Articles and Reviews pertaining to Sensory Processing Disorder

In honor of Sensory Processing Disorder month I am listing all the articles and reviews I have done on this issue. My now 12 year old nonverbal son Matthew has never officially been diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, but it is apparent to all who know and work with him that there are serious sensory issues going on with him.

I recently viewed this Sensory Integration Strategies DVD that runs for under thirty minutes. This was a good refresher for those who have been dealing with Sensory Processing Disorder or Sensory Integration Therapy, plus a nice starter on the senses and nervous system. I even shared this morning while waiting for the bus with the aide some of the tips mentioned for the classroom. I specifically suggested having my son move the chairs around in the morning and afternoon and giving him jobs in the classroom. I believe the Horticulture and PE classes are giving him sensory input already.

Another DVD that gives people insights is Through the eyes of Autism. The viewer will feel their senses heightened while sitting through this quick clip. It really puts things in perspective for parents, siblings and professionals learning about autism. Calm Baby Video is very soothing and pleasing to the senses. A good contrast to the other movie to relax, unwind and take a nap.

OT for children with autism is a wonderful DVD that shows firsthand what occurs during Occupational Therapy. There are several children receiving services for different issues that are explained and discussed. This is good for any newly diagnosed family contemplating OT and wanting to know more about it.

Earlier in the year I took part in an ICDL conference from Dr. Stanley Greenspan with the post conference with Rosemary White. I wrote out my notes and other information with resources in an article entitled Sensory Disorders. The items we have had in our house to assist with Sensory Issues include the Intex Jumpolene, Animal Alley Arby Dog and the Quiet Quilt.

My household has experienced firsthand and for the most part learned to deal with a screaming child inside a store,Daily Activities,Self Regulation and the Summertime Blues. The parent training I attended for Floor Time Basics was very beneficial.

There is a social network to discuss and meet other families living with Autism and Sensory Disorders, plus another useful group Model Me Kids to share experiences. Sometimes I will reflect back to 2000 when I wrote about Sensory Integration Dysfunction and recall what my children were like at that time. It is a great reminder of the earlier years with fond memories to note.

I have more DVDs and books in my library at home that are specifically on Sensory Processing Disorders. Sign up for my newsletter at BellaOnline to be informed of new articles.

Improving Speech and Eating Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. This book teaches you how to implement an Oral-Motor program for home and school.

Sensory Rich Activities is an ebook from Lil Angel Gifts that gives an overview with recipes and tips.

Sensory Nanny Radio Show

Kia at Good Enough Mama is giving away five copies of Meghan's World, which is a book on SPD. This ends on October 30th with the winner announced on Halloween

Introducing Pecs Club Ning Group

I created MakingPECSCards yahoo group in January of 2004. Initially I wanted to start a Pecs Club where people meet at a location to share and create picture cards. Today I established a Ninggroup that is called Pecs Club. This is an extension of the Yahoo group and a way to meet other parents and professionals that utilize picture cards, schedule boards and pecs with those on the autism spectrum and other related disabilities.

There are now over 515 members in the group. I have kept out spam with approval of all new members. There is a mix of members that covers professionals in the field, therapists, teachers, parents and assistants. There are issues with email bounces at Yahoo and it is hard to utilize a search for older groups.

I have joined and taken part in almost a dozen Ning groups and like that members can create groups, join groups, share photos, videos and blog posts while meeting new people who share similar interests and family issues.

This will be an easy way to share picture cards, get feedback on picture cards and schedule boards, gain insights into IEP goals and learn about other communication devices, who funds these and what is appropriate for a nonverbal child, teen and adult.

If you are new to picture cards, not sure what a communication device is, need help in acquiring cards, just got a diagnosis or have a child with a speech delay you are more than welcome to join the Pecs Club Ning Group. This invite is also open to professionals who work at various companies or organiztions. Teachers, therapists and those who supoort and assist those in the school setting are more than welcome.

I look forward to this being a successful group. I am not looking for it to be the most popular or getting a large membership. I am hoping for active participation, especially since the school year is now in full swing and we all need support, feedback, guidance and asistance.

Feel free to tell others who have kids with special needs that are nonverbal, have a speech delay, use devices, picture cards or wanting to learn to teach their student or child.

Share pictures of your kids with their picture cards and showcase the schedule boards and activity cards. Tell others how you laminate the cards, which size cards so you prefer, have you ever used black and white line drawings, which side of the velcro do you attach to the card?

