Anxiety, Autism, Communication, School, Special Needs, Strategies

First Day of School

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The first day of school is just around the corner! Most of our kids are probably ready to get back to a routine. Unless you’re one of those parents who are able to have a very scheduled day. I’ve always wanted to be like that, but our planned day changes minute to minute!

 

There are a few things you can do to prepare your child/teen for their new school year.

  1. Most schools are open a week or two before school starts. Call your school at the beginning of the week to ask for a meeting with the principal and to bring your child for a tour. This way, you should be able to find out who their teacher is (most schools don’t share this information before the first day of school, but if it will help your child with the transition, most are pretty good about sharing that info.) If the teacher is at the school, the child can meet them and at the very least, go see their new classroom.
  2. Take pictures of the class, gym, library, halls, sensory room, washrooms, etc. if this is a new school for your child. You can create a social story or comic strips. If you are new to social stories, you can learn about them by clicking on this link. They were developed by Carol Gray and you can visit her website if you want more in-depth information. There are some social stories already created online and a google search should direct you to some.
  3. Read the social stories at home each day or before bed. The more you talk about it, the more comfortable your child should become.
  4. If your child is starting high school, check out this book Middle School: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About – A Teenage Girl with High Functioning Autism Shares Her Experiences by Haley Moss. I originally purchased it from Amazon but it was taking months (which is very unusual). I cancelled that order and went to Chapters online and it came within a few days. It is written for middle school if your child goes to a new school in grade 7, but works just as well for high school. We’ve been reading it every day and it has a ton of great tips for her!
  5. If your child is starting kindergarten and you aren’t already connected with the preschool services in your area, make sure you call them. We are so fortunate to have One Roof in Midland. The direct number to the Community Living Huronia preschool services is 705-527-7022, Ext 327. But One Roof has many many services all under “One Roof”.  If you don’t live in Simcoe County just Google Preschool Services for children with special needs. If you are having a hard time finding services in your area, ask your family doctor. Check out the information on the Ministry of Child and Family Services Special Needs Support. If you still need assistance, shoot me an email and I’ll see what I can find.
  6. Be positive!! Don’t let your fears of past experiences, or the thought of leaving your child with someone new scare you. Your child will sense it! The staff at the school should be well trained and want what is best for their students! They will do everything they can to keep them happy and safe.

Good luck!! This is just another one of the many progresses to come! I’ll post more throughout the year on specific issues that may arise at school and will update this post. If you or your child is struggling with something school related and need some help, send me an email and we can chat!

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AAC, Anxiety, Autism, Behaviour, Communication, School, Special Needs, Strategies, Symptoms

Behaviour or Symptoms?

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The definition of behaviour in the dictionary is “the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially toward others” and “the way in which an animal or person acts in response to a particular situation or stimulus.”

The key phrase that makes “behaviour” so challenging is the part that says ‘especially toward others.’ It makes things so hard for parents, siblings, caregivers, teachers, EAs, peers etc. because we feel that it is directed at us. But imagine being the child or adult who is losing control! No one wants to feel that way.  Nobody wants to feel out of control!

I love the way Jeff Noble from FASD Forever puts it…FASD (or insert diagnosis here) is forever. Frustration is not. He also opens our eyes to the fact that behaviour is a SYMPTOM. Just changing the word BEHAVIOUR TO SYMPTOM will help you be a little more understanding and less frustrated. Because ultimately, that’s what it is! A symptom of being over stimulated, tired, challenged, unable to communicate desires, etc.

There are many reasons why a person acts out either verbally or physically. And it’s not easy. But if you are able to figure out what is causing it, you may be able to prevent it. And remember, as your child grows, they may grow out of it. With your help of course. For others, it may be a lifelong challenge, but hopefully with growth and learning different strategies over the years, it will get somewhat easier.

Here is information on what an ABC chart is.  There are links to an example of one and a blank one for you to document the Antecedent (what happened right before the “behaviour”) Behaviour (what was the behaviour) and Consequence (what happened right after). Documenting allows you to see whether the cause is ESCAPE/AVOIDANCE/ATTENTION SEEKING OR SENSORY.

There are different strategies for different symptoms. It is important to be proactive as much as possible instead of being reactive.

