Hi...I'm new to the boards. I was academically gifted as a child, never studied, amazing rote memory but very complex and isolated socially. I recognized by age 3 that my son M was just like me and I understood him better than anyone else I knew even my other children. He was my golden child, not any problem at all even with the birth of a brother, my son K ,who is autistic and screamed 8 hours plus a day and could not self feed or talk until way past time. Sure enough M was reading by 4 and had the most amazing language skills. Then came kindergarten and the night mare began. Teachers were on the verge of nervous break down. Social chaos and his need to correct teachers, interrupt and give dissertations were beyond their coping skills. First grade my son who has never bitten, hit cursed or been mean to anyone was off the bus 9 times and in-school suspension 10 times for nothing more than being so impossible and irritating and disruptive the teachers couldn't figure out what to do. Second grade we start testing and his IQ is very high verbal skills off the charts social skills suck diagnosis Aspergers. I have had to struggle and fight tooth and nail for 3 years now for services for my son K who is now 5 and does have spontaneous language thank God and is very smart however is just getting toilet trained. In my home it is a comfortable dysfunctional safe haven. In the world we are just a square peg in a peg board with only round holes. I had to finally have an attorney file a law suit against the department of health and human services on my sons behalf to get any action at all. Plan well for IEP's, study study and study some more on the laws governing education, disability rights and most importantly never alienate those closest to you in the system. teachers, therapists and principles can be amazing help or horridly rigid road blocks. Think TEAM, appeal to them with the love and promise of your child not in a me against you manner. My son M is in the schools academically gifted program now and has a alternative education plan that allows for modifications and services to help him better adjust and cope in the class environment. I have managed to build a close relationship with the staff by always respecting them, appealing to them as parents and care givers, making them feel they are an important part of M's life and never taking disagreements personally or reacting negatively to them. You have to educate yourself on the laws and whats available and the terminology then know when to stand firm and do it with tact. It is not an easy task but if you don't have the option to home school try to look at it this way...If you use your needs and abilities to change things in your local system you don't just help your son you help a lot of other children as well. Every person you educate on AS by working with you and your child will have that experience when they come across the next child with AS.
Im sorry I didnt mean for this to be so long.
25 Jul 2007, 10:12 pm
