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Special Needs
Spockles
member
Brag post!! :-)
Spockles
member
I usually don't have things to brag about and I know it's not the normal brag day, but I couldn't resist!!
Today, DS started "school" which is just ECFE (early childhood family education) and it's just once a week for 1.5hrs. The parents are with the kids for the first 30 minutes and then we separate and go into a room next door and the kids play and they have snack time. Last school year, DS could not handle it. Too many transitions and he would get really anxious. He would cry the whole time of separation and I would often get called back in.
WELL...today he did GREAT!!! He's in a classroom of 2 year olds. It's not a SN class. He cried briefly during separation, but he was able to calm down with a little redirection. Then he went on to play and explore the new room. (it's a new room from last year!) I was able to peek in and watch him through the window (but he couldn't see me). He seemed happy and ok with being there. It was nice being able to see all of our hard work starting to pay off!
What a good morning!! I'm so proud of him!!!
One question I do have though is, should I tell the other parents that he has Autism? I feel like if they know, they won't judge me for how he acts/behaves and for his lack of communication and language.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Brag post!! :-)
And although I don't have an answer on the second part of your post (i.e., to tell or not to tell), you are not alone in that quandry - I wonder ALL the time, in all different kinds of situations, if I need to prelabel DD. I try not to unless it's completely and absolutely necessary (i.e., the haircut lady did not need to know DD's dx when she wouldn't "put her head down" when she asked. She also didn't need to get huffy about it. And she also shouldn't be a haircutter of children BECAUSE she gets pissed that a toddler, dx or not, doesn't want to put their head down. But that's another post for another day).
Anyhoo, BRAVO on the accomplishment!!
Great news and congrats to your little guy for doing so well today!
I don't have an answer for the 2nd question but am interested in seeing other's responses for it.
Hi there!
I don't post here much, but your question struck a chord with me. I dealt with the same thing last year with my DD1. We were in a similar program of two and three year olds at a private preschool. Obviously her teachers and the school director were aware of the issues (DD was not official diagnosed until about halfway throught the year, but we knew it was coming). Like your DS, my DD did well in the class...to most observers. She did not mind being separated from me. She participated with projects and activities and followed direction. The biggest difference was the social aspect. She did not engage with the other kids... but kids that age can be at totally different places socially and emotionally. Her language skills are delayed too, but none of the parents noticed this at all.
In the end, I did not mention Morgan's autism (PDD-NOS), unless something came up in the parents' discussions that pertained to behavioral issues or speech therapy among other developmental issues. In fact, when I did tell some parents, mostly on a one-on-one basis, they were really surprised. I think people are not too educated on what autism really is...they just assume a kid with autism is going to be sitting in a corner, rocking and muttering unintelligble phrases or having huge tantrums all the time. Also, I think they are more concerned about how their kid is behaving than observing yours. I think you'll also find the other kids will have their own issues and you are not as far apart as you think.
Towards the end of the year I did sort of tell the parents more formerly in a group setting, but really only because I had to explain why she would be going to the disrtict's developmental preschool the next year instead of the private one we were at. The other parents were sharing what class their kids would be in and I had to say mine wouldn't be there.
When it comes down to it, share when you are comfortable, with whom you are comfortable sharing. If that means the whole group, that's great, or more of a one-on-one setting, whatever eases your mind about it. That's just my opinion. I hope this helps!