All About Autism

[braverymom]

phtthp:

MelodyMelody:

Without the shadow teacher, my gal cannot gain entry to the school.

Did you find out what are the requirements of a shadow teacher?
If requirements not too stringent, have you considered training yourself to be a qualified shadow teacher instead, for the sake of your own child? This way, no need to pAy $3k to $5k per month, to hire an external outsider shadow teacher. Sometimes, parent is the best teacher to own child.

Where to receive training? How does it work?

[nugget]

MelodyMelody:

Thanks, looking for full time shadow teacher, as parents are not allowed in the school compound. Therapist only do school visit and advise the school and teacher how to better engage the special need child. The school my gal is looking to go is providing the environment, but they have no resources etc to try to understand nor engage. The shadow teacher will be the one to help my gal to settle in and understand the correct behaviour and manner to uphold. Without the shadow teacher, my gal cannot gain entry to the school.

Hello Melody,

Have you tried other preschool? Not all preschool required shadow teachers.

[ImMeeMee]

braverymom:

Dear nugget,

You have not meet such parent like that, when you tell them your child is ASD, they immediately go to the school and request to change class/ withdraw their child from the center, because they don't want their child to pick up bad behavior from ASD child! Guess what, that mother is a pre school teacher!

Personally I have not come across discrimination myself, but I have heard of teachers in special schools saying that they hear mainstream preschool teachers telling their kids not to mix with the special needs children ...

Am a bit surprised that there are parents who behave like this, considering that the awareness of ASD has been on the rise.

I was trying to talk to my elder gals on the condition and explain why meimei will not join them in primary school next year. And guess what, they told me there are posters in their school about ASD and special needs.

Its really heartening to hear that efforts are being put in to educate the young on special needs, hopefully the social stigma will fade in time to come.

[ImMeeMee]

phtthp:

Did you find out what are the requirements of a shadow teacher?

If requirements not too stringent, have you considered training yourself to be a qualified shadow teacher instead, for the sake of your own child? This way, no need to pAy $3k to $5k per month, to hire an external outsider shadow teacher. Sometimes, parent is the best teacher to own child.

My therapist has ever shared with me that one of her ASD students gets confused when the mother switches between being a mother and being a teacher. Due to the rigidity, the mother has to literally wear different caps to indicate how she is interacting with the child, especially during those times when she is coaching the child on work.

I guess this depends on the child's functional capacity.

[nugget]

ImMeeMee:

Personally I have not come across discrimination myself, but I have heard of teachers in special schools saying that they hear mainstream preschool teachers telling their kids not to mix with the special needs children ...

Am a bit surprised that there are parents who behave like this, considering that the awareness of ASD has been on the rise.

I was trying to talk to my elder gals on the condition and explain why meimei will not join them in primary school next year. And guess what, they told me there are posters in their school about ASD and special needs.

Its really heartening to hear that efforts are being put in to educate the young on special needs, hopefully the social stigma will fade in time to come.

ImMeeMee,

That is nice to hear that primary school are increasing the awareness of ASD and other special needs. Singapore needs more tolerance and compassion and patience...

Lets hope when our kids grow up, they will not be so stigmatized by the society.

[ImMeeMee]

nugget:

ImMeeMee,

That is nice to hear that primary school are increasing the awareness of ASD and other special needs. Singapore needs more tolerance and compassion and patience...

Lets hope when our kids grow up, they will not be so stigmatized by the society.

yes, I do hope so. My doter's teacher told me that one of her therapists specializing in ASD who is residing overseas views that locally we are still not up to date where ASD is concerned. I myself am impressed by the UK Autism Society website and the support they are providing.

Let's hope that one day things will look up further.

[octoberbaby]

Does autism carry on till old age? or it will stop at certain age group?

[ImMeeMee]

octoberbaby:

Does autism carry on till old age? or it will stop at certain age group?

ASD is a life long condition. There are studies that show that with intervention, ASD individuals are able to overcome some of their traits, especially the high-functioning ones. But the condition stays with the individual.

[octoberbaby]

Let’s say in a working environment, how do I know whether that person is an ASD patient? does it show in adulthood?

[MelodyMelody]

phtthp:

MelodyMelody:

Without the shadow teacher, my gal cannot gain entry to the school.

Did you find out what are the requirements of a shadow teacher?
If requirements not too stringent, have you considered training yourself to be a qualified shadow teacher instead, for the sake of your own child? This way, no need to pAy $3k to $5k per month, to hire an external outsider shadow teacher. Sometimes, parent is the best teacher to own child.

The parents cannot be the shadow teacher, I understand from almost all the preschool. You mummies have all hit the right point - the cost is high from $3300 pm (min for 4 hours, and applied throughout the months inclusive of the school holiday) .

I cannot afford the fees so will drop the idea of letting her go to the church kindergarten which MOE preschool division have helped to contact them. The minimum therapy we are engaging services for is already quite a sum. I cannot be putting every cent into the therapy or shadow teachers (and forgetting our parents who aged and the daily expenses) . Many thanks to mummy who pm the contact of shadow teachers.

My child was in a CC with no shadow teacher previously, she's quite happy for 1 or 2 months (so is the young teacher) until the school suddenly change manager and lots of teacher. We then withdrawn from the cc following an incident. Discrimation has been always around - from therapy centers, doctors, teachers etc, but there are kind and understanding souls too. Few will take time to understand that my child and I are not beggars for charity, nor favour.

It's true my child need accomodation to some extent as she is borned with a lacking of certain substance, yet she is capable if a different learning method is used or a different route be attempt. It is the invisible wall of lack of understanding and my child's invisible handicap that I find it difficult to break and get people to understand her. It is also pretty hard for people without the handicap to understand it over a long period of time, even for the therapist and myself as a parent at times. The only thing I am sure of everyday my child is trying her best, and she knows she is different but is still trying...she try to hold her head up when being laugh, but end up looking silly most times..she is trying....I will also keep on trying on the private service provider for preschool. The MOE has helped, so the rest is really up to me.