Sensory Overload/ No Homework

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Help!
My son just returned to public high school after being homeschooled for about 5 years. I had to put him back in public school because I am a single mom and I needed to return to work full time. I have recently begun to see some problems related to what I believe is sensory overload.

In the beginning of the year we had him enrolled in 2 online classes in an attempt to get him out of the mainstream for a couple of hours a day. The school dropped the ball and after 6 weeks he still wasn't online. At that point they decided to put him in regular Biology (which he had already taken in homeschool) and to make him an office aid for the other hour. Their reasoning was that it was more important to allow him more social opportunities and the Biology class would be easy for him. I tried to explain to them that it would be too much social contact and sensory overload for him to be mainstreamed full time. He has a 504, but it didn't specifically state that he had to be out of the mainstream for a certain amount of time each day.

He is now coming home from school totally unable to concentrate and do any homework. He is a really smart kid that has always been motivated and interested in learning. He has already taken Physical Science, Biology and Chemistry and he is only a high school freshman. He is also way ahead in math. His reading tops out the reading tests, but he is dysgraphic and writing is an issue. He types everything. He has been waking up at 5:00 AM in an attempt to get his work done before school, but it isn't really enough time to do it all. The other problem is that he has always had problems sleeping and some nights he only gets a few hours of sleep and doesn't wake up to his alarm. His grades are slipping because he isn't getting the homework done. Any ideas on how to handle this?

The other problem is that another kid choked him yesterday. He was in the computer lab and he got out of his seat to help a friend with something. He left his stuff at his computer and when he came back, another kid was in his seat. He told the kid that he had been sitting there, but the kid refused to move. My son pulled on his arm to try to get him out of the chair and the other kid choked him. I asked my son if he could have done anything differently. Could he have gone to an adult and explained the situation instead of trying to pull the kid out of the chair. He said you don't go to the adults in high school. That just gets you labeled as a wimp and life gets worse for you. Any ideas on how he could have handled this situation in a better way? I'm not blaming him for getting choked, I just figure that there was probably a better way to handle this that could have resulted in a different outcome.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Sandy

Lets see where to begin, I know, at how he is classified under the law:

1) Did the school consider him for classification under IDEA rather than Section 504 and if they denied him protection under IDEA, what was their reasoning. Simply put, IDEA offers better protections than section 504 and the IDEA rules have more teeth. If IDEA was not considered, then I would put in a request that your son be evaluated for IDEA protections. That would be my first move.

2) For the Homework/School Day/Sleep problem, maybe a modified school day is in order. If you think that your son can handle it, see if you cannot set it up so that he does not start until the 3rd period of the day. That may be just enough time to work with your sons physical differences rather than force your son on the rigid schedule the school has. Barring that, see if instead of Biology and office work, if your son can have a modified study hall where he either does his homework in the Resource room or a quiet corner in the library. I know that he needs the social interaction but if it is affecting his school work and generally not good for him, then it is useless.

3) As far as the situation where your son was choked, it is a catch-22 situation here. The proper action would have been to tell the school authorities about the issue but your son has a very valid point. By High School, students are expected to solve problems themselves, not seek assistance (the teenage independence issue) and by seeking assistance, it would put your son in a worse situation for bullying (it is obvious that the other student already say your son as a target). I would however (quietly so that the other students do not know of your actions) request that the school administration inform you as to what is being done regarding the student that choked your son and raise a rukus if they school is trying to sweep it under the rug. I thought that in most schools, that would be considered a zero-tolerance offence (although I do not agree with Zero-Tolerance policies, you may as well use them to your advantage).

I hope I was helpful.

"I would however (quietly so that the other students do not know of your actions) request that the school administration inform you as to what is being done regarding the student that choked your son and raise a rukus if they school is trying to sweep it under the rug. I thought that in most schools, that would be considered a zero-tolerance offence (although I do not agree with Zero-Tolerance policies, you may as well use them to your advantage)."

