Hello! New Member

Post Reply New Topic

Just wanted to say "hi" since I'm new here. I look forward to sharing. I'm a Mom of a 5 year old who doesn't really fit in a box. "They" have currently labeled him with severe ADHD and high functioning autism for lack of better terms to describe him. Being out of the box means no one really knows what to do with him or how to "help" him. Somedays I'm not even sure he needs "help". Other days it's obvious he does. It's always a fight to make sure he doesn't slip though the cracks. He has the vocabulary of a 14-16 year old but can barely pedal a bike, or dress himself. I'm anxious about his future and upcoming IEP. I look forward to chatting and having people to talk to. I feel alone in all of this often.

Welcome1 I like your username.

Thank you! I worked in a Mod-Severe ASD SDC for 4 years. One of our students mom's made beautiful mosiac art. She made a beautiful mosiac sign for our class that said "Autistically Beautiful" and I always loved it!

On my 5th birthday, I couldn't talk, no less pedal a bike. In one year, I was able to speak like any six-year-old.

I learned so many skills in that one year: getting the correct change at the store, crossing the street, dressing myself, reading chapter books. I was soon to learn to write and to ride a bike.

I'm glad you have lots of flexibility with your son.

Your son already has quite a bit of cognitive ability. This will, invariably, result in much progress, provided he's allowed to remain in his "comfort zone" most of the time.

There are times, though, that his "comfort zone" must be extended in some way, even if he doesn't react very well to it at first. I don't advocate an ABA-type approach.

I advocate a more "naturalistic" approach--like teaching him about everyday life in a gentle manner, allowing him to "go with the flow."

There was a show called "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" which would have been good for him, probably. You can probably get the CD's for this show.

Hey AutisticallyBeautiful welcome.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

I am glad you are ensuring he does not slip through those pesky cracks like many of us here did as we grew up blind to the condition, hope you settle in well!

If the diagnoses are correct, my series "The care and feeding of your Aspie" may help

http://www.savagelightstudios.com/warpedlens/?page_id=2

Welcome to the wrong planet!! ! As a fellow parent, I think you will find the forums here extremely helpful. I know that I have. Kind regards Shark

Welcome. It is not unusual for AS people to have motor co-ordination difficulties. I had these in childhood though not at older stages of my life. On the other hand, having an advanced vocabulary is very much more useful right throughout life, and he sounds as if he is very gifted in that ability. He won't grow out of that, it will only get better.

All children though have uneven profiles, not only AS children. Playing to their strengths is always a great encouragement, and helps bring out the best in most kids.

I have three adult children, 5 grandchildren, and most are on the spectrum. Only one of us was severely affected, and he is 19 now. He was very under-rated at school though his father (my son) never stopped identifying and playing to his strengths and expressing confidence in those strengths. He was the opposite to your son, good cordination was his dominant ability. Next month he takes up a 3 year scholarship overseas, in the sport that he represented New Zealand in as an under 18 year old. If I had the energy, I would seek out all the teachers who condescended to him in his very formative years and acted as if he had nothing to offer. I would also speak sternly to those who failed to recognise that this child was a visual learner, which was literally staring them in the face. He didn't learn well with a teacher who taught by just talking at young students. He learned fast if he was given a chance to process information visually, but they didn't give him that chance. We did, though. We knew him much better than they did, and knew he was quite intelligent with an impressive memory.

I hope you may find some inspiration in this; although we believed in him, he exceeded our expectations, and though he still has some challenges - people who fire questions at him machine gun style can trigger a meltdown - they often arise from the misunderstanding of other people rather than intrinsic factors. He has to live in a largely NT world and we have done our best to prepare him for that, though not to the point that we have tried to change who he is - a very loving young man who has shown a lot of courage. Your son may be more gifted, so who knows how far he may go.

The important thing is that knowledge is power. Once we knew he was a visual learner, it gave us the power to empower him, and we did. So I encourage you to really look at your son's particular styles in the same kind of way.