So, today was the final day of the National Autism Conference for this year, and there was a point when I really started to wonder if I should even try to write about autism anymore. On a personal front, the last comment I got here was from someone telling me I am a horrible parent, and it makes me wonder why I choose to put myself out there.
To add to my dismay, the speaker this morning basically said he wasn’t sure what any other professional besides his own kind had to offer a child with autism. Although his actual presentation was objective and informative overall, several of his off-the-cuff comments in response to audience questions were quite shocking.
I sincerely hope the organizers of the conference don’t support the complete OT-bashing (and partial SLP-bashing) that took place this morning, especially as those two groups must make up a good percentage of the attendees.
Ironically enough, the closing keynote speaker was from the same area of expertise and encouraged his fellow practitioners to learn about what the other members of the team are bringing to the table and to respect their contributions and work with them for the best outcomes for the child. I was glad to hear him say that, but talk about a mixed message overall!
I'm a mom with Asperger's raising an amazing son with autism, which means I'm basically the case manager/advocate/cheerleader/chauffeur. The rest of the time, you can usually find me with my nose in a book!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Let me tell you all about ABA and their “the world revolves around us” attitude.
It doesn’t. ABA means breaking things down into steps and teaching skills. Period… no more no less.
Ontario has PPM 140 – ABA in schools (google it). It is not 40hrs/wk of rote trials. It is breaking skills down into steps for social, communication and behaviour. My eldest – the one that now passes for normal – and the severe one – both use this to help them get through their days and it’s in their IEP’s. It involves strips, social stories, social skills teaching, transition teaching, speaking in turn and a million other small things that all children learn. One small step at a time.
Here in Ont ABA – the 40hr a week rote trial version is only paid for if your child is on the severe end of the spectrum. My youngest was. We lasted doing it 6mths, it took another 6 and our SrK teacher to remover them entirely from out world… and that’s the short form b/c to say it was “ugly” is the understatement. My youngest 6mths in finally clawed his male T. My son has never had another behaviour mark before or after that on his record and he’ll be 10 shortly. Neither of us is over it.
Here in Ont you can get monies to pay it yourself or if you are in a part of Ont that has a program – like we do – that’s the program you have to use.
There are as many forms of ABA as there are practitioners. We were in the Lovaas style one. No flexibility and therapists that treates us poorly. They didn’t want us involved with anyone else… geez… how many people cut off other people and claim to help them and in the end… Yeah… things had I known then.
We’ll never go back to ABA. They keep trying to get full Fed funding for it and I write letters and even wrote a 27pg epic last time against funding it. I’m not for banning it. But SLP and OT are just as important and IMO moreso since ABA does neither.
I now have a severely autistic child that reads at grade level (starting Gr5), spells at grade level, learning to type his thoughts into the computer – not the “today is, we are doing” crap – and not using FC. That is dangerous on google when he wants to find something. That is now in the augmentative communication services and is speaking… well, enough to tell me what he wants… and we have joint attention.
How??? B/c I taught him and last year and for the next 2yrs we have a very good TEACHER. That’s how.
Had to go before I finished.
Had excellent teachers SrK, Gr 2 and now in self contained (verbal, low behavioural, multiple disabilities class – not an autism one). Had excellent Aides every year so far.
We do about 15min of homeschooling/day. No longer with the one going into Gr 7, just the Gr 5 one. Just that bit makes a huge difference. We use materials from “SuperDuper Publications” and Saxon Math at the moment. SLP’s have bundles of programs you can use and quite often will photocopy them for you.
Planning on homeschooling the youngest at Gr 7… still arguing with Dh about that but when he sees what’s really out there…. We’ll never find another classroom like the one we are in and I won’t have him regress.
As for being a crappy parent… Kim’s last FC post I got slammed in the first comment… Personally, I’m taking it as a compliment. My kids and I have worked hard to teach and learn, to bust the stereotypes attached to their dx’s… if that ticks someone off… maybe they should put the effort in to instead of taking shortcuts like FC… my FSW and the school’s have all told me that less than 25% of the parents do the work.. the other 75% want it done for them. We’re doing the work… and it shows.