All About Autism
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Gekko,
Excellent input from Slmkhoo, do consider shyness and lack of social skills as well.
Some kids just need more social coaching, some kids need more confidence building, and some kids need some expert input.
Do consider the following:
1) if he shows an interest in other children eg at the playground, he hovers near them and watch them; or does he avoid them?
2) if he is interested, does he miss social cues when he can join in, or is he just too shy?
3) if he is not interested, is it because he finds other children irritating, noisy, annoying or just of no interest?
4) for group instructions, is he unable to understand the instructions, or is he unable to filter out other sensory input in the room to focus on the instructions? Or does he have no interest in the teacher and her instructions?
This is just some questions off the top of my head, of things I would look out for before deciding where the issue lies.
Within the home environment, everything is structured and familiar and the social setting is less complex (complexity increases with number of people). This makes it much easier for children to navigate, be it shy children, children with sensory issues, or children with social language difficulties. Rest assured that they can all function and develope well with appropriate coaching and encouragement. -
Gekko,
How is his general knowledge and early academics? -
I finally found some ME time when school reopens today. The last few weeks have been shack.
To the mummies here who posted various questions, I am certain the parent forummers active in this area have given you sound advice. Back then when I was dealing with DD3’s issues, I recall I relied a lot on my gut feel. Cos there’s not a lot of black and white or right and wrong in such things. Its what’s best for the child given our knowledge and our resources. Sounds cliche but its the universal truth.
Forward to present, DD3 is in p5 this year. Acad is a big struggle for us (read PSLE) and I just made a ‘struggled’ decision to change her from merged track to foundation track starting this term. On one hand I know this milestone will likely affect her education pathway moving forward given our local context. On the other hand Foundation is what she wants. So considering the bigger scheme of things where she is concerned, we have decided to let her have her say.
Afterall, our hope for her future is not acad achievements, but an independent livelihood. So here’s hoping for the best and staying positive.
Jiayou everyone. -
:rahrah: and :grphug:
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Hi i am new do this board. I have a 2.5 years old boy, he is behind in social communication and i visited development pediatrician in NUH and she thinks he might have high functioning autism.
She suggested that i can wait for formal assessment as he is very young but can start the therapy for him.
We are foreigner here so not eligible for EIPIC program which she recommended, but we can get therapies in private centers.
Can anybody here please suggest me if there is any good private therapy center in and around yishun area.
I googled about it but most of the centers are in orchard or in the east side.
It would be great help if anyone can suggest… thank you in advance. -
avimomsg:
If your child is high-functioning or only suspected of being on the spectrum, then you don't have to start with formal therapy so early. A lot of therapy for young children is best done little and often, taking opportunities when they arise. That means that parents or caregivers are the best ones to do it, not therapists who only see the child an hour a week or even less.Hi i am new do this board. I have a 2.5 years old boy, he is behind in social communication and i visited development pediatrician in NUH and she thinks he might have high functioning autism.
She suggested that i can wait for formal assessment as he is very young but can start the therapy for him.
We are foreigner here so not eligible for EIPIC program which she recommended, but we can get therapies in private centers.
Can anybody here please suggest me if there is any good private therapy center in and around yishun area.
I googled about it but most of the centers are in orchard or in the east side.
It would be great help if anyone can suggest.. thank you in advance.
While looking for a therapist, just see if working with him at home helps. Engage him in simple communication, even with signs rather than speech. Don't give him things until he indicates he wants it. Play games that require taking turns, ask him questions etc. These websites may help:
http://childrensupportsolutions.com/strategies-to-support-communication-development-in-children-with-asd/
http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Autism-Corner.aspx
My daughter, now 21, is high-functioning ASD, and we've done a lot with her ourselves. She was a late speaker (around 2) and even now doesn't say much. She's very introvert. But she has come a long way and is in NTU now. -
some KK hospital charges, if go via Polyclinic referal letter, and some EIPIC centre charges :-
https://dollarsandsense.sg/autism-singapore-much-can-parents-expect-spend-autistic-child-preschooling-years/ -
Woon_D:
Hi, I'm new to this forum. I happen to come across the response which mentioned about 1:1 early intervention centre and 1:1 therapist. I'm just wondering what's the difference between the 2 as well as kids attending eipic in a group setting. My son is currently attending both childcare and eipic. However for eipic he is in a class of 2:10 as he is considered to be the higher functioning but my personal concern is that he does have some learning difficulty w motor planning, inattention, compliance and can't focus on a task and anything academic that I try very hard to get him to cooperate. When he did the Mullen test at CDU, he was considered to be weak in fine motor skills and visual perception.