I agree, I would want complain to the school about the kid who choked my son. They're going to automatically blame your son because he's different, but it sound like this other kid is the one with the problem. My son was being bullied at summer school/camp by three kids and everytime he defended himself with retaliation, the teacher would only see what he did and get him in trouble. After they called by about his actions, I talked to him and found out about the bullies. I called and talked to the owner (private school) and all three kids were placed on probation and eventually kicked out. It turns out they had done this before to another kid. My son's teachers weren't aware, but the administration was. This was three years ago and my son is still traumatized (b/c of the obsessive behavior that comes with the autism), but knowing those kids got punished gives me cannon fodder. Your son, probably like mine, looks normal and will be percieved as normal - sometimes even if you explain his disability. This opens both him and you up to a lot of discrimination because people expect a certain behavior and reaction that he's not capable of. His teachers need to be completely aware of this and you need to make comments that they should attend seminars because they don't fully understand his situation and his needs. The more you make them feel like idots who don't know what their talking about, the more they will come to you for the answers and the less frustrated they will be which in turn will directly affect your son's success at school. It sounds weird, but it's what I did with his school and now instead of fighting with me they have all attended seminars and are begining to really understand what I'm going through with him. It's made all of our lives less complicated and my son feels better about school.

Remember, if their is a problem, then ask what the school can do to fix it - don't let them put it on you and your son. If there is a bully or a kid who has attacked your son - that is the school's problem. Your son has special needs and the school is their to help, not to ignore. You should be asking, what could the school have done differently? Maybe your son needs a computer that is designated for just him? Maybe their system of first-come first-served on the computer is failing? Perhaps they should implement a sign in procedure that assignes students to a particular computer? Also, they obviously need to enforse strickter rules when it comes to attacking fellow classmates - expulsion, intervention, etc. I would also demand they have a meeting with the attacker's parents and get to the bottom of why their kid is so angry. As far as I see it, he's the one with the problem, not your son.

Yes, stability and predictability is so important for Aspie kids so why not suggest that a computer be set aside specifically for your son? It could even be reasoned that he has to have that one because it has been set up ergonomically for him.

Thank you for your suggestions.

I did talk to the school counselor, and she said that if she had brought the choking situation to the principal both students would have been suspended because of the Zero Tolerance policy. My son pulled on the arm of the other child before the other child choked him.

I'll have to look up IDEA and see what it entails. When I enrolled him in school they told me to try to keep him from being labeled "Special Ed." if I expected him to go (and get a scholarship) to college. I'm relying heavily on his extreme intelligence to get him into college since I'm a single mom with little financial resources. That is why we went with the 504 instead of an IEP.

I have been thinking about a modified school day. The trouble with this is how I fit it into my schedule. I full time tutor 3 Aspie boys and run a bulk mailing business out of my home in addition to teaching after school math classes. I'm also attending school full time in a Masters program. This makes it very difficult to find the time to spend helping my own child get his work done. I wish I could have continued homeschooling him through high school, but by next year, I will have a full time teaching job in the public schools. I'm hoping that this will actually allow me more time to spend focusing on my son in the future. I can't continue working all of these different jobs, just trying to make ends meet, so that my son can stay home. I've done this for the past 5 years and I'm exhausted. I'm very worried that public school is not going to work and I'm going to have to bring him back home. I'm not sure how I will manage to make it work, but it almost seems to be the easier solution than trying to work with our school system.

If your wondering why I'm a teacher and I don't know about IDEA or 504's, it's because I've been out of the classroom for 14 years. I quit working when my son was born. I thought that I would return to work when my youngest started 1st grade, but by that time I knew that my son needed to be homeschooled and my career went out the window. I let my credential expire and am just now working to get it reinstated. I'm not a great believer in the public school system working for the good of all children, but I figure that if I have to go back to work full time, I might as well try to make life a little better for other children like my son. I can be a teacher that truly understands and trys to do what is best.

Having an IEP under IDEA should not keep your child from attending college and possibly getting scholarships (in fact, he may be eligible for scholarships that others are not). Even the law pertaining to transition services in IDEA states that college preparation must be considered for special needs students whom it is reasonable possible would go on to college (and your son is eligible for transition services under IDEA but not section 504).

I would suggest that you get reading and quick.

Is going to college the only possible option for your son? He might do better with an apprenticeship or going to tech college.

If he keeps getting picked on at school, he might burn out before he even gets through high school, let alone uni.

Has he expressed any preference for the type of career he would like after finishing school? The real concern with AS kids is even if they are of high or superior intelligence, simply getting a degree does not guarantee them a job. The major hurdle is getting through interviews and no amount of qualifications will get around that.

