hi helplessmum,


I’m sure you have read in many places that autistic people are ‘different but not less’. But as a parent, we do play important role in their growing up phases to nurture them to be ‘not less’. He still have a long way to go, try picking yourself up and focus on bringing him up just like what you plan for him before. The label ASD is actually just a piece of information that helps you to adjust the way to teach him to learn… that’s all.
A positive mindset and determination is what matters to overcome any difficulties in learning. Not sure if you read in some reports that Mr Lee Kuan Yew has dsylexia i.e he has difficulties in reading, but he still managed to complete law school with double stars first class honors. Also note that nobody knows about dyslexia during his time…

Another thing which I think would help is don’t compare with other kids and try not to set a standard or goal for him to achieve (eg wanting him to know how to ask questions by certain age), just guide him along and cheers for him with every single steps he achieve, whether or not he is still behind his peers.

I know it is not easy lah…even for myself, I’m still trying. I took the not so good approach- I found myself distance from my friends and no longer attending their children parties.

windie:

specialboymum:

most of our kids are 'visual learner' and are very good in memorizing.

For my boy, he learnt all the roads in Singapore by playing with the iphone google map app (the one that have photos). He is now our walking GPS and street directory. Visual aids is always helpful when we are teaching visual learner. For my son, I got to use fingers to help my son to learn the 4 intonation in hanyu pinyin, which he is struggling with.

Regarding reading people's expression/feelings, it can be taught, but then must first build up eye contact.

my son also struggles w the 4 intonation in HYPY. Can u share how you teach?

Actually I'm still at the trying stage, so the method hasn't shown to be 100% successful yet. My boy has no problem with the pinyin but will always get confused with the word should be '1st', '2nd' tone and so forth, he can imitate each tone but have difficulties corresponding each tone to its right order. To help him, I have to put up 4 fingers, point to 1st finger and said the 1st tone, 2nd finger for 2nd tone etc, if I have papers and pens around, I will just write each of the sign with corresponding number 1-4 for him to see.
Er... not sure if you understand what I'm trying to explain, very difficult to explain through writing.

So far, the 'visual aid' helps slightly but once I remove the aids, he forgets everything and start struggling again, so I'm still trying to find ways to fine tune the teaching method.

Anyway, I wonder which high flyer, probably a government scholar officer in MOE came out with this brilliant idea of learning hanyu pinyin before learning the chinese words.. I don't think is a correct approach. sigh! but what to do?

most of our kids are ‘visual learner’ and are very good in memorizing.

For my boy, he learnt all the roads in Singapore by playing with the iphone google map app (the one that have photos). He is now our walking GPS and street directory. Visual aids is always helpful when we are teaching visual learner. For my son, I got to use fingers to help my son to learn the 4 intonation in hanyu pinyin, which he is struggling with.

Regarding reading people’s expression/feelings, it can be taught, but then must first build up eye contact.

I think the temple grandin movie is a HBO TV movie and it wasn't shown in local cinema right?

I wonder if we can get it from video shop or download for free??

Some interesting stuff to read to start off the day. Latest US findings show that 1:88 kids are diagnose with autism.. don't think we will be that far off... Who knows, at the rate we are going, our special kids will become new norms... hahaha
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/CountingAutism/

ImMeeMee:

nugget:

Hi concern2,


Yes, I came across her name numerous times. She is \"hope\" that we have for our kids to grow up successful like her. But sometimes I wonder how many of the ASD kids will be like her.

Sigh, in Singapore is very hard to get acceptance. Did you notice the news lately? When they say ASD adults can work, all of them are usually in service in working as waiters or bakers. How my son can survive on that salary next time. Sigh sigh sigh... Endless worry!

i agree, this is also one of my main worries. while the education for special needs children seem to be leveling up, the same does not appear to be the case for jobs for ASD adults.

:sad:

In many case it is the social stigma- prejudice against ASD people due to lack of awareness. As long the general public continue to regard ASD as mental disorder or disability, the problem will never go... ASD people will just have to wait for employer who sympathize them to give them a job.

During the time when my hubby and I discuss if we should send our boy to special school or mainstream, hubby raised up this point that we can send him to all kind of possible therapy to help him to minimize or even totally remove the display of autistic traits, but once the record of him attending the special school is there, if will definitely become a \"blemish\" which may cause a lower chance of being selected for the job. It is a harsh reality we need to face- employer have the right to choose who they want to employ.

