Last week was the week of playdates. Zach is definitely interested in other people. He starts off a little shy, and usually parallel plays near the "action". If kids start running around like they usually do around here, acting like a bunch of banshees, he'll usually start running around too. I guess you would say he is social - but he usually has trouble interjecting himself directly into the action.
I know I have been freaking out lately, more than usual even. I know I am flighty, forgetting things and acting sort of foggy. I feel like within the last 3 weeks, something was happening to Zach, physiologically, and it wasn't good.
When you first realize your child has autism, at least in my case, you turn into some sort of super-hero. You outperform your wildest expectations (in my case, I read around 20 technical and a few anecdotal) books on autism in about 3o days time while fighting the system to get Zach services and getting an official dx on top of taking care of my mother with cancer, my daughter with sensory processing disorder, going to work, and being house manager. For those of you who are runners, my pace was about a 5:20 and I am normally a 9:45 sort of gal, although lately I would be happy with a 12:00. I blew my wad - I overshot all I had and now I feel like I am in some sort of catch up, snails pace for learning new stuff and everything else I am supposed to do.
Zach is such a happy little guy - I try to relish this. He laughs a decent amount everyday, although I feel like I have very little to do with it. I am just grateful that he has happiness in is life. I guess, being the semi-type A I am, I think to the future, how he will get on a bus, and then I feel like things will get tough. Not only will his care and education be out of view for me, we will have to contend with other children. I know how I was teased for being tall and smart (anyone see anything weird in that???) - I cannot even imagine how he might be teased. Our lead ABA therapist contends that I am thinking with my 1970's hat on, and that now days, kids are more tolerant of all sorts of things, especially disabilities, due to inclusion classes and respecting differences campaigns. However, I know what some of the adults in this world are like, and unfortunately, they spawn children. Nasty, selfish models are passed down from generation to generation.
This week, we will attempt to request a one-on-one therapist for Zach in the afternoons. I am not sure why we didn't get this in the first place other than to say they had me with a bag over my head back in Feburary when they were telling me what to do. I have recently talked to other parents, and to some of our therapists, and they all seem to concur that a decent amount of one-on-one is standard, and as we have seen, still required for Zach.
Zach has managed to not do very well in his therapy sessions, not coming close to meeting any of his targets. However, the other day while running around outside, I saw him jumping, which he loves to do, and I started singing th e"I'm Jumping" song from Sesame Street". I continued to pull weeds and Zach continued to jump. Next thing you know, I realized he was singing the "I'm Jumping" song while jumping along our walkway. It was a terrific feeling and once again made me realize the merits in my theory that he picks up a lot more in videos than I probably realize. I think video can be a great resource when mixed around regular play adn learning opportunities. Because of Zach's lack of receptive language, the video model works well to reinforce language with video models of what the language means. Kids on the spectrum tend to learn differently than other kids, at least in building basic skills. A good portion of peopel believe that their children are visual learners. I think with a kid having trouble with language skills, it's becuase that's all they have.
In order to get a snapshot of what Zach is like, I have decided to try and profile some skills, abilities, and likes.
Things that Zach likes:
- watching TV/videos: Dora, Blues Clues, Super Why, Thomas, Winne the Pooh sing alongs
- perusing books: particularly small board books like "Goodnight Moon", Sandra Boynton books
- physical activities: jumping on the trampoline, the bed, or all around, will go on the push trike about a half mile, will okay T-ball with me for like 5 minutes, loves lake water and deep pools, toddler pools are tolerated
- coloring: Zach will scribble with markers, pens, but tends to want to eat the crayons, no actual things drawn, won't imitate what you draw (circle, straight line)
- music: loves to move back and forth to anything with a beat, will occasionally sing some single words to common nusery songs, will occasionally become fascinated on the piano and hit keys (not banging on the piano like some kids)
- outtings: he likes rides, mostly tolerates the zoo, has gone canoeing without tipping us, loves the beach, particularly the ocean
- toys/games: trains and cars are the best, but plays with Sophia's doll house and puzzles, appears to like novelty, computer games
- self help skills: will remove shirt over his head once you pull it up on his head, will sometimes remove socks, will gesture to pull up pants and put on shoes, but cannot do it, will sometimes use utensils, can drink out of a cup, can use a straw, is good about brushing teeth , tolerates the bath although I have to wash him, can climb in the car, but I have to put him in car seat and buckle
- language/communication: rarely points, has some words but tends to need prompting, although up, milk, no don't appear to require prompting, tends to grab me by the hand and want to bring me to what he wants, can repeat most of what we say if we ask him to, not echolalia, but echoic.
- eats:
- loves brocolli, cucumbers, bananas, apples, peaches, organic uncured hot dogs (beef, chicken and turkey) and chicken nuggets, bacon, peanut butter, popcorn, rice, GFCF pastawith spaghettis sauce or with margarine, GFCF pretzels, Tings, french fries, mashed potatoes, pistachios, cashews, rice milk, almond milk, hemp milk, apple juice, homemade waffles and pancakes
- will eat half the time: peas, corn, carrots, strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, fish sticks, apple sauce, pecans, cranberry juice, black olives, fruit leather, raisins , salad with GFCF salad dressing, cranberry juice
- won't eat for me: meat - like grilled chicken, peices of beef, pork, etc. , beans - black beans, garbanzo, green, asparagus, squash, celery, beets, cabbage
3 comments:
Wow, he eats a lot of good things! TC will not, he gags on fruits and veggies.
You know, outside of the language issue, he sounds like such a normal kid to me. As you know, my daughter is highly verbal, but she won't do what she is not interested in, and she is not interested in games with peers at all. Sometimes she will interact with older kids, sometimes not, but she is not a highly social child. I am not surprised - I am pretty introverted myself. I hope that everything that you are doing for Zach will eventually pay off.
Hooray for jumping! That was such a huge milestone for us. I will never forget it.
I agree with Kristi: Zach has a large food list! WOW! That's awesome! Now, don't be disheartened if it shrinks, or if he seems to want the same thing allthetimeallthetime and then suddenly refuses it. That's pretty typical with sensory issues. (in fact, that might be a Sophie thing more than a Zach thing!)
And on a side note... can I say WOWZA on the 5:20?!?! Holy CRAPOLA! It's those tall legs of yours! LOL
Keep focusing on the progress, L.
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