Hi kay_liz, great that you are doing all you can and looking for alternatives to support your child's learning.kay_liz:
Why I am doing speech therapy now is because she is also having the therapy at CDU while waiting for enrolment to EIPIC. But the frequency is too short, like once a month! I know it is not addressing the overall condition of my child, but I was hoping to do something while waiting.... I have submitted my application to the government EIPIC centre but waiting to see the final monthly costs. If too high, i am not able to enrol her, then I have no other options, do I?
Your solution of going to DAS because it offers therapy is not a bad decision. It is just worthwhile noting that most therapists at DAS focus mostly on children above 7 years of age and primarily provide therapy for Phonemic awareness and development (learning to read/ write). There are other therapists who primarily provide therapy for younger children with GDD/ASD/dyslexia, etc. These therapists would be more aligned and attuned to your child's learning needs in my opinion.
As you have stated, there are not many private centers that cater to children with developmental difficulties. Their waitlist is long, they cost a bomb and they only have limited locations. I understand that your child has GDD. Is he very far behind? Depending on how your child is functioning in his current childcare, it may not be necessary for him to go to an EIPIC center or integrated childcare/ private childcare.
Bringing these two aforementioned points together, some parents have opted to stay at their current childcare and to supplement it with some home based therapy that is more focused on helping the child reach their developmental milestones in a more systematic and targeted manner. This includes home based early intervention services/ OT/ physio/ speech therapy services.
An example would be to have a speech therapist come in about once a week (market rate is ~ $180-$250 for home based services/ Speech bubbles charges $160/hr), and an early intervention teacher (market rate is ~$80 - 100). This way, your child would not have to keep changing schools and teachers, allowing him to have more consistency in his routines and caregivers. But at the same time, he would get 2X targeted practice with a 1 to 1 therapist at home (where learning is better generalised) at about ~240 a week on top of his childcare. The speech therapist can also get in touch with his school teachers or make school visits to teach them about strategies and to implement the goals while your child is at his school to promote continuity of therapy.
I hope this opens up another avenue for you to consider. No doubt it is still very pricy but it would settle logistical headaches and you would be getting a private service with 1-1 therapy/ teaching.
Pls Pm me if you need contacts and if you like to chat more, being in this industry, I can help with helping you get some contacts if needed:)
Cheers.
As logistically it does take quite a fair bit of effort sending him to eipic, 4x a week for 2h and being in a bigger group of 2:10, and he is also attending child care, I am not sure if I'm making the right choice to continue eipic or seek for specific therapy
or 1:1 teacher that can reinforce and focus on areas he is weaker.
Many thanks in advance for the feedback. -
rainbowal:
Hi! I have a high functioning Aspergers daughter, now 21yo. We lived overseas during most of her growing up years, and I DIY'd just about everything relating to her.Hi, I'm new to this forum. I happen to come across the response which mentioned about 1:1 early intervention centre and 1:1 therapist. I'm just wondering what's the difference between the 2 as well as kids attending eipic in a group setting. My son is currently attending both childcare and eipic. However for eipic he is in a class of 2:10 as he is considered to be the higher functioning but my personal concern is that he does have some learning difficulty w motor planning, inattention, compliance and can't focus on a task and anything academic that I try very hard to get him to cooperate. When he did the Mullen test at CDU, he was considered to be weak in fine motor skills and visual perception.
As logistically it does take quite a fair bit of effort sending him to eipic, 4x a week for 2h and being in a bigger group of 2:10, and he is also attending child care, I am not sure if I'm making the right choice to continue eipic or seek for specific therapy
or 1:1 teacher that can reinforce and focus on areas he is weaker.
Many thanks in advance for the feedback.
I believe that 1:1 is the best way if you want to coach specific skills - eg. motor skills, planning etc. Group classes are more for reinforcement and socialising, in my opinion, as there aren't enough adults to give close and individualised guidance for extended periods. Ideally, coaching should be done in the context of the day's activities (eating, dressing, homework etc), which would mean that the main caregivers should be the ones doing it. I see you say your child is in both Eipic and childcare, which means that there are several carers throughout the day/week? A 1:1 teacher, a few hours a week, will have to teach the other caregivers how to implement the strategies taught so the child is expected to behave in a consistent way with consistent discipline all the time. If not, one caregiver/teacher will undo what another teaches. -
Dear all
Will like to seek your advice on private centres.
My 3 yrs old son has been referred for EPIC and the waiting time is not exactly short. So while waiting for it, will like to start him for PPIP instead. I have narrowed down to Leapfrogs and Thomson Pediatric Centre - Child Development Centre as the final consideration.
Those who have been to them, will appreciate if you could let me have your opinion on them please.
Thks.
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