  1. The number one place to start is the ENVIRONMENT. What can you do right now in your home or class to avoid any outbursts. How can you make your place a safe and calming area. Can you get rid of clutter in the room and on the walls, paint your rooms a calming colour, put sharp objects out of sight, make a “calming area” with lights, bean bags, weighted blankets, noise reduction headphones, soft music/sounds, books, fidget toys, etc. For small children a box, tent, or sitting under a table with curtains to close off the world might help. A small room for older kids and adults or even a corner of a room with a divider can be a great place of comfort.
  2. The second thing I like to do with my daughter and my students (no matter how young or old) is INTERVIEW THEM. If they are able to communicate, ask them…What makes you angry?  What makes you happy? What is hard for you? What is easy for you? What do you like? What do you dislike? How can I help you be successful? What kind of activities or treats do you like? What helps to calm you down? I can’t believe how much information I receive! They know what helps them or hurts them! So why try and guess when the best information you can get is right at your fingertips? Knowing that my student just needs 5 minutes to sit quietly or needs to go for a walk to get a drink or even just go to the washroom and put cold water on his face to calm himself down makes the day so much easier than him yelling and hitting and running out of the room. You can gain so many strategies with this information! And you’re teaching your child/student to advocate for themselves. It gets them thinking about what they need. And it shows them that they matter to you. Their thoughts and feelings are important.
  3. Using the answers from your interview or observations, you can develop visuals, choice boards, reward charts, schedules, etc. to use at home and school. Communication (or lack of communication) is one of the main reasons for challenging behaviour. So visuals around the home and school are very important! There are software programs such as Boardmaker that you can purchase (ask your speech pathologist about it) or even just using Google Images. You can get photos of just about anything! Place pictures around your home. Put pictures of food on your fridge so your child can point to what he/she wants. Make a board that says MORE and ALL DONE on it so your child can point to one or the other instead of throwing their finished plate across the room. Use a visual timer to show them how much time they have left for an activity. A time timer is great because it visually shows them with colour, but you can also buy the timers at the dollar store or use an app on your phone. There are so many strategies for every challenge. It’s just a matter of figuring out what works and what doesn’t through trial and error.

If you have specific questions or are in need of help, send me an email! I’ll do my best to guide you in the right direction 🙂

And remember, the calmer you are, the easier to it is to diffuse a situation. Take deep breaths, tell yourself this isn’t personal. This behaviour/symptom is based out of fear, frustration, anxiety, needing attention, etc.

Together we will get through it! xo

 

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AAC, Communication, School, Special Needs

Augmentative & Alternate Communication

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First off, I’d like to share a fantastic website! Check this blog out! There is a TON of information on it to browse through!! I’ve gotten many ideas from this resource!

I also like these websites:

Here is a good page to learn what AAC is and what types of systems you can use.

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto is an amazing place! They have speech and language pathologist, Communicative Disorders Assistants and Occupational Therapists that can support your child/student at home and at school.

Currently, my student is using a Tobii EyeGaze and SurfacePro eye gaze system for communication and academics. It has been a slow process but she is making gains all of the time!

There are many devices out there for your child to trial but make sure you document EVERYTHING!! Every comment or word they say so that you can show the AAC team what has happened while they are away. You need this documentation to prove that the device is the right one for your child.

I have researched a ton of information on AAC and it would be way too much to take in all at once so I’m just going to add some resources here for you to check out on your own time. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to email me.

Aside from the resources above there is a lot out there on the web.

One particular woman, Dr. Musselwhite has several videos out on YouTube. Check her out here. One important thing I learned from her was to allow my student’s peers to use her device too! Most professionals over the years have taught me that the AAC device belongs to that student only. It is their voice and no one else should use it. But Dr. Musselwhite shares that your child may be more interested and will learn more quickly if their friends are using it too! There is a whole process on peers teaching their friend how to use the device as well. I LOVE this idea!

PrAACticalAAC is another great resource. If you click here it will bring you to not only their blog but a link on that page will also bring you to Dr. Musselwhite’s blog which has AAC girls and more information on Communication Circles.

I’ll be sure to post more information another day, but this is a good start!

Enjoy!

 

 

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Anxiety, Autism, School, Special Needs

Advocating

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Advocating can be a challenge! It is a fine line between advocating for your child and being the crazed mom who everyone tries to avoid. I’ve been on both sides of the table as a mom and as an EA. I also understand how frustrating it can be as a mom when you feel like your child’s needs aren’t being met or as an EA when you feel like you are doing everything in your power to help your student succeed and yet it just isn’t good enough. I never ever like to assume things or judge a parent for how they are parenting their children. But I do need to mention that if you are going through the grieving process or if several different teachers and professionals have told you that they feel your child should see a paediatrician, please, please,  please trust that they know what they are talking about and only want what is best for your child. As an educator, we don’t speak to parents about an issue unless we feel very sure and strongly that it will help the student.

