I wrote in this post about how I thought brain gym was really helping Bright Eyes.
I still think it is, but I got into 'trouble' (not really) from my consultant who said I am selling myself short and really I got him to the place where he was able to even cope with going into the brain gym room.
Yeah, alright, I'll take some credit. Hubby and I have both worked really hard with him for two years. But it wouldn't have been possible without the wonderful RDI program, and without our wonderful consultant. This truly is an amazing program and our consultant has become more than a professional - she's a friend now.
So yeah, if you're wondering if RDI will 'work', it will. What did that old ad say? "It won't heppen overnight but it will heppen."
Monday, May 11, 2009
Stage 5 here we come
I haven't written here for about a month. So much has happened.
Firstly, our funding appears to be secure until he is seven, thanks to our consultant and her clever reading of the appropriate documents. Yay and thanks.
Secondly, he has completed Stage 4 of RDI. Probably that means the most to me - I like ticking things off lists, and getting to a whole new stage makes me feel happy. We had a look at the 20 'Foundations' of Stage 5 today and we're confident he has those except for two, so that's good too. Once we've moved and settled in, we'll start working on the next objectives.
Thirdly... he's going to start school in Kangaroo Valley when we get there. I had a great meeting with the principal, kindergarten teacher and our lovely preschool teacher who drove all the way down for it, and everything went as well as it could possibly go. The principal listened, asked good questions and then asked me, "so, what do you want him to do?"
My answer was: "go to school part time three days a week please." And the answer was "Yes."
Bright Eyes was funny at the school. We bought the uniform and he wanted to put it on straight away. Then he wanted to go out and start that day. He was really disappointed when I said he was starting on another day!
How do I feel? Pleased, and terrified at the same time. My beautiful daughter came to me in tears and said, "Mum, what if there's a bully at the school and they pick on him?" I assured her that if anything of the sort happened, I would be in there like a flash and would do everything possible to protect him. In the end, her fear is my fear too.
Anecdote: These days whenever we go out shopping, Bright Eyes has no qualms about talking to the checkout ladies like this. "Hello, it's Bright Eyes here. I am number 5. I go to big school in Kangaroo Vaaaa-lley." (I'm trying to teach him to say "I'm 5 years old.")
Resource: There's a new book out about RDI entitled (appropriately enough) The RDI Book by Dr S Gutstein. I have two copies. If you're desperate to read one, let me know!
Firstly, our funding appears to be secure until he is seven, thanks to our consultant and her clever reading of the appropriate documents. Yay and thanks.
Secondly, he has completed Stage 4 of RDI. Probably that means the most to me - I like ticking things off lists, and getting to a whole new stage makes me feel happy. We had a look at the 20 'Foundations' of Stage 5 today and we're confident he has those except for two, so that's good too. Once we've moved and settled in, we'll start working on the next objectives.
Thirdly... he's going to start school in Kangaroo Valley when we get there. I had a great meeting with the principal, kindergarten teacher and our lovely preschool teacher who drove all the way down for it, and everything went as well as it could possibly go. The principal listened, asked good questions and then asked me, "so, what do you want him to do?"
My answer was: "go to school part time three days a week please." And the answer was "Yes."
Bright Eyes was funny at the school. We bought the uniform and he wanted to put it on straight away. Then he wanted to go out and start that day. He was really disappointed when I said he was starting on another day!
How do I feel? Pleased, and terrified at the same time. My beautiful daughter came to me in tears and said, "Mum, what if there's a bully at the school and they pick on him?" I assured her that if anything of the sort happened, I would be in there like a flash and would do everything possible to protect him. In the end, her fear is my fear too.
Anecdote: These days whenever we go out shopping, Bright Eyes has no qualms about talking to the checkout ladies like this. "Hello, it's Bright Eyes here. I am number 5. I go to big school in Kangaroo Vaaaa-lley." (I'm trying to teach him to say "I'm 5 years old.")
Resource: There's a new book out about RDI entitled (appropriately enough) The RDI Book by Dr S Gutstein. I have two copies. If you're desperate to read one, let me know!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
New gloves and other things
Right now Bright Eyes is wearing a pair of fingerless gloves that he has had on the last three days - ever since I brought them home for him. It seems that clothes hold no more fears for him. What a blessing.
Unfortunately, crowds and large playgrounds and exhibits still hold many fears for him. Or rather not fears, but over stimulation and build up of aggression. We spent the day in Darling Harbour and it got pretty hairy trying to get him out of the playground. He was bossy, aggro, stiff and tense, and generally hard to handle. I was glad to have my mum there to supervise the other children while I focused on him. I'm glad to be moving to a small village where there is not much to do or look at!
