Autism Therapy: Ask Deb About Autism!

All autism therapies are crucial in helping our children, especially early on.  Today I am focusing on one that can help early and even later in development.  Pragmatic speech therapy is just as crucial as any autism therapy.  If a child doesn’t understand the language he or she is learning to speak, then what good is the language?  He or she might as well be speaking Portuguese!  But, I digress…

My friend Lisa Jo Rudy has a VERY successful blog:  About.com:  Autism.  http://autism.about.com/od/autismterms/g/pragspeech.htm

One of her columns was about this very subject.  I will let her words speak:

“Definition: Speech used to communicate and socialize.

Most people think of speech therapy as a tool for improving
pronunciation, reducing stutters, or simply building the ability to use
words at all. Many people with autism do have the ability to talk, and
some talk a great deal, but almost all can benefit from therapy focused
on speech pragmatics.

Since difficulty with social communication is a hallmark of autism
spectrum disorders, literally everyone with an autism diagnosis will
need some level of pragmatic speech therapy. According to the American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association, people with pragmatic speech
issues may:

• say inappropriate or unrelated things during conversations
• tell stories in a disorganized way
• have little variety in language use

Pragmatic speech
therapy is offered by speech therapists and, sometimes, by social
skills therapists and coaches. It is appropriate for children, but may
be equally appropriate for teens and adults.”

Thanks, Lisa Jo!  Her blog is great, by the way. 

Pragmatic speech therapy should be fought for, just as we are fighting for everything else.  When your child recites television shows back to you at inappropriate times, they have problems with pragmatic speech.  Light bulb moment?  I had one when my son was 7.  I didn’t know what pragmatics were.  I just knew something was wrong. 

Pragmatic speech therapy is actually different from “regular” speech therapy.  I was told that my son had beautiful speech (back then) and had no real need for speech therapy, per se.  If you are in the same “boat”, don’t accept it.  You must find a good pragmatic speech therapist for your child.  It is never too late.  That’s the good part.  You can find a pragmatic speech therapist for your child and help your child process the language he or she is speaking so that they may speak it properly. 

Honestly, I wish I had pushed harder for this autism therapy for my son early on.  However, he is receiving some pragmatic speech therapy now.  His grasp of pragmatic language isn’t where I wish it was.  I don’t know if it is because of lack of early intervention or developmental issues…OR BOTH.  We will never know.  But we keep trying.  We never give up.  And neither does he!

Tags: autismtherapy, pragmatic speech therapy, Lisa Jo Rudy, autism education, autism information

Wow!  This week, its back to school for most of our kids.  And it is at this time that most of us take a breath and consider:  is my child’s IEP working for them?  Is their autism therapy, teacher, classroom setting, etc. appropriate (yes, we know that word all too well, don’t we?) for our child’s academic and personal growth?  If the answer is yes, we leave well enough alone.  If the answer is no, it is time to take the bull by the horns (I’m a Southern girl, so pardon the play on words) and call an IEP meeting.

With our son Chase, we have been on both sides of the IEP battle.  This time, we are in the “coast” mode.  That is to say, we are quite pleased with his progress and we wait and see how he progresses with each year.  Autism is such a funny thing.  One year, there doesn’t seem to be much measurable progress.  At least in our eyes.  Then the next year, Chase takes off like a rocket!  This year seems to be a take off year for him.  And we are very grateful.

If you feel that your child isn’t making progress, time for that IEP.  And honestly, unless there is a reason to, don’t go in with guns blazing.  Teachers can be your greatest allies. Before you call your IEP, map out everything that you want for your child.  Shoot for the moon.  You have to ask. However, you must be reasonable.  It is a negotiation.  If you enter into the IEP meeting and demand and alienate, the school will point out that your child is eligible for a “Free and Appropriate Education”.  Nothing more.  Oh, have we heard that term more time than I care to recall.  But, if you are willing to concede on a point here and there, so might the school.  Also remember that your school district might not have the funding for the therapist that your child needs.  But…that wonderful teacher that you have as your ally might improvise and help your child.  GET IT IN WRITING THOUGH!  YOUR IEP IS A LEGAL AND BINDING CONTRACT! 

If your child is “steady as she goes”, then it is time to think about next year.  What is working?  What would you like to see more of?  It is possible to increase the number of hours/times per week of therapies that your child receives.  This is a GREAT time to think about what works!  With our son Chase, social skills and pragmatic speech are his Achilles heels.  We have been quite creative with Chase’s social skills therapy.  He receives social skills therapy (technically) once a week, per his IEP. However, through his wonderful teachers, he has been receiving “group” social skills with other children in his autism cluster classroom every day.  He’s a different kid.  And that’s a good thing. 

I wish we had pushed earlier for pragmatic speech therapy.  Our son has a difficult time understanding the English language.  I know that may sound strange to most people.  He speaks well.  His speech is wonderful.  We had speech teachers (early on) tell us that he was doing quite well.  That he didn’t need much help.  Now we know better.  His grasp of pragmatic speech is quite rudimentary. One of our greatest downfalls as parents.  Not pushing hard enough in those early IEPs.  We know better now. 

