All About Autism

[sharonkhoo]

nugget:

slmkhoo:

Not all teachers are flexible. I use to ask the teachers to try to get my daughter to participate, but not to try so hard that other kids suffered. If she preferred to wander around at the edges, I said it was OK as long as she was not disruptive. She got better with age and could sit still by P1. Of course, we worked with her at home to build concentration and kept reminding her of what was accepted behaviour.

slmkhoo,

Can share with us how do you train concentration? My son always loses concentration easily when doing a task.

It has been a long, long, road, and it isn't over yet! We started in the early years with little things like listening to a story read aloud, building from a few lines to a couple of pages until she could listen for 20 mins (this was when she was about 7 yrs old!). Getting her to work on jigsaw puzzles, or colouring a picture, or even just picking up toys and putting them away without being distracted in the middle. Initially, I had to be there and keep pulling her attention back when she got distracted, but over many years and repetitions, she got better and could do it more independently. In P1, because I got so impatient, we even employed a college student to come over daily to sit beside her to complete her homework and keep her focused, and 10 mins was considered 'very long' then! We just addressed the issues a day at a time, and looking back, she's come a long way. By P5, she could sit and do her homework without drifting off for an hour at a time although I still kept an eye on her, and now, at 16yo, I leave her to do it by herself.

[ImMeeMee]

Www:

I am also a SAHM, and also thinking of just purchase some books that are useful for mild autism to DIY. Any good books to recommend in terms of social interactions for children?

A mummy at this forum recommended Jed Baker 'The Austism Social Skills Picture Book - Teaching Communication, Play and Emotion' that coaches on the right and wrong ways of social interactions, eg. at play, at school, taking turns etc.

You can get it at NLB. I find it quite useful for me to improvise my own teaching materials for my doter on certain social cues.

[Double E]

Www:

slmkhoo:

[quote=\"Www\"]Should mild autism join Early Intervention? How accurate is psychology tests and other tests based on the behavior noticed from CC and parents? If join early intervention half way, can stop going? I find the cost very expensive. On top still have to go CC. :gloomy:

I will speak from my personal experience. I have an Asperger's daughter who is now 16yo. We knew she had issues but didn't get her diagnosed until she was 14yo as we felt we could manage her ourselves. In general, the younger the child is tested (up to school age), the less reliable it is. Also, many interventions are (to me) just common sense, and since I am a SAHM and willing to read up, we have done various things with our daughter but all at home, as and when we felt that it was the right time to address those issues. She has been in mainstream kindergartens and schools since she was 3yo, and while it hasn't been totally smooth sailing, she has coped OK socially (below average, but not too bad) and her academic grades are average. So my view is that early interventions are only necessary if you feel you cannot handle your child yourself, realising that mainstream cc will not be able to fulfill all your child's needs. I can't compare how my daughter would have been if we had sent her for all the therapies available, but it would have been stressful, expensive and even more time-intensive, so we are happy how things have turned out for us so far. Just my thoughts.

Yes. I also find it taxing to us. We don't find the issue very big for my child. Only less socialable as in not sharing the favorite blocks or toys.

Cc teacher cannot cope or what, said my child is not cooperative when comes to sit and listening to lessons.

I am also a SAHM, and also thinking of just purchase some books that are useful for mild autism to DIY. Any good books to recommend in terms of social interactions for children?

For eye contact wise, child just not focus too long. I don't even think is an issue. Look too hard into someone eyes could become a stare?

For academic wise, I find my child is slightly faster than the peers, can read newspaper article at the age of 4, can do writing pages of homework I gave. Though sometimes could be a mischief and draw all over the page purposely. Mischief child is normal I think, better than sit and do what others order all the time.[/quote]Www, speaking from my experience, many a times things that don't seem to be an issue to us, is an issue to teachers and other students.
Previously, when my son can't sit still and walks around the class, I didn't think it was a prob cos he was still very young then. However, after I had the chance to visit his class and saw it myself how his peers can sit down and concentrate and he can't, I then realised something is not right.

Or when he likes to play alone, I thought is just his character and likes to play by himself or that he is shy. But again, when I saw how his peers interact with one another (even the shy and quiet once), I knew something is wrong.

Some signs especially for the mild and high functioning ones are very subtle and may not seem like a big deal. I think going to early intervention program will help the kid to learn under trained teachers and we parents can also learn tips from the teachers. I am a FTWM, hence, the time spent to read up is limited so I do need teachers to give me feedback about his behaviour and what are some of the tips that I can use to manage him. To each his own, whichever way you think is best for your kid.

[nugget]

Thanks Slmkhoo,


That will be the next time i am working on. Its one of the toughest …

[Double E]

A few days ago at my kids’ kindy, I saw a boy who is around my son’s age attends the same class as my younger girl instead. At assemble, he couldn’t concentrate or sit still, keep wanting to run away. I also overheard the teacher’s conversation with his mother. I think he might be in the spectrum too.


And today, I saw the same boy hitting a younger boy for no apparent reason (the younger boy was standing in front of him and he just punched the young boy on the head) and the teacher went forward to stop and gave him a stern warning. It brought back memories of my son. For a while, his way of approaching other kids is to poke at their eyes. But I am thankful that he did not do it to his classmates, only to his own sister and cousin. I hope the boy’s mum is aware of his condition and is taking action to help him.

Now that I have a boy in the spectrum, I think I can smell if a kid is in the spectrum. I am sure all mummies here can. Who needs a psychologist? Haha!

[sharonkhoo]

nugget:

Thanks Slmkhoo,


That will be the next time i am working on. Its one of the toughest ..

I usually deal with things as the crop up rather than one at a time. Many are on-going issues and can't be 'done' in a period of months or even years. There may be a slightly greater emphasis on something that becomes a particular issue for a time, but we always seem to have to re-visit issues, and also repeat things again and again. It just seems to take longer for things to become habitual (except for things you wish weren't!).

[helplessmum3]

Www. What is mild ASD. How old is yr child ?


Is he verbal . Which area that he is still lacking ?

[braverymom]

Double E,


Thanks for sharing. Yup after sometimes spent with my child, I somehow can tell from a person’s behavior that if that person is a special needs. The worst situation is parent in denial like the boy that I am helping now. The school teacher also can’t tell what is wrong with that child, because she is not experience in that area. Feel very sorry for that form teacher, but nothing can be done. Called AED, AED said unless the teacher approach her, else there is nothing can be done too.

[helplessmum3]

Mummies may I ask again how u potty train yr child ?


Beside keep bring them to toilet … How u make then tell u when they want to pee?

N at what stage u will allow them without diaper at shopping mall or for night sleep or even nap time ?

[sharonkhoo]

helplessmum3:

Mummies may I ask again how u potty train yr child ?


Beside keep bring them to toilet .. How u make then tell u when they want to pee?

N at what stage u will allow them without diaper at shopping mall or for night sleep or even nap time ?

My Asperger's daughter was a nightmare to potty train. I didn't start until she was nearly 3yo, but she was very unreliable in telling me when she needed to go. I think she ust didn't have the body-awareness and it was only by 4yo that she could mostly tell me. She was still quite unreliable until she was 6yo! I just made sure I brought her to the toilet every couple of hours, and she wore pull-ups outside until about 4yo. Same with night diapers, and I also put a waterproof sheet over her mattress until she was about 6yo. You just have to be patient and keep teaching until they get it, which may be later than NT kids.