So Aiden has another st session today. She wanted to do it twice this week because we missed one week. Well, it didn't go as well as last time.
As you all know the first session last thurs went better than I could have hoped. That whole day was the best day for him. He interacted well and no tantrums. Also zero stimming and even lots of eye contact w/ the ST.
Today he was definitely back to his old self. He gave her almost no eye contact. He mostly watched her hands and her mouth and the objects they were working with. I think he made eye contact less than handful of times. He did good with most of the activities. But when he was "done" and she kept trying to get him to continue something he would get mad and start to throw the pieces of the activity.
He did great stringing beads on a pipe cleaner, which I knew he would he has always had great fine motor skills (he loves to draw and holds crayons and pens very well). When she sang Old Mcdonald he interacted the best and even made attempts at mimicing her animal sounds. I've always sung that song to him and it's one he loves. He also kept wanting to do his strange play w/ some of the objects. There were shapes in diff colors she was having him put on a peg board. At first he enjoyed doing it and was putting the colors together. Blue in one corner etc. Then he just wanted to take the shapes and mix them around and sweep them w/ his hands, the odd play he does w/ his other toys. When she wouldn't let him he got mad and tried to throw everything.
When she tried to read him a book though is when he began throwing a tantrum and biting himself and hiting his sister next to him. He doesn't like to have someone read him a book unless he initiates it. He only will let me read one exact book to him. Any other books he just wants to flip the pages and look at pics, but if you try to force him to sit and you read him the book w/out letting him have the control he gets very mad usually. So anyway he was freaking out and she just kept reading this book ignore the fact that he was acting out.
After we were done she was packing up in the kitchen and Aiden and I went in the liv room. He started immediately spinning in circles. She came to the door and said "bye bye aiden" several times but he would not acknowledge her. He kept spinning and was looking out of the corners of his eyes at her. I could just feel him wanting to say "I'm overwhelmed. leave." She was very nice about wanting to make excuses for everything. Which honestly is what I want to hear. She said things like he just needs to learn to share and take turns. He just throws tantrums and hits/bites himself because he's frustrated that he can't tell you what he wants. That may all be true. But personally, though I'm no expert on autism or children even, I've never known a child to start to throw a fit and bite himself because you are reading him a book. She is very patient and nice w/ him at least. I know she is just there to work with him and teach him and not to make any dx as she is not qualified for that. But I wonder if she thinks anything, or if all the excuses she is making are genuine. I mean she works with many kids and maybe his behaviors that I find odd really are common among others. I'm not knowing what to think. I never really knew children until I had mine and dd is way diff. Thoughts/opinions/advice?
Amber
Amber,
The next time I'm driving through ND, we should get our kids together!
I'm sorry his ST didn't go as well this time as last, but we all have our good days and our bad days, don't we? I'm no child expert either (I'm the youngest in the family and Luke is my first child) ... but from what I've heard, toddlers ARE very strong-willed and although maybe most don't bite when they don't get their way, they probably DO 'act out' in other ways. Don't despair! Aiden just started therapy ... he has to get used to the ST and to her controlling the sessions. It'll take time, but eventually he'll realize that when she's there, it's time for him to do the things she wants. hang in there!
Kellie
Thanks
ST: Zachary want to play *signs the word play* ... waits for eye contact. Ok tell me open *signs the word for open* Zach: *sighs and says "OHpin"* .... pulls out the toy, usually an animal of some sort. ST: Zachary thats a cow *does the sign for cow and usually makes the animal noise* Zach: *gives eye contact* ST: Tell me open *signs* Zach: "Ohhpin" *pulls out another animal* Anyways... you get the idea... Zachary is always leading the interaction... now realize that all sessions don't go that well... and sometimes they go better, like the one session where He used like all 10 words He has. Using the beads on the string is a great activity if she is using language during the activity which being the ST *laughs* i'm sure she is. You can use ANY activity to develop language... doesn't matter what it is. I'm always using all kinds of different things for language exersise with Zach.... bath time, eating time, coloring time, watching TV even.... I sit with him and label things on what he's watching. So *smiles* Stephanie, just cause Jakobs non-verbal... doesn't mean you can't set him up for success with different opportunitys.... I remember the first time Zach said open... I about peed my pants with happiness. Amber, maybe talk with the ST about approaching things with Aiden differently... I had to do that with our ST. First maybe bring up letting HIM lead the interaction by giving Him different options for what he wants to do... like have a few of the things that you know he likes to do available and see if he picks something on his own. Another thing I want to bring up is this....I always make sure that I am doing a lot of the interacting WITH the ST while zach is in a session.... and if i see something heading to a meltdown I try to head it off and switch activities... like the reading the book thing... the ST shouldn't of just ignored him and let him meltdown.... and I'll give the reason why both my DR. and the Speech pathologist who taught