If he gets a sensory overtention or overload it's just crap time for him since he will simply not have a clue what is important. I simply skipped four years college and a high school grade because I just couldn't stand it. I have no complete grades except up to 9th degree classes. I simply couldn't coop with school!. I have a equal knowledge of a 1000 volt electrician even not bearing a license to handle it, and god knows what knowledge that has just stuck in my head. I was taking my 8y son to a riding school as a thema day, and I suddenly found out that I strapped the sadle and the grim and actually had no clue I knew how to. Then just for fun, I remembered being riding a bit when younger, the teacher asked how many years I've owned a horse. I simply automatically scratched the hoofs, and combed the tail like I've never been doing something else.

I can hold a lecture in front of 500 people but get very uneasy between for eyes with somebody.

Is there a way that your son could only take a couple of classes at the school? Or he could take his classes at a community college? If he took his classes at a community college, he probably would not have to take as many courses as a "normal" school would require. Also, in college, socializing is much more optional. You go to class, do the work and go home and then the next day, you repeat. If he is interested in the advanced science/math classes, there more opportunity to take them at a community college than at a high school.

You mentioned not homeschooling anymore because you work now. Is your son old enough and responsible enough for you to give him assignments and a little bit of instruction before you start work and complete them on his own? If this is the case, you could still look into homeschooling him. If there are certain subjects that are easy for him, let him work on them while you are doing the work that you have to do and spend time on instruction in weaker areas when you aren't as busy during the day. Or you could look into having him take a few classes from a homeschooling co-op parent. (You would have to look into what options are offered to you.)

As for sensory overload, is it possible that your son does go to mainstream school classes for one or two classes, but has permission to step outside of the room for a couple of minutes if he feels like he's becoming overloaded? If it is a specific class he is having problems with (it was always a specific class for me), a parent-teacher conference might help.

It also sounds like some social skills training might help. Presenting him with situations and working through them with him and making sure he knows what to do if, say someone started punching him or such, is a good idea. There might be someone at the school (like a school counselor) who can help with this.

The reason I put him in public high school this year was because I thought that since I would be working as a full time classroom teacher by next school year, it would be a perfect time for him to transition back into the school system. He is a freshman, which is the first year of high school (for any of you that don't know about the American school system), I would still be home to help him with any difficult issues and I would be available to go and pick him up from school in case of any serious problems.

I teach out of my home as a full time homeschool tutor in addition to my many other jobs. I have been thinking about who might be able to work with my son in the same capacity, but so far I haven't come up with anyone. He is not able to manage his own time well enough to work on his own. I have been thinking about a modified school day, but the classes that I want him to continue with at the public school are not offered at convenient times. I would be driving him back and forth to school all day and I wouldn't have time to teach the kids that I get paid to teach. I can't survive without that money and I can't drop these kids in the middle of a school year to go get a more convenient job. I committed to them through this school year. The other option of community college has been considered as well, but I might end up with the same transportation issues and I actually like the fact that he has made some friends at his public high school. I would hate to take him away from that positive aspect of the local school. He just joined the robotics club too

We just went to the doctor’s office on Monday and requested a change in medications in an attempt to deal with his inability to do the homework in the afternoons. I don't really think that it will make a difference because I don't think that this is an ADHD issue that can be treated by another dose of stimulants in the afternoons. I think it is a sensory overload issue that needs to be treated with less sensory input. The problem is that this is a 14 year old boy that wants to make his own decisions about his own body and he requested the doctor’s appointment thinking that an adjustment in his meds would help.

The main problem is that he is not able to recognize that he has had too much sensory input. He knows that a lot of things bother him that do not bother other people. He knows that he has supersonic hearing and that he is oversensitive to light, certain noises and smells, but he just gets all wound up and he thinks that he is having "fun" when in fact he is out of control and acting inappropriately. As soon as he gets home he either continues the wildness and ends up hurting his sister or he shuts down and can't manage to think or get anything done for the rest of the day.

Thank you for your ideas though. I will look into the social skills training, but I don't think that the high school has anything to offer. It is a very small district and they have very little knowledge of Aspergers and very few resources. They think that as long as they provide him ample time to "socialize", they are doing what is in his best interest.

Sandy

I'm going for the section 504 for my 11th grader just dx'd. But I need to tell the school exactly what services we need. She doesnt need to be pulled out of her classes (its the high school block system with 4 classes a day 90 min each and she does well with that. great grades too) so thats why I chose section 504 approach.
the main issue is no friends, spends lunch alone and she gets anxious when she tries to connect. She also gets homework due dates mixed up and details on projects. Thought I could ask each teacher for a calendar with all the info. organized for her and ask them to spend more time explaining.
Any ideas? Thanks

My son has trouble with project details and organization too. Our school requires and provides planners for each student. They are supposed to write their daily assignments in it. Some of the students get their planners signed by the teacher each day to make sure that they have everything written correctly. My son is actually pretty responsible about writing his assignments down and doesn't seem to need his planner signed.