Big news is that he will be starting school probably part time when we move. I am finally at the point where I think he will cope with a bit of school and I don't shudder to send him. He's fairly excited about it and tells anyone who'll listen, "I go to big school in Kangaroo Vaaaalley". Of course, he hasn't actually started to go yet... there's a big difference between anticipation and reality.
If you are of the praying persuasion, I'd appreciate some prayer about his government funding for RDI once he turns 6 in August. I need to apply for special consideration for it to continue an extra year. Otherwise we'll be back to paying it out of our own pockets.
Unfortunately, crowds and large playgrounds and exhibits still hold many fears for him. Or rather not fears, but over stimulation and build up of aggression. We spent the day in Darling Harbour and it got pretty hairy trying to get him out of the playground. He was bossy, aggro, stiff and tense, and generally hard to handle. I was glad to have my mum there to supervise the other children while I focused on him. I'm glad to be moving to a small village where there is not much to do or look at!
Big news is that he will be starting school probably part time when we move. I am finally at the point where I think he will cope with a bit of school and I don't shudder to send him. He's fairly excited about it and tells anyone who'll listen, "I go to big school in Kangaroo Vaaaalley". Of course, he hasn't actually started to go yet... there's a big difference between anticipation and reality.
If you are of the praying persuasion, I'd appreciate some prayer about his government funding for RDI once he turns 6 in August. I need to apply for special consideration for it to continue an extra year. Otherwise we'll be back to paying it out of our own pockets.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Brand new boy
"Campbell has new shoes. Campbell is a brand new boy. James is a brand new boy too. James has new shoes too. Campbell goes really faster. James goes faster too. Campbell has a new big striped shirt."
This is what Bright Eyes is telling me to write as he stands here looking over my shoulder, reading everything I am putting down.
He really is a 'brand new boy' this week. He is wearing new jeans and new shirts and I managed to convince him that he would go faster if he had fast shoes. After two and a half years wearing crocs, day in and day out, he is finally in joggers! This is a red letter day!
Why all the improvement? I really think brain gym has had a lot to do with it. A lot of gains have been made in the six weeks since we started doing such simple things as hand rubs and muscle stretches. The body is really complex.
I'm feeling so optimistic right now that I'm even going to negotiate with the principal of the school in the new town we're moving to in five weeks time to see if he can attend part time, maybe a couple of mornings a week. This is the FIRST time ever I have felt that he might be able to cope.
Yesterday was beautiful too. We dropped into our daughter's youth group for a parents' evening. A 5 year old boy Bright Eyes knew slightly was also there. They spent an hour actually playing - simple stuff like 'tip' and pulling and pushing a heavy box but... they were really relating. I am a happy mummy.
Challenges will come as we move, however, so I'll keep you posted.
This is what Bright Eyes is telling me to write as he stands here looking over my shoulder, reading everything I am putting down.
He really is a 'brand new boy' this week. He is wearing new jeans and new shirts and I managed to convince him that he would go faster if he had fast shoes. After two and a half years wearing crocs, day in and day out, he is finally in joggers! This is a red letter day!
Why all the improvement? I really think brain gym has had a lot to do with it. A lot of gains have been made in the six weeks since we started doing such simple things as hand rubs and muscle stretches. The body is really complex.
I'm feeling so optimistic right now that I'm even going to negotiate with the principal of the school in the new town we're moving to in five weeks time to see if he can attend part time, maybe a couple of mornings a week. This is the FIRST time ever I have felt that he might be able to cope.
Yesterday was beautiful too. We dropped into our daughter's youth group for a parents' evening. A 5 year old boy Bright Eyes knew slightly was also there. They spent an hour actually playing - simple stuff like 'tip' and pulling and pushing a heavy box but... they were really relating. I am a happy mummy.
Challenges will come as we move, however, so I'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Brain gym and empathy
Bright Eyes has begun a thing called Brain Gym which is kinesiology or something like this. Personally, I'm not completely up on how it works - only that the muscles of your body connect to your brain, and somehow by working specific muscles in particular exercises you can help your brain make connections which will help you.
That's all fine and dandy, but the thing I really want to share with you is that Bright Eyes has progressed in 3 sessions from not wanting to go in, not talking to the lady, not doing anything she asks, and not even letting her come near him, to being able to hop up on the table, let her touch him and follow her instructions such as 'push your feet', 'pull your toes', 'breathe in and bring your head up', 'no, not so much, just a little bit' etc.
It was amazing to watch him cooperate with her and even enjoy her company this week. I'm delighted.
His little friendship at preschool has continued. This morning when I arrived his buddy said, "Oh, you brought your Thomas again. I asked my mum for a Thomas and she said No no no. That's not fair." Bright Eyes agreed. "No, that's not fair."