Hi ImMeeMee,


My boy also attended mainstream kindy in a full day childcare centre, but we will take him out to special classes (speech therapy etc) in the afternoon almost 3 times a week. We are lucky that he has a group of 3-4 kids who took him in their group, play with him and 'protect' him. I think as long as the school is aware of your kid's condition and they are well prepared ( in term of make sure additional supports such as assistant teachers is available), she will be fine in mainstream.

Actually, I'm glad that we make the decision to let him go mainstream though it wasn't easy for him and people around him. At the end of the day, we only hope for him to grow up as an independent individual and integrate into the society. Of course, special schools or other specialized classes can teach him the social skill. I also know that many mainstream schools also have special program to allow their students to 'visit' and spend some time the kids in special schools so that they will learn to empathize and accept the special kids. However, I think these orchestrated program will never beat having the NT and special kids in the same learning environment.

After these years, I learn to think of autism, not as a disease or disorder but just a variation of human being, not \"disabled\" but \"differently abled\" so no point trying to find the \"cure\" when it doesn't exist. Though, reports show that 1 in every 100 kids are autistic, we are still minority, so have to find way to cope and lived with the majority of neuro typical lor

Hi helplessmum3,

AED stands for allied educator. Every mainstream stream schools will have a special department on allied teaching to support special needs kids - not restricted to ASD, but also other issues such as dyslexic.

Hi happystar,

Just check the schools websites. They usually give information on the number of staffs and the responsibility of the allied teaching support. You can also email the head of department to find out (email is better than call)

Hi Mashy,

therapeutic listening is one of the OT plan for sensory processing disorder, quite similar to the concept of 'brushing technique' but they uses music at certain frequency. The therapy require special expensive headphones and CDs. My kid's OT give him 15 minutes of therapeutic listening every class, but she suggest I could let him do it at home. It helps for kids like him who have problem in self regulation.
However, not all kids are able to take this form of therapy, even for myself, I don't feel well after tried test listening to it.

Hi parents,


does any of your kids do therapeutic listening? I’m trying to look for cheaper source of headphones and other supplies.

thanks

nugget:

Hi Mashy,


Thanks for your assurance. So you only declare to the school after your son have already been admitted? Cos I am visiting the schools right now and seriously dunno which one to choose. I am so worry my son will be outcast and left alone.

I did read up a bit and have shortlisted some schools that currently have ASD kids. So at least the school and teachers have the awareness and know how to handle these children.

One step at a time I guess. My kid has short attention span, how you manage to get him to complete his homework? He also likes to walk around in his class now in kindergarden when the teachers is conducting lessons.

Hi Nugget,

My kid is also in primary 1. For me I informed the school about his condition before I register him - this is so that I can find out the experience and support the schools have.

The first couple of weeks are tough so much so that I almost want to give up, but glad that I have support from the school principal and encouragements from folks in this forum to hang on.

The school assign an AED to guide him during the core subjects classes so as to keep up with the school work, but will slowly wean him off. I also gave the 'greenlight' to his teachers to be open about his condition to the rest of his classmates. I'm not sure how much the kids understand but they are willing to accept him and always ready to help and cheers for him. I'm really thankful to these little kids as their acceptance is important factor to help him to integrate into the mainstream - this is something we can't get from all the therapy we send him to.

It is also important to keep in constant contact with the school to find out how he is doing and the weakness which we need to pay attention to. Sometimes, I also share his behavior with his therapists so that they can suggest what the school could do to handle him better.

Now he settled in well, though he still have problem in focussing, especially if too much verbal instruction is given. His academic isn't that great too but at least he still do his work in school and will take the initiative to inform us on the homework he needs to complete and show us his work which required our signature. Also the good thing is unlike other NT kids, he isn't stressed out when he failed his test- He will still announce loudly that he got 7 out of 10 wrong for his chinese spelling.

For short attention issue, I guess the only way is to slowly build up. First, we need to apply sensory diet to 'start his engine and calm him down' before engaging in any work. Also use reward system to encourage him to sit and complete a task- start with 5-10 minutes and slowly increase the duration

hello parents, just to share.


April 2 is world autism awareness day. See the facebook links for some related activities in Singapore
https://www.facebook.com/WorldAutismAwarenessDay2012Singapore

https://www.facebook.com/projectrawgems

just to share.. a useful resource page to teach our special need kids in fun way.. lots of freebies


http://www.do2learn.com