That being said, as a parent, we need to make sure that our child’s needs are being met. When we aren’t in the school day in and day out, we have no idea what is going on and we need to trust that the professionals know what they are doing. Communication is key! Here are some suggestions to help you be in the know:

1. Communicate!! Ask questions! Don’t be afraid to discuss any concerns with the EA, teacher, principal, group home worker etc. Having consistency between home and school will benefit your child greatly.

2. Have a communication book or agenda that goes back and forth. But make sure to read and write in it! If your             child is non-verbal, provide the school with a visual schedule that the EA can go over with your child at the end of the day. They can circle or stamp the activities they have done that day.

Better yet, ask the EA if they already have a visual schedule/daily agenda made that they could send home. Many schools have the Boardmaker software that they use in the school already. This also will allow for consistency with the photos between home and school. Click here for more information on Boardmaker.

3. Request a meeting. Before school starts, a month or two after school starts, and again in the spring. And any other time you feel you need to meet in person to discuss issues/concerns that can’t be written in the daily agenda.

Having a meeting before school starts each year allows you to go over any changes the summer may have brought. Strategies that work and strategies that don’t. A lot of growth can happen in just a couple of months. Meeting a month or two into the school year will give you a good idea of how things are going and where they are headed. It is so much easier to deal with situations that arise right from the get go instead of waiting months where the symptoms or behaviour become a habit. Being proactive is much better than being reactive. Make a plan together and follow through with it!

4. Check out this website that has specific issues needing intervention. Lindsay Moir was an incredible advocate who sadly passed away and is greatly missed by his family, friends and special needs community. Scroll down to the bottom and click  ‘View ask Lindsay Archive’

5. Bring in an 8×10 photo of your child to your meeting. Tape it to the chair beside you. Any time they start talking numbers (because let’s face it, it usually comes down to money) just point to the picture.  Remind them that your child isn’t just a number. It may have been Lindsay who suggested this at one of his workshops I attended. It was pretty powerful. (I would only use this strategy if the school board and I had been trying to see eye to eye for some time).

6. BE KIND. Always be kind and thankful. No one purposefully tries to sabotage your child’s learning. No one purposefully tries to be difficult to work with. We are all doing our best. Working as a team is how your child will succeed.

There is so much more information, but this is a start. It is hard to suggest something to you when each one of you will have a different concern. If you have a specific issue that you need help with, send me an email and I’ll see what I can do.

In the meantime, here are some links to help you know some of your rights!

Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario has a Parent’s Guide to the IPRC & IEP process

IEP (Indivual Education Plan) Resource Guide by the Ontario Government

ABC Ontario has an IEP guide for gifted students

Disability and Human Rights Brochure is located here

 

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Anxiety

Anxiety

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I’ve had my fair share of helping my kids deal with anxiety. And this isn’t a small fear of the first day of school or performance at a music festival. This is constant worries and fears that get in the way of daily living. It’s real. And affects every single moment of the day sometimes.

Here are my “Top 3” resources that greatly helped our family:

AnxietyBC – This is a website is a small non-profit organization based out of Vancouver, BC that provides self-help resources on anxiety.  It has so so many tips, tricks and strategies that your child, teenager and even adults can benefit from! I cannot say enough good things about this website. It is FULL of fantastic information! The link will direct you to their youth section but if you hover your mouse over the “Self Help” section, you can then go to the parent, child, youth, adult and treatment page. Check every section out because it is amazing!!

Horses Are Magic – This is a farm out in Orr Lake, Ontario where you can go to work with Alla and her horses to help you with grief, anxiety, confidence, etc. Alla was wonderful with my children! She provides a very calm, safe and supportive environment. My children would journal, paint, talk and work with the horses. It is one thing to go to counselling and talk about your feelings and fears, yet your body can still stress physically. Even when your mind seems clear. Working with the horses while receiving counselling works both mind and body together. Check out her website for more information, but if your child is an animal lover (even if they aren’t), this is a great place to be!

