-auntie-
docmay25
member
I read your response to my post the other day on the parenting board. I had a couple more questions for you. You seem to have a lot of knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorders, Sensory Processing. ADHD etc. , what is your background? Do you specialize in this as you job or are you so knowledgable from being a mom of a child with it? I am just curious. i try to read as much as I can to help myself and my son.
Jack is an extremely emotional child who has a lot of outbursts (mostly crying) throughout the day. He gets frustrated easily and doesn't know what to do with it, except cry. Do you know of any resources, websites or idea on what I can do to help him with this? The crying is so excessive. One of his specialists mentioned a "Feelings Toolbox", but didn't explain what this is or how we do it.
Thanks, I appreciated all your suggestions in my previous post. I am having such a hard time finding resources for Jack (because the public school said he doesn't need them) that having this board helps a lot.
Re: -auntie-
Wow. Thank you so much for all that information! So many things you said were exactly Jack. Jack is very smart, has language and social skills beyond his age, but he is Very rigid and OCD. This is where almost all his crying, yelling and breakdowns result from. Everyone in the family has to play according to his rules. Something not working the way he needs it to results in frustration and the list goes on and on.
We had a neuropsyc. eval done a year ago. It was very detailed and she really saw Jack for who he is, but from there we were left with nothing. I walked out of there knowing what my sons issues were, but no idea where to turn next. I have had therapists recommend him going to a behaviorist, but don't know how to find one and his peditrian is no help at all. When you have a child who "performs" well for strangers it is difficult for anyone to see what he really needs.
I started reading the Out of Sync Child and it is like reading a book about my son. I will look into some other things you suggested. Thanks again for your help and knowledge. I think one of the best resources we have is other moms who have been thru it.
Just to butt in.... you wrote : "When you have a child who "performs" well for strangers it is difficult for anyone to see what he really needs."
OH MY GOSH!! That is my son. Sounds like there are some similarities. Once our therapists figure this out they are TOTALLY on board with us. Even today I was chatting with his SLP and we described him as totally opposite from the stereotype of autism on that note...... I've never heard anyone else say that so specifically exactly the same as what I experience.
We should get scores back from our Vineland/etc... within the week... I'll let you know what we find out (according to standardized testing).
I was definetely not saying that I think Jack is too mature for his peers. He is very verbal, does well telling a story, introducing himself etc....but mature, not at all. You hit the nail on the head...he is amazing with adults. They are safe and give him undivided attention.
The problem is that Jack presents very well to people testing him. He is a pleaser and when the therapists at the public school are testing him, he does what they ask. He also tests well for all their cognitive tests because he is intelligent in that way. He knew all his letters before he could say one word. That is what he obsesses over...letters and words. Jack is one of those kids that they really can't seem to pinpoint what it is. The neuropsyc. told us it is definetely not PDD. She said clearly Sensory Processing, Anxiety disorder and ADHD (but won't officially diagnose this one until he gets retested in a year).
Anyway, I appreciate the feedback. This is an everyday frustrating process for us, but I will not stop fighting for my son. I just want to make his life a little easier, more tolerable and to have more smiles, less tears.