The IEP is the road map of success (or failure) for our children in the coming year(s).  It is up to us to up the ante for autism therapy and decide what is working.  As parents and guardians, we have the power to shape the future for our children.  Whether they are of special needs or not. 

Tags: autismtherapy, autism education, autism information

We made it through another holiday season.  This year was wonderful.  We were able to make it through Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s with hardly a scratch.  No autism therapy, no special trips to a therapist (for mom either)!  It was a good year.

New Years Eve was spent playing Wii Disney Trivia with our boys.  What a GREAT family game!  Especially if your child with autism obsesses over Disney (as our oldest does).  He knew almost everything!  We were in bed by 9:30 pm.  No ball dropping in Times Square for us.  You can tell we’re over 40, huh?

New Year’s Day was spent at our dear friends’ home.  Very casual, very relaxed.  Our boys had a great time, too.  Nibbling on snacks, watching football and reminiscing about the year that just passed us by.  Enjoyed the time through the DayQuil :-) 

We drove home (quite early, I might add).  We are old folk.  And as I tucked my youngest in, I realized just how much he has grown up in the past year.  What a little man he had become.  Dylan was no longer my “little angel”.  He’ll always be my baby.  I am so proud of my Dylan!  Everything that has been placed on him.  Being the younger sib of a kid with autism isn’t something he signed on for. But, he takes it in stride. 

My oldest.  He has changed the most in the past year.  He controls his meltdowns much better.  His voice is no longer the squeaky little voice of a child.  It is the voice of a young man.  (gulp!)  And as I said good-night to my child-man New Year’s night, I looked at him.  Then, I looked around the room at all of the “collections” he had acquired over the years.  All of the Christmas things he had to have!  Each Christmas, every birthday, it was something else.  I could see his growth there before me on his bookshelves:  Blues Clues, Sesame Street, Curious George, Cat in the Hat,  Bear in the Big Blue House,  Winnie the Pooh, Bob the Builder, Rolie Polie Olie, Snoopy, Toy Story, Mr. Potato Head, Finding Nemo, Shrek, his MASSIVE PEZ COLLECTION (adults would be enviable!). 
 (no this isn’t his)
                                    

I have to admit, some things that I have tried to sneak out of his room and give away.  However, the “collector” in him knew it EVERY time and called me out!  I finally gave up years ago when I had to buy back a Cat in the Hat on eBay.  Long story.     

I could see Chase’s growth through every collection. 

This year?  He wanted DVD’s.  Now, he collects DVD sets.  A bit more age appropriate.

I look forward to another wonderful year with my family and friends.  I realize how truly blessed I am.  I have a wonderful, supportive husband and we are a team in autism  with our oldest son.  We have two beautiful children who are otherwise healthy.  We have faith that sustains us.  Wonderful friends!  And we are most hopeful that, in 2009, there will be advances in autism therapy, autism education, and autism information that will help all of our families! 

Tags: autismtherapy, autism education, autism information

Some of the blogs we write are about autism information.  More in a general nature.  This blog will be more personal, as the title reads Holidays at Our House.  This year, Christmas was incredible!  Probably the best year we’ve ever had.  Autism didn’t hold us hostage this year. The holidays finally won!

Our oldest son, Chase has high functioning autism.  He is 13.  Every year he became overwhelmed by the excitement of Christmas, as most children do.  As soon as Halloween was upon us, our Chase went over the edge.  Candy, lots of energy, parties at school!  By the time Thanksgiving got here, he had “smashed up” a few times. 

He tried so hard to behave during Thanksgiving dinner.  We would insist that he sit with us (and our entire family) and eat our holiday dinner.  I don’t know who that was more difficult on:  Chase or us.  He had sensory issues about the food.  The turkey smells made him nauseated.  All of the talking gave him a headache.  And having him out of his routine?  Well, it almost made him come out of his skin. 

Then, it was Christmas.  I don’t know whether I looked forward to or dreaded it the most.  It was like a volcano getting ready to explode on Christmas Eve.  We knew, if we could get through ONE MORE HOLIDAY,  we would all live to see another year. 

Now, our boy is older and we are wiser. 

We no longer insist that he sit with us at Thanksgiving dinner (although, it is nice when he does).  This year, he actually tried a bite of TURKEY!  And decided that it wasn’t bad.  We make macaroni and cheese a staple at all of our holiday dinners.  Hot dogs too.  No pressure to be in the “clean plate club”.  And everyone smiles. 

Christmas, as I said, was incredible.  Christmas morning, we woke up to a quiet morning.  Just the four of us.  Chase, his younger brother Dylan, my husband Trey, the dog & me.  No place to rush off to.  No big meals to spend all day preparing.  Calm.  Not that we don’t love our family and friends.  We do!  But, having a calm Christmas for Chase is more important.  For all of us.  He seemed much more calm and relaxed all through the holidays!  Halloween through Christmas. 

Now, I’m not saying this is a “one size fits all” cure to anxiety for the holidays.  I’m just passing along some personal autism information from a seasoned parent who wanted a Rockwell holiday dinner and found that serving macaroni and cheese was the way to go.  Holidays at Our House will now always include macaroni and cheese!

Technorati Tags: autism, Autism Information, Christmas, food, holiday dinner, holidays, macaroni and cheese