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – A guide for parents and their children written by Dawn Huebner. These books are AMAZING!! There are a few different topics but wow they are all fantastic!! A great visual for facing fears, dealing with OCD, worries, dealing with a bad temper, bad habits, afraid of going to bed, etc. Click on the link above and it will bring you to amazon.ca where you can read the description and reviews. These helped our family TREMENDOUSLY!

I hope these help you like they’ve helped us!! If you need anything else, send me an email at wellbalancedlife@rogers.com and I’ll see what I can do!

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Uncategorized

Never Ever Give Up!

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Monday night I went to a Celebration of Life for a very good friend of mine. She was 53. Cancer. I know that when people move on, we always hear the great qualities and inspiring stories about them.  But Christine was a true soul in all of her living days! She was honest. Kind. Hilarious. Talented. Positive. Loving. Inspiring. And so much more.

Her celebration of life was actually a concert. This was something I have never experienced before and probably won’t again. Her comedian brother opened up with thick glasses and teeth hanging out of his mouth. His joyful giggle bringing the whole room to light up and laugh along with him. He asked if we could start out the night on the energy that Christine wanted. He asked us to think of a time we spent with Christine with a smile. Most people look up or down when asked to take a moment to remember, he said. But he wanted us to look straight. Look at people’s eyes and hearts because that is where she will always be.

There were 18 musicians on stage playing brass instruments, strings, drums and piano. We heard ballads, upbeat songs and even a funny tongue twister! It was a celebration like no other. Her husband, son and daughter all took the stage.  What was evident to all is that as talented as she was with a voice that could stop a room, she was always an amazing mom, wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend.

Her daughter also had so many wonderful stories and funny memories to share. And at the end of it all, she said she wished she could have one more day with her. One last hug. One last dance, one last song, one last meal together. We cannot take life for granted. When you think you have it bad, someone else is dealing with something so much harder. Christine was a fighter. And through that, she was still helping others with her foundation Be Brave and Believe. Her motto was “Never Ever Ever Give Up!”

So hug your children tight tonight. Enjoy every moment of every day. Even the hard ones. You will get through it!

xo

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Autism

Autism

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Websites:

http://www.speakingofspeech.com – This website has many many free visuals! Click on Materials Exchange to access them. There are social stories, cooking recipes, life skills, data sheets, etc. etc.

http://www.autismprthelp.com/books-and-manuals.php – This link will bring you to the Koegel Institute Manuals. They are fantastic!! Pivotal Response Training is probably my favourite way to teach GG. It is all done in her natural environment. Check out the website to learn more. This is what we used to teach her language and I was amazed at how quickly it worked (especially after trying so many other techniques).

http://asperkids.com/– an Ah-mazing woman named Jennifer O’Toole (who was diagnosed with Aspergers, along with her hubby when all 3 of her children got their diagnosis) has put together a webpage, books, and fantastic information all on Asperger Awesomeness!! If you have a daughter with Autism/Aspergers you will love this site too!  It has great information on our girls’ unique characteristics!

http://www.autismontario.com/– This website is for residents of Ontario and from here, you can go directly to your county’s chapter. Here they have information on funding, camps, activities in your area, a list of professionals and ABA providers, etc. We have signed up for their newsletter and have become a member of AO. We receive emails with activities in our area that are either free or at a great price for GG and the family. She attends a Girls On The Spectrum Group (G.O.T.S group) once a month where she hangs out with other girls on the spectrum doing anything from crafts, movies, sewing, bead making, pizza/pj party, wildlife fitness, etc.  We have also attended a weekend camp with other families and it is definitely something to experience. Every single person there is understanding and supportive!

http://www.kerrysplace.org/Public/Supports-and-Services Kerry’s Place was our Saving Grace when GG first got diagnosed. We were new to autism and the symptoms she was showing through us for a loop. A consultant from Kerry’s Place would come to our hometown once a month. We would me with her, discuss our challenges and she would give immediate feedback and suggestions. I don’t know what we would have done without that support!

http://www.abaresources.com – Another free resource site! They have visuals already made for a token board, schedule and choice board, edible reinforcers, chore chart, first/then, visuals for restaurants, places to visit in Toronto, children’s books and much more!

https://www.stanleygreenspan.com/ – Check out the free video for parents. There is a lot of great info. in the free manual and parent course. Dr. Stanley Greenspan created the FLOORTIME METHOD in the 1980’s. I used this with GG and students I work with and it’s worked every time. You basically follow your child’s lead. If your child is spinning or flapping their hands, join in! If she is rocking while watching tv, sit close to her, rock and watch her show. With love and interest. This is how she will let you in.

