daycare help please..desperate | Autism PDD
I am at my wits end, having a bad Valentines day. I have exhaused every effort to try and find daycare for my autistic son. I have him in an after school program right now and he was doing great until things started to change within the program. It has a huge turn around and people were quitting and coming and going and whenever that happens it disrupts him. He hasnt been himself lately and threatening to kill himself even though he wouldnt, he says things though that scare me to get attention. I warned everyone in a meeting what he was like in the program and now suddenly they have a problem with him. They provided a one on one aide to be with him but when he doesnt act how they want him to act they call me and expect me to come and get him. I am a single mother with my autistic son and another son who is ADHD/bipolar/OCD and I need to work. I cant afford to lose my job. I am so desperate and dont know where else to go. I cant take him to an average everyday daycare because they cant handle him and his ways so he gets kicked out. What do I do? I need daycare desperately and I am not sure what to do...any suggestions? please help
Cassie
Yes, I am very fortunate...it was getting to the point I was getting angry that no one seemed to care about my kid - I needed them when I got them. Someone was looking out for me
if you believe in that kinda stuff. Have you contacted Head Start? They might be able to suggest somewhere. Nevada Head Start-State Programs
Nevada Department of Human Resources Welfare Division
680 South Rock Blvd.
Reno, NV 89502
Phone: 775-448-5254
Fax: 775-448-5251
ck out :http://www.daycareresource.com/nevada.html
You are very lucky have something like that in your area. I am in Nevada and unfortuantely I have yet to find a place like that. I did have one place who worked with special need children and they were an occupational/pt facility and they were great with ryan but they dont have room for him. I am so frustrated right now. I am told that the parents in his current facility are "afraid" for their kids because they think Ryan will hurt their childrens...its sad. He has never ever hurt another child, he will self inflict on himself by biting himself or pulling his hair or hitting his head but never another child. But yet in the care the kids play dodge ball and throw balls at each other? oh and that isnt harmful? I could turn around and say that I am afraid for my child because they are throwing balls around him! I am just so frustrated...what about putting an ad in the paper for one person who can take care of him? But then I have to worry about wierdos.
I dont know what to do...anyway, thanks for the suggestions and I will keep trying.
Cassie
Speak to the social worker at your son's school. Ask about respite that might be available. Take your son to a physician who specializes in autism. Medication can help certain symptoms. A good behavior intervention plan can help, but daycare situations don't usually understand those too well. Perhaps your son can be transferred to a special education school that has aftercare. There are a lot of resources out there, but they vary from location to location, so your best bet is to start through your school. It may come down to your trying to find a job that jives better with your son's hours. This is a TOUGH situation. Good luck.
We had the same problem w/ Payne. He was kicked out of a mainstream daycare b/c he was abusive (having fits) and then we took him to another one that was willing to work with us - a little, but a particular teacher there Payne didn't like and that feeling was mutual so we took him out of there to put in a special daycare for behavioral children -- unfortunately they didn't handle an autistic child well and expelled him w/ no notice...I fortunately always have a backup plan so I had already interviewed another mainstream daycare that is WONDERFUL!!! He loves it there and they love him. They are calm and patient...they call when they have any concerns, I have been fortunate to find them...I am trying to help them convert to a special daycare specializing in autistic kids. The director loves kids - all kids, the asst director works with the special olympics here - he's great! The staff all love my kids b/c he is different and they understand. I am VERY forthcoming with the way Payne is b/c he doesn't handle change well so him getting kicked out of a daycare every week is not an option...so I tell them what he does/does not do and say ... is this something that you would be comfortable handling? Do you think that you could help? I called and got a list of daycares and interviewed them all until I found this one...I was taken when she spoke with me about her kids, the program, etc. They have 5 autistic kids there - they didn't know about the autistic resources in the area so I sent in a specialist on that. They held a mandatory meeting for the staff at his daycare to meet with the autism specialist - tell them what it is, what to look for (signs/symptoms) and what to do with these kids (behaviorally). The were great...I sat in on the meeting so that the instructor could use Payne to explain things to them...privacy act keeps her from doing so w/o me there. Try posting a flier in your local college's education dept or your local high scool. Maybe have the daycare provided in your hom where your son is most comfortable. Look for that special person that can handle his behaviors and I would post that on the flier that he is Autistic.I AM A HOME DAYCARE PROVIDER AND JUST STARTED WORKING WITH A CHILD THAT HAS PDD. UNFORTUNATELY MOM NEVER INFORMED ME OF HIS DIAGNOSIS BEFORE I AGREED TO ADMIT HIM INTO MY PROGRAM. I THINK THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HONEST FROM THE START. I TOO HAVE A CHILD THAT IS DIABLED. HE IS UNABLE TO WALK. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND DAYCRE FOR A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY, WHICH IS WHY I LEFT TEACHING SPECIAL EDUCATION TO BE HOME WITH HIM . DAYCARE PROVIDES ME WITH THE INCOME TO PAY FOR CONSTANT MEDICAL BILLS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE. MY NEW CHILD HAS NOT ADJUSTED VERY WELL TO THE OPTHER CHILDREN. THEY ARE ALL U=YOUNGER THEM HIM AND HE IS CONSTANTLY HITTING THEM WITH TOYS OR TRYING TO PUT HIS HANDS AROUND THEIR NECKS TO CHOKE THEM. IT IS BECOMING AN ISSUE OF SAFETY TO THE OTHERS. I AM LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS TO HELP HIM WORK WITH OTHER CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN HIM(4). BECAUSE OF STATE LAWS I CANNOT TERMINATE HIS CARE JUST BECAUSE OF HIS DISABLITIY, BUT I BELIEVE THAT SAFETY OF ALL SHOULD BE MOST IMPORTANT.
That is just ...wrong. I am VERY forthcoming about our situation and I think that kids shouldn't just be put into a daycare w/o as Payne would say "some (ex)plainin'" I would want them to know what to look for, what to make sure to point out to me, when is it important to call me ASAP, what should they have/not - snacks,etc. IMHOAdd note - I do understand that sometimes it can't go that way- kids been kicked out of umpteen daycares and you have to go to work to pay the rent and can't find someone to take care of the kiddo...I understand...I am not completely unsympathetic.
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