English only if ultimately it only leads to NT, might as well take all subject at foundation, life is so much easier and lesser stress too. Well, I have no statistic on this combination to verify if it is true that it can only lead to NT because those who took this combination in P5 all dropped to full foundation in P6.
4. For full foundation, normally it can only lead to NT with very few exceptions who do explicitly well will qualify for NA (it's Grade 1 for all subjects they are talking about).

We have had no expectation on our boy in his PSLE result. So long can pass and promote to Sec 1, and just don't give us this dilemma of whether to repeat P6 or transfer to V Track, this is all we ask for. We couldn't believe our eyes when we saw his score on the result slip! He was actually eligible to choose between NA and NT! No, he didn't score Grade 1 for all his subjects, only for Math. There were also a few others who were eligible too. We chose NT for our boy as we know his language is his biggest weakness and no way he can cope with the humanities subjects offered in NA. Some of them chose NA to try out, after all if cannot make it still can drop to NT in Sec 2. But I don't want my boy and MYSELF to go through that kind of stress (I had just \"taken\" PSLE and O level last year, no way I'm going through another set of coping-with-humanities-subjects-agony this year, I need a break). Anyway the school also recommended NT for my boy and I trust their professional recommendation. My boy enjoys Computer Application (CPA) lesson very much, but he is not happy that now all subjects in secondary school are exam subjects including Arts. Too bad too sad.

Gisten, once again thanks for crystallizing the facts so clearly.

May I ask what are your plans for your child after N(T)? Does N(T) lead to ITE or are there polytechnics that accept N(T)?

[Gisten]

Yes, NT leads to ITE. If the results are good enough, one can always pursue a course in poly after ITE. It’s a much longer path to attain a diploma compared to those Express and NA students who can go directly to poly right after their O levels. At this juncture of time, we have yet to have anything planned out for our boy after NT, hopefully he can continue his studies in an ITE. My boy likes public transportation very much and has always told us he wants to work in SMRT when he grows up. He learnt from his senior that ITE College West offers a course in Rapid Transit Technology which is jointly developed by SMRT Institute and ITE, and he is very interested in it.

[sharonkhoo]

For my daughter, we are intentionally lengthening her educational path because we find that she is maturing quite slowly. I think that may be quite typical of ASD kids? At 19yo, she is more like a 15yo in her maturity, so after her A levels this year, we are hoping that she can get into a poly course which will delay things another 3 yrs. After that, she can hopefully transition into a job. We are also thinking that, if we can find a job which suits her and with a patient, sympathetic supervisor, maybe she can do that after her A levels, but I think it’s going to be hard to find such a situation. We don’t think that she can cope if we try to get her to keep up with her chronological cohort.

[ImMeeMee]

Gisten


I may have been biased, but I hear reviews about ITE being a harsh environment. What is your take?

slmkhoo

You may have heard that ARC has an E2C that does work placement for autism individuals. Not long ago they had some projects with NLB. I have not gone into details as have not reached the stage yet, so I dont know much about criteria and stuff. But I think it offers some ideas for parents to think about ref jobs for our children. And who knows, getting into their program for a job recommendation.

Just some food for thought.

[sharonkhoo]

ImMeeMee:

slmkhoo


You may have heard that ARC has an E2C that does work placement for autism individuals. Not long ago they had some projects with NLB. I have not gone into details as have not reached the stage yet, so I dont know much about criteria and stuff. But I think it offers some ideas for parents to think about ref jobs for our children. And who knows, getting into their program for a job recommendation.

Just some food for thought.

Yes, I saw that! I will probably try to find out more later in the year as my daughter will be only be taking her A levels in Nov. No point asking too early. The \"problem\" for us is that my daughter is likely to be caught in between - she is probably more high-functioning than the individuals these schemes are aimed at, but needing significantly more support than NT persons in the normal workplace. I will look into it anyway and will post here if I find out anything useful.

[Gisten]

ImMeeMee:

Gisten


I may have been biased, but I hear reviews about ITE being a harsh environment. What is your take?

Of course we are worried if our boy will fit into the environment, but if he's given a chance to pursue further education beyond N levels, we wish to give it a try. Hopefully by then at 19 years old, he would be matured enough to adapt and \"survive\". Anyway, we still have 5 years to think about it. Turning to E2C for training and employment is also one of our options.

[phtthp]

hi Gisten,



if a child is currently studying in Pathlight primary (P1/P2), but at end of P2, wish to go back to Mainstream school starting P3 (before the academic curriculum get harder, to catch up & with new subject Science coming in) : any idea how is the procedure like ?

what minimum marks, must the child score at end of P2 in Pathlight for (English & Maths) or what other criteria required, before can be considered transfer back to Mainstream school ?


second question (Psle)
out of Total number of P6 Pathlight students who sat for Psle last year (2015) : are there more students making to Mainstream school for Sec 1, or more students tend to go back to Pathlight Sec 1 ?
perhaps, can share some stats ?


third question (Secondary school)
if child did not transfer to Mainstream school, but choose to remain in Pathlight Secondary school : for current Sec 1 intake, how many "O" level classes are there, & how many N(A) and N(T) classes ?

each type of Sec 1 class : roughly how many kids to Teacher ratio, per class ?