http://www.zonesofregulation.com/index.html – This is an excellent resource for managing feelings! They have a book that comes with a disc to print out booklets that you and your child can fill out together. We use this at home and the schools use it often as well. Having home and school using the same language makes it much easier for our kids.

http://www.templegrandin.com/templehome.html – If you ever get a chance to hear Temple speak, I suggest you do! She is an inspiration. She has written many books and invented the squeeze machine. There is also a movie about her staring Claire Danes.

http://carlysvoice.com/home/faq/ – Carly Fleischmann is another inspiration! She is non-verbal and uses her computer to communicate. I find the best people to learn from are those who actually live with it!

Books:

Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration by Ellen Yack, Shirley Sutton and Paula Aquilla – This book is full of strategies for sensory issues! It has creative suggestions for muscle tone, hyper/hyposensitivity, eating issues, managing behaviours and so much more.

Relationship Development Intervention  by Steven Gutstein and Rachelle K Sheely – Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) is a technique used to teach relationships. Most interventions including this one suggest using their strategy only but we felt we would read books and go to workshops and take what we learned and what felt right and go with it. So we used Pivotal Response Training (PRT) for speech and toileting and more, RDI for building relationships and the Floortime method for teaching her play skills. The RDI is an intervention where you hire trained therapists and parents get trained as well. We bought the book and took ideas from it. Did it help her the way a full intervention would have? Probably not. But it did help. 

http://www.tasksgalore.com/  –  These books have GREAT ideas for all sorts of skills. Check out their website and go to ‘Products’ then hover over one of the titles and click on ‘Preview’.  You can purchase these books from Parent Books as well.
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Adoption, Anxiety

The Importance of Acknowledging Adoption

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We adopted our GG when she was a year and a half. We didn’t know if she would walk or talk. Fortunately she doesn’t stop doing either one! For years, we learned all we could about autism and immersed her and ourselves into that world. She had so many physical, emotional and medical needs when she was younger, I have to admit, adoption stuff got put on the back burner. We had read all we could before she came to us but once she was here…nada. The year she turned 8 years old we were at our wits end. My husband and I didn’t get any sleep for about 8 months. In the past, if one of us were too exhausted, the other one was full of energy ready to take over. Not the summer she turned 8! We were both sleep deprived, frustrated and had lost our patience. Gracie was screaming every night and would give us one look and turn around and go back to sleep once we went to her room to check on her. She was our alarm clock every morning once we did finally fall asleep. She was waking up her brother and sister most nights too because she was so loud! We couldn’t figure out what was going on. She also had to be with us All. The. Time. One day I was going to get something out of our van. I ran out without announcing it to anyone because I was just going to be a few seconds. As soon as I ran out the door, I heard GG yelling out her window! “Don’t leave me! Come back! Don’t leave!” All of a sudden, it all made sense! She was worried we were going to leave her. That is when the adoption stuff came more in to play. I came inside, held her and we talked about how we were never going to leave her. We spoke about our forever family. We also realized that every night when she would scream until we went in her room, she was just making sure we were still there.

So, we role played. If she wanted to make sure mom and dad were still there, she could get out of bed, tiptoe to our room and peek inside, then go right back to sleep. She’s done it every night since! That lasted a few years and now she doesn’t need to check on us anymore. Most of the time.

If your child is adopted AND has special needs, don’t forget the trauma they have gone through. Even if your child was in a loving foster home or came directly to you from birth. Losing the sounds and feeling of their birth mom’s heartbeat that they’ve only known for 10 months is traumatic.

For some tips and resources on adoption, please click here.

 

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Adoption

Adoption Tips & Resources

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Here are a few tips and resources:

When you first meet your baby/child give them some pictures and a blanket that smells like your family to take home with her. (We had visits first before she was permanently with us).

Keep his/her schedule the same for at least a year. For example, snack, bath, brush teeth, story & snuggles, bed. The same order every time! And only you and your husband/wife take care of all of her needs for that time. I know grandparents, aunts and uncles may want to help out, but this is the critical year for you to bond with her.

Make a Lifebook together! This photo book starts from the day he/she was born. Not when they first came to be a part of your family! Their story starts from birth. Check out this website & book written by Beth O’Malley.

