The Meeting

Today I met with Noah's education team to review his recent tests. Every three years the school system retests ESE students for IQ, person skills, social skills, and in Noah's case the Autism Spectrum as well. With the amazing new skills he has gained this year, I was hopeful for great news.

I guess I should back up a bit. Noah's initial IQ test showed he fell very low on the scale. His scores put him in the intellectually disabled category. Most of the team thought these scores were not going to be the same forever. Most people's IQ never changes, but in his case they thought it was more a matter of him not understanding the questions.

So on to today's results...

Noah's IQ has not changed. This is not all bad news, because these tests are aged based, and while he didn't improve, it does show he is maturing. All of his tests showed him to be in the 4-6 year old range. Which at 9 is far from awesome, but again it showed growth. Last time he was in the 2-3 year old range. So in the last three years he has gained a lot of skills. THIS is a huge relief to me. I KNEW he was growing. I KNEW he was learning, but I needed to hear it. I lived in fear for this whole time that he would stay 2-3 years old. Today showed he is still three or four years behind. What is that span of time when he is 20? Not much.

I am thrilled. We are plowing through. He is growing smarter, stronger, and happier everyday.

Tonight he read 10 index cards to me. READ. No pictures, just words. I am so damn proud!

Pure Happiness

Noah LOVES the Osborne Spectacle of Lights which is now at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
I have never seen him so excited about something! The video turned out sideways. Will know not to turn the camera that way next time!



Also, this is a child who they tell me can't count to 15, but some how managed to remember this whole song!

Progress

In his birthday post, I wrote about how much progress Noah has made in the last year, I continue to be amazed about the little man he is becoming.

It's the silly little things that the average parent takes for granted. Like spontaneously telling me he loves me, I waited nine years for that! And telling jokes, making friends, talking to people in public. These were all things, I was not sure I would ever see. Autism is a crazy puzzle. We have been working so hard to find the right pieces. While we are no where near complete, we are finding those pieces.

On Sunday we were visiting Animal Kingdom and the boys were chosen to be part of the Festival of the Lion King show. This was not the first time, it has actually happened a few times, but in the past (with the exception of once) Noah has refused to take part. This time he jumped up and happily danced and sang. Giving high fives to performers and all!

Right now we are in the process of retesting him through the local school board, when he was first tested he scored in the 1-3 yo mental range and with an iq below 60. He was almost 6. There have been the lingering questions, will his iq be that lower forever? Will he be stunted at 1-3 yo forever? These new tests will give us a better idea. I can say that in the test for mental age, I could tell by the questions, he is closer to the 4-6 yo range now. Which, if correct means, he is maturing! Albeit at a slower rate, but by the time he is an adult, could be less important.

This gives me a whole new hope for his future.

Pity Party of One

I really try not to dwell on the negative side of having an Autistic child with additional learning disabilities. Noah is a blessing in every sense of the word (as are all my boys). I occasionally complain about the destructive aspect of his behavior, but I never talk about how scared I am.

With my soon to be 1st grader, I know there is a chance he will get a teacher he doesn't like, but he will cope. With Noah the thought of him having to change teachers makes me feel a little ill, despite the issues we have faced with the teaching team he has, Noah is comfortable with them.

At this point though, I think a change is what he needs. These last few weeks have been rough to say the least. Noah has shut down at school. He won't write, play, eat, or sing, so basically he just sits there all day long. Once again this year, he was not allowed to take part in field day. I fought with his teacher hard, because I really wanted him to take part. We compromised, instead of him having great behavior all week, he only needed one day. And he would have no part of it. When I say good behavior, I want to be clear, he is not "bad" at school as in destructive or disruptive, he just goes catatonic.

I was irrationally saddened that he didn't do field day. I just wanted him to be able to do some NORMAL things.

His teaching team has decided to give up on the concepts of phonics and handwriting for now. Though I have been fighting for this for almost a year, it kind of stings. He will be learning with a keyboard and working on learning words through pictures.

I was also given the word, he is not working towards a regular diploma, rather he will get a special needs diploma.

With all the wonderful mommies I know that have lost their precious children, I feel like hell for whining. I just feel a little down in the dumps about this whole situation and scared about what the future holds.

So Ready for the School Year to End

I am once again preparing to face off with Noah's teachers. Noah has been having a difficult time and has had several "slip" days in a row. I knew this was coming, it happened at the end of last school year. He knows his life is about to be changed and as per usual for an autistic child, he is FREAKING out!

In response to this freak out his teachers, who are trained to deal with autistic children, press him harder. When he wont sing the days of the week in morning circle, they make him SIT there ALL day, until he will. No specials, no fun, no other lessons.

Obviously, this is not cool. We have gone through this at least 10 times in the last two years. I call a meeting, we reset his behavior plan, and things are great...for a while. Then they slip back into trying have a stalemate with an autistic child. This DOES NOT WORK. Instead Noah comes home HYPER and freaking out because he has been berated all day.

Last year Noah was not allowed to take part in field day because he was not working hard enough. I understand the teacher is trying to motivate him, but he isn't a regular kid and like I said it isn't working.

Field day is next Friday, I called his teacher to inform her I wanted him to take part, even if he is struggling. She informed me that wasn't my call to make, if he doesn't meet her quota, he will not play.

I am wondering if its even worth calling another meeting? There are nine days left.
If it looks like they will be punishing him on Friday, I just won't send him.
The real kicker there is a 90% chance, he will have the same teaching team next year.

So what do I do? Am I undermining the teachers by not punishing him for going catatonic, when his teachers put pressure on him?

What to do???

If you have read my blog before you know my oldest son Noah, is autistic. We are having major issues at school and I am getting very frustrated. No, he is not disruptive or a trouble maker when he is there(like he is at home lol). I adore his teacher on a personal level, so this isnt a slight on her, but Noah is learning NOTHING! Today he seems to have sat in a chair for the ENTIRE day doing nothing at all because he refused to work. They did feed him, of course, but he was not allowed to eat with his classmates. He KNOWS he should work but has little or no concern for the consequences if he doesnt. He is below a preschool level and will be 8 in two weeks. I have tried rewards for good days, punishments for bad (no tv, toys, going places ect.) I have tried begging and yelling but it doesnt matter, he truly doesnt...ugh I dont want to say he doesnt care... its more that he doesnt understand why it matters if he can write the letter B. I have been brain-storming with my friend Erin on NEW ways to get him to WANT to learn, so when I go to his IEP meeting I bring something to the table. Anyone have ideas???