the Hanen class said..... Once they are tantruming and frustrated (which it is very clearly Aiden was) and acting out like that... they are done and no more learning will happen. Even for NT kids this is a shut off mechanism. Some redirection would of been great if she would of started it soon enough. But that comes with letting him lead.... just because he is a child does not mean he doesn't want choices of his own. Children NEED to feel like they have a voice *smiles* even if they don't technically. Just some things to think about. I have noticed with Zach though... the more I try to push him to make the choice for himself... the better he does... less tantrums, less in his world he goes. Amber, I do agree w/ the others that you should inquire as to why she does certain things. It is not to criticize her, but to learn from her and to know where things are going. I am not sure what her process is, but I can say that when my daughter started ST at 2 yrs 4 mos it took a few weeks of attending sessions regularly before she started participating and interacting. My daughter would not interact much so the ST would think of different things she may like in order to get some reaction out of her. When she found that interest, such as bubbles or coloring w/ crayons. She used it to get her to make eye contact, communicate and to move to a different activity. It takes alot of time and energy for her to get your son's trust. Once she can do that, then there is a lot she can do. My daughter has good days and bad days too. Never Never Never think that she will think negatively about your son. This is ST's do. She strives to attain the same goal as you of getting your son to communicate. I know that on the 'good' days where she and your sonhave a good session is one of the highlights of her profession. Also, don't think ST is worthless. Over time it will pay off and make a difference in his and your lives. It just takes so much time and effort. Does his ST offer suggestions of activities you can do at home? If not, ask for it. For instance, ask her what tips can help get him to maintain eye contact. For instance, if there is something that he loves, put it right next to your eyes when you are talking to him so he will maintain eye contact. Or she may offer tips on certain natural gesturing or sign language to use when talking to him. When my ds started st, I was given parent training. They told me how to interact, how to prompt etc, then we had session with ds so I could try it out and therapist could observe and assist if needed. They had 3 therapists try and work with ds and he refused.. he would take toy to me so they said training me was best option since he would only interact with me. The only we went in to st was when we mastered a skill. We were given targets we were supposed to reach. Mind you every time we had a target sound, ds would drop it from his vocab, so I had to modify the program to fit ds and follow his lead. But still try and influence in other areas of extreme need. Does anything you do work? If you ask for suggestions, you can also inject what works for her benefit. Adam's first experience with speech therapy included sharing and taking turns. The Pathologist explained that she was teaching him appropriate language for appropriate moments. This was in the very begining that she did this with him. She used this with EVERY object that was introduced to him. He cried a lot at first but got used to it and even learned to vocalize when he wanted a turn. It also helped him say mommy for the first time. I guess from hearing over and over, "mommy's turn and the object being placed in my hands." and vice versa really helped him to distinguish that I AM MOMMY, HE IS ADAM, DADDY IS DADDY etc. She also introduced signs to him also. It was actually interesting how much language comes from "simple statements". Karrie Well...see I think she was trying to teach him about taking turns. See since he isn't dx'd w/ anything and, while I've mentioned concerns about diff behaviors to her, I've never ever brought up my thoughts on autism or pdd. I think I'm afraid she'll be like most other people and act like I'm loopy. And she's not a doc anyway. So basically she treats him like any other child, which is good. However if he's NOT like any other child I realize we may have to change the normal rules a bit. After she read the book, she then gave it to him and said "aiden's turn" and I think that's why she wanted to keep going w/ the reading. Told me he needs to learn turns. He does act like a spoiled brat on that stuff lol. Maybe that's all he is :-) And thinks he's too good for other kids so doesn't want to play with them. lol. That's it. Spoiled and stuck up is all. But anyway, yah st leads everything. As she did the beading she mentioned the colors and does the words and signs for them. He watches hands a lot so the signs might work. However he doesn't want to do them himself yet. He wants her to take his hands and make the signs. He'll even give his hands to her to do the "more" sign cuz he won't make the sign himself. I hope this all goes well, yet I'm afraid if he makes too much progress before seeing specialist it will be harder to dx him. Silly I know. Amber
was listening to myself a year ago. My 3 year old was
diagnosed with autism in December, but has been getting ST
for a yr and a half. His first months of ST were almost
unbearable for me. I was looking so hard for answers that I felt
like my son became a walking set of symptoms. Having that
diagnosis has helped me to look at what he is doing right
instead of looking for all the symptoms of autism. I know
therapy can be frustrating without a diagnosis, because you are
looking for answers they just can't give. It will get easier I
promise!Hi Gavin's Mom, welcome to the board and i have to say, i love that name"Gavin".and I agree, starting out on this new road is very frustrating. I hope you find this board comforting. I look forward to chatting with you. Welcome again
Copyright Autism-PDD.net