Visit her foster family a few weeks after she’s settled in. That way she can see that it was a decision that everyone made together, and that the foster family is still alive and well.

If she is a little older but still drinking a bottle, let her have it a little while longer. You want to keep things as consistent as possible.

Be open about it. We tell GG all the time that she must have gotten her beautiful eyes from her birth mom or dad. Or we talk about her birth (the things we do know about it) and what it must have been like. We talk about how she is blessed with 3 moms – a birth mom, a foster mom and a forever mom. (And dad’s too). That’s a lot of people who love her. We write letters to her birth mom when she wants to. There are no secrets. (We do however keep any details she isn’t old enough to understand yet).We talk a lot about how blessed we are to have her in our lives.

Here are some good books to read:

The Connected Child 

Adopting the Hurt Child

Parenting the Hurt Child

Toddler Adoption

These are a few of the books that I still remember. It has been a while since I’ve read anything on Adoption and I’m sure there are many more that I’ve forgotten and have never read. A search in amazon will give you a lot of options to choose from but also check out Parent Books! They have every book on every topic of parenting. They are a store based out of Toronto but you can purchase their books online.

If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to send me an email!

 

 

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School

Starting School – Inclusion or Not…

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This is a choice that you will have to make yourself based on your own child, but I thought I would share with you our experience. It all depends on the type of support your school board is going to provide, but again, you know your child best! Go with your gut. Here is our experience and what we’ve learned from it.

When GG first got diagnosed we saw many health care providers and therapists. We read every book and went to many, many workshops. The advocating workshops taught us how to communicate with the school team. The workshops were also about our child’s right to attend a mainstream school. “They deserve to be where every other child is. They shouldn’t be secluded because of their diagnosis. They have the RIGHT to be at school with other children, in the same class. They should not be segregated in an integrated setting.” These same workshops left you feeling strong enough to fight the school board and advocate for full support if needed. I now had the tricks and legal wording I needed to make sure they understood my daughter’s needs and provided for them. As an EA, I see parents come in to meetings ready for the “fight” because in all honesty, that is what it has come down to with all of the cutbacks we are seeing. The Catholic board advertises full inclusion and that our children are a respected member of the school community. I believe in their hearts, they want that to be true. But over the years, I have worked with children who have only needed academic help to being a flight risk, harm to self/others, and attendant care, to now only working with the child who is most “disruptive”. Even children who need help with toileting, are non-verbal and a flight risk don’t necessarily get support if they are quiet and easy-going.

That is one part of making a decision on whether or not to go to a mainstream school. The other part though, and this is where I am all for segregating (shocking I know) is that some our children never feel like they belong.

GG was the type of child who would copy any negative outburst or self-harm she witnessed. So being in a class with other children with autism who did this would not be a good placement for her at that time. Also, academically she was pretty close to the same level as her peers until grade 2. She seems to be stuck at this level for most things (maybe some grade 3) and she is now in grade 8. The gap just gets bigger and bigger. Socially, she is like a 4-6 year old in grade 8 class with a bunch of 13 year olds. She has lost all confidence in herself. She is so aware of her differences and needs compared to her peers she absolutely hates it. She uses up all of her energy trying to fit in and be like everyone else. Her pediatric psychologist said it is like being a Buddha in a Catholic school. You get along with others, yet you never really feel like you fit in. She is full of stress and anxiety. She is pushing her support away by being rude, non-compliant and silent. Our happy go lucky girl (most of the time) is now angry and somewhat depressed. I’m sure teenage hormones are a part of this as well!

We tried to get her into a class with children who are diagnosed with LD (the autism class had too many children that she could not relate to but the LD class had more peers struggling like she was). The wait list was so long, they didn’t believe she would get there before grade 9. Now we are on the search for the best high school placement for her.

Some things to consider when choosing a school:

*Location and transportation – you need to make home life easy for you and the family as well

*Amount of support needed and the availability at that school to provide it

*Social struggles that may arise in the future. How aware is your child going to be of their differences and what is their personality to be able to handle that?

*Knowledge of staff and accessibility of the school

You can request meetings with several different schools and interview them just as you would if you were hiring someone to do a job for you.

Click here to see a list of questions to ask when interviewing different schools.

If you can or may need to in the future, home schooling can also be a great option if you are able to do so mentally and financially. There are many different home school groups in communities that you can tap into for support. Click here for homeschool resources and information.

 

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