One of his 504 accommodations is that he gets specific, detailed explanations from the teacher and the teacher is supposed to check to make sure he understands. I'm not sure if they always check with him, but he seems to be doing fairly well with it. They also sometimes provide him with copies of their notes, or their weekly planners with the assignments listed.

The teachers usually provide a list to all students of things that they expect for any major project. My son always ends up with multiple copies of these because he is constantly misplacing them. The teachers are pretty good about providing him with as many copies as he needs.

Our district has something called the "Parent Web". It has a list of assignments for each class and what grade the child got on the assignment. It shows if the student didn't turn something in, but it doesn't help the parent to catch the problem before it occurs. The assignments aren't listed until after they are graded.

My son's 504 also states that he gets to use his laptop in the classroom because of his dysgraphia. He can turn in classroom assignments the next day so that he has time to print them out from his computer. He is allowed to use his laptop for written tests. He can have extra time on tests if needed.

I know I said I was frustrated with my district and now I am listing all of the things that they do right. My issue has never been the teachers in our district. It is the fact that the district itself is very small with little resources and little knowledge of Asperger's. The teachers are really good and are trying very hard to accommodate my son.

I hope this helps to give you some ideas on what to look for on a 504.

Shouldn't your son get to pick his subjects at school? Homework is way overrated but I suppose there's no real way around it. It's very common for Aspie kids to be "absent-minded professors". I know I was.

Last edited by Pandora on 12 Dec 2006, 12:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

My son has PDD-NOS and "no homework" in his IEP. As a parent on the spectrum myself, I see how hard it is to do "extended" school so he does his "homework" during a study hall. That way he can come home and veg out, which he needs. I don't want him to end up hating school, like I did. I barely graduated and never did homework and nobody could make me. I don't think ADHD meds will help AS, but you can try it. Ritalin made me nuts. It felt like speed, and then made me very depressed when I crashed on it. Maybe you can rearrange your work schedule so you son can get a good education in the way he learns the best. I'm not really understanding why your schedule forces him to go to public school. Is he a problem when he's home? My son is quiet. I could tutor kids with him at home. I could also leave him alone for a few hours if I worked outside the home.

The "no-homework" idea is a good one. Does he get a study hall? I know requirements are really tightening up the school day, but if possible, that's a good idea.

Why doesn't the school offer a printer for his laptop? That might help with his assignments.

Just how organized is he? Maybe you can go through his bag and check everything and help him re-organize at night?

Start an after-school routine - I just read the music thread and some music visibly affects my son, I can see him relaxing as it plays. Do you pick him up from school now? If so, is there some music you could play on the way home? Then, no questions, no arguments, just have him go veg with music or a book or something that is soothing in a room/space where he can just relax and re-focus for about a half hour. When our guy was in ps (I know he's much younger than your child), we did that without even realizing why. It was just something he needed - he would just go veg on the couch for awhile. After about a half hour, he'd be up and ready to play. If the neighbor boy showed up, I'd send him away until he was ready.

As for the sleeping problems, does he have a regular bedtime routine? That's another thing we did almost by accident - we have set times for shower, toothbrushing, reading, lights out. It helps - it doesn't eliminate the problem, but it helps. We also watch what he eats/drinks. Water - he doesn't like it much - but we push a lot of water and that seems to help him.

If nothing else, you don't have to homeschool between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. - it might be hard to work all day as a teacher and then come home and teach him, but he will be another year older and perhaps a little more ready to take things on himself. It won't help with the robotics club, but it could be done.

Yes, I would seriously look into whether or not it would be possible to have "homework" done at school. It is exhausting for an Aspie child or adult to have to be in a social situation like school or work all day and then be expected to do more work at home.

I don't blame them for getting upset about it. Isn't it better for the child to have some happy memories of school instead of feeling they were continually prodded and hassled?
The rationale behind setting so much homework seems to be that it is "preparing children for life". Well, I've got news for them. Life is what is happening every day.

Deferring living until adulthood is a bad move as it gives the message that only the future is important. Who knows what the future will hold? If you aren't making the most of life in the present, then one day you look back and wonder why you wasted so much time in the rat race and wrecked your health with constant worrying and striving.