Thank you very much, for kind advice.

[Gisten]

phtthp:

hi Gisten,



if a child is currently studying in Pathlight primary (P1/P2), but at end of P2, wish to go back to Mainstream school starting P3 (before the academic curriculum get harder, to catch up & with new subject Science coming in) : any idea how is the procedure like ?

what minimum marks, must the child score at end of P2 in Pathlight for (English & Maths) or what other criteria required, before can be considered transfer back to Mainstream school ?


second question (Psle)
out of Total number of P6 Pathlight students who sat for Psle last year (2015) : are there more students making to Mainstream school for Sec 1, or more students tend to go back to Pathlight Sec 1 ?
perhaps, can share some stats ?


third question (Secondary school)
if child did not transfer to Mainstream school, but choose to remain in Pathlight Secondary school : for current Sec 1 intake, how many \"O\" level classes are there, & how many N(A) and N(T) classes ?

each type of Sec 1 class : roughly how many kids to Teacher ratio, per class ?


Thank you very much, for kind advice.

Hi phtthp,

Answers to your queries:
1) I believe there is no criteria to withdraw from Pathlight, it's solely on parents' decision and I doubt that school will challenge that decision. It's more like whether the mainstream school of your choice wants to accept your child's transfer. Once the child is accepted into a mainstream school, I think the parents need to write an official letter of withdrawal to Pathlight School, or perhaps to get Pathlight P or VP to sign and endorse the letter of transfer, just like how the transfer among mainstream schools takes place. The concern is not how to withdraw from Pathlight, the point to consider is that once the child is out and in future should he/she wish to rejoin Pathlight, he/she will have to queue again, no priority given to ex students. I heard from a parent that she has a friend whose girl was in Preparatory Programme with Pathlight but was withdrawn to join mainstream school P1. P1-P4 everything was quite manageable but nightmares came when the girl couldn't take the stress in P5 and also there were other social issues with peers. The mother appealed to come back to Pathlight but was put on waiting list. The girl finally joined back Pathlight secondary after getting her PSLE results. So far not many transferred out of Pathlight, instead each year we are seeing more students from mainstream schools joining Pathlight.

2) For my boy's cohort taking PSLE in 2015, let's do some calculation here.
No of pupils taking PSLE: 89
No of pupils failed PSLE: 7 (they will have to decide whether to repeat P6 or go V Track)
No of pupils promoted to Sec 1: 89-7=82
No of students in Pathlight Sec 1 2016: 75 (no new student from mainstream join Pathlight)
Therefore, no of students left Pathlight to join the mainstream: 82-75=7
Heard that a few actually successfully DSAed into NUS High School. Highest score of the cohort is 258.

This is what will take place on the day of PSLE results release:
a) for those who passed, there is an option form to indicate whether to stay in Pathlight or leave Pathlight.
- For those who chose to remain in Pathlight, placement will be automatic based on the eligibility stated on the result slip. There is no cut-off point for Pathlight secondary, if on the result slip there stated eligible for Express, the child will automatic goes to an Express class, like wise for N(A) and N(T). If the child is eligible to choose between Express/N(A) or N(A)/N(T) (like my boy), child will receive a different option form to indicate what course to choose. There will have school's recommendation, so parents need to indicate agree or disagree to school's recommendation, parents have total say in this. Let's say if school management feels that the child is more suitable for N(A) course but parents disagree to it and want Express, the decision will be respected and the child will be placed in an Express class in Sec 1. The forms are to be handed in to the General Office within the stipulated period of time. Those parents whose children chose to remain, will receive via email and also hard copy the placement of the class and book list in the beginning of Dec and can buy books and uniform during the first week of Dec.

- For those who chose to withdraw and leave Pathlight, they will follow the exact procedures of S1 school choosing. Since Pathlight does not come under MOE S1 system, the parents are unable to go online to submit their 6 school choices. Instead, they need to get the option form from the General Office and fill up the form of their 6 school choices, and return the form to the GO manually, Pahtlight will then submit their option forms on their behalf to MOE. When choosing the schools, the parents need to consider if the child's results can match the cut-off point of the schools of their choice. School posting is now totally under MOE's discretion and Pathlight has nothing got to do with it. On the day of school posting result is released, those parents will also not received the posting result via sms at 6+am like the rest of the national cohort. Pathlight will call to inform those parents of the result at around 9am. Child is to report to the posted school on the very next day morning just like any others.

3) For current Sec 1 intake 2016: 75
1 Express class (1 class coach with 10 pupils)
4 N(A) classes (1 class coach with 8-9 pupils)
3 N(T) classes (my son's class has 10 pupils and 1 class coach, the other 2 N(T) classes each has 2 class coaches with 10 and 11 pupils respectively)

Do not think that those Express students who chose to remain in Pathlight are with low PSLE score, I know a boy actually scored 238. The parents let him remain in Pathlight is because after talking to the principals of those schools of their choice, the schools apparently don't have Allied Educator who is well trained in handling ASD pupils and somehow \"hinted\" the parents not to send their son there. Kind of sad to hear that...