That's all fine and dandy, but the thing I really want to share with you is that Bright Eyes has progressed in 3 sessions from not wanting to go in, not talking to the lady, not doing anything she asks, and not even letting her come near him, to being able to hop up on the table, let her touch him and follow her instructions such as 'push your feet', 'pull your toes', 'breathe in and bring your head up', 'no, not so much, just a little bit' etc.
It was amazing to watch him cooperate with her and even enjoy her company this week. I'm delighted.
His little friendship at preschool has continued. This morning when I arrived his buddy said, "Oh, you brought your Thomas again. I asked my mum for a Thomas and she said No no no. That's not fair." Bright Eyes agreed. "No, that's not fair."
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Show and tell
We took a morning to go to the local Show today. At first we were a little bit hesitant, knowing that Bright Eyes has not reacted well to fairs and museums and things like this in the past, but we decided to head out anyway.
He absolutely LOVED the rides. This child has no fear. Pictured here is the first ride, during which he yelled out to anyone who would listen, "I'm excited about this. This is really exciting!"
If he was excited then, it was nothing compared to the roller coaster he took on next with his big sister. I could hardly watch the ride for fear of nausea. Apparently he yelled "Stop!" a few times, but when he got off he was breathless... and happy! Later I asked him what he enjoyed the most, and he said, "The roller coaster."
He was anxious and uptight and fairly loud and bossy because of all the excitement, but we were able to take it as over-the-top nervous energy from the stimulation, rather than treat it as bossiness. He did calm down in the end, and we ended up having to leave not because of his needs, but because his big sister was feeling sick... from the ride!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
I'll tell you when I'm ready to 'go'
Same headline as below, different topic...
I thought I might update you on Bright Eyes' toilet habits. Anyone with an ASD child is going to be very interested in this. You others may want to pass.
He started to do his daytime wees in the toilet I think at the age of 4 or thereabouts, but there was no way he was going to sit on the loo for a number two. Instead, he told me when he was about to go, and asked for a nappy.
This is still going on! Once a day he runs out, "Mum, I want a nappy" and I obligingly put it on, wait and then clean it up.
Here and there I suggest that he might like to sit on the toilet to do his poo. I always get a violent 'no' and give up the idea for a while. I'm hoping that when he's ready he'll feel able to do it.
A few weeks ago I tried bribery. He was very interested in a Thomas the Tank Engine catalogue. I said, "See that engine there - if you can do your poos on the toilet, I'll buy you a train that you like."
I got a flicker of interest. We talked some more, and he agreed. All day, until it was time to 'go'. Then it went back to being a big fat "Nooooo - I want a nappy."
So I decided to change tack. This time I asked him, "When are you going to do your poos on the toilet?" He thought for a while and said, "When I'm six."
It's become a bit of a fixed idea now. He'll often talk about "When I'm six, I'll go on the toilet. And then you'll buy me a new train." It's a shame we've got to wait until August for his birthday. When it comes closer, I'm going to start talking about not buying any more nappies because he'll be too big, and hope for a smooth transition.
And as a postscript, because he sees his brother wear a nappy, little boy Jamesie, who is completely toilet trained and has been since he was two and a half, thinks it's cool to wear nappies. rats...
I thought I might update you on Bright Eyes' toilet habits. Anyone with an ASD child is going to be very interested in this. You others may want to pass.
He started to do his daytime wees in the toilet I think at the age of 4 or thereabouts, but there was no way he was going to sit on the loo for a number two. Instead, he told me when he was about to go, and asked for a nappy.
This is still going on! Once a day he runs out, "Mum, I want a nappy" and I obligingly put it on, wait and then clean it up.
Here and there I suggest that he might like to sit on the toilet to do his poo. I always get a violent 'no' and give up the idea for a while. I'm hoping that when he's ready he'll feel able to do it.
A few weeks ago I tried bribery. He was very interested in a Thomas the Tank Engine catalogue. I said, "See that engine there - if you can do your poos on the toilet, I'll buy you a train that you like."
I got a flicker of interest. We talked some more, and he agreed. All day, until it was time to 'go'. Then it went back to being a big fat "Nooooo - I want a nappy."
So I decided to change tack. This time I asked him, "When are you going to do your poos on the toilet?" He thought for a while and said, "When I'm six."
It's become a bit of a fixed idea now. He'll often talk about "When I'm six, I'll go on the toilet. And then you'll buy me a new train." It's a shame we've got to wait until August for his birthday. When it comes closer, I'm going to start talking about not buying any more nappies because he'll be too big, and hope for a smooth transition.
And as a postscript, because he sees his brother wear a nappy, little boy Jamesie, who is completely toilet trained and has been since he was two and a half, thinks it's cool to wear nappies. rats...
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