First Month of School Update

This first week of October 2008 marks the first month for my nonverbal son Matthew in Middle School as a sixth grader. He has had many adjustments this school year - wearing a uniform, taking the bus, longer school hours, PE uniform, new school, new teacher, new classmates, no recess, nutrition, shared bathroom, horticulture, gardening, new classroom and new therapists.

Previously he was in the same class for four years at the Elementary School. The same teacher, classroom and classmates. The first three years he had the same OT, Speech and Adaptive PE teacher.

Matthew has adjusted well to the early morning alarm and wearing the school uniform that consists of a white polo shirt and navy blue pants or shorts. The PE uniform is a white logo shirt from the school and royal blue shorts. I need to get royal blue pants soon since the weather here in Los Angeles changes daily. This past week we hit 100 one day with the last day of the week at 74 as the high, when it was the low the other morning.

We wait at the gate at the front walkway for his assistant to come. He has to park on another street and on Thursday and Friday it is hard to find spots due to street cleaning. The bus is here before 7 AM. Matthew is happy to see his aide and get on the bus.

The bus returns with Matthew and aide before 4PM. Matthew has his regular movements he makes before going inside the house. He likes to run through the yard, scaring all the cats that might have been resting there, then he peaks around the corner at the back porch, looks under a window in the living room and the other side before going into the house.

At first he would run in the house and change into the clothes I had laid out on the bed for him. Now he wants me inside too. So I am talking with the aide through the screen door as he stands in the yard.

On Fridays they place the PE clothes in backpacks for washing. I bought two PE shirts and place the second one in there and rinse the shorts and shirt. I made the mistake of doing them both at the same time. We do not have laundry facility at this rental house and I am not about to take two kids to laundromat on a weekend.

On Friday afternoons after I have unloaded the lunch bag and put in the snacks for nutrition I place it in another room along with the backpack. This is the visual for Matthew to know there is no school the following day. Sunday afternoons I get both bags out and keep in the kitchen for Matthew to get back in school mode. I also get out the juice boxes and lock and lock container for his lunch and keep on counter.

I received feedback from the aide that Matthew runs many laps around the track for PE. This is a class that has general education students and one of two classes that is mainstreamed or known as inclusion in some areas. Physical Education is after lunch and these shirts smell bad. There are a total of four kids in the Mental Retardation Severe (MRS) class that Matthew is in. The two girls go to the locker room with the female classroom aide. That leaves Matthew and another boy in the classroom to get dressed. The teacher has been in the same room for 17 years and this is normal procedure.

During back to school night I saw the section where the gym clothes were hung and saw the other boy already has his pants there. There are so many rules on what is allowed at school that I asked the aide about deodorant and he said the other boy does not use it (he is older than Matt) but that he would try it. I really wanted a solid, even though my other son Nicholas uses stick. The only product with no Aluminum was Tom's stick deodorant. That is now kept in the backpack with extra socks, school bus book, brush, lip balm and aveeno lotion.

The aide has relayed to me that Matthew picks up his arms and allows the back and forth motion of sliding on the stick deodorant. I could tell a difference in the smell of his shirt today as well.

I noticed today as they got off the bus Matthew was waving bye to others on the bus. This is progress. He waves to me at the computer, which is located in the kitchen, when he wants me to pour or open something.

The aide was hired specifically to follow Matthew to Middle School and High School. He started in February at the Elementary School. There they went to the Nurse's office to change diaper. Here they go to a building that has restrooms that is located next to their classroom building. The classroom opens onto the outside, but there is a fence there to keep inside the school premises. At the Elementary School the class opened up to the playground. Many times when I picked him up at the classroom there would be chairs stacked at the door to prevent opening the door and leaving.

Matthew's aide is very observant and attentive to Matthew's needs. Earlier this week he asked me how Matthew lets me know he needs a diaper change. I indicated that he gets one out with the plastic bag and wipes and keeps on dresser. When it needs changing he gets out the newspaper on the floor and that means now is the time.

I let the aide know that during the six weeks of summer camp Matthew would grab a diaper and let them know it was changing time. Each camper had a cubby hole and that was where his items were kept. I asked the aide if the diapers were visible and he said they were kept in a cabinet with gloves, bag and wipes. I suggested taking the bag and hanging it someplace in classroom and maybe they could take a photo of it for the communication device he has known as the Go Talk 9+ that I purchased in March.

We also decided that since Matthew was not really hip to drinking from the school water fountain, (and who could blame him), that I would fill one of the Rubber Maid plastic juice containers with bottle water and the other one with either soymilk or rice drink.

The last few days Matthew has taken many sips of the water from the container at both Nutrition and Lunch times. This is progress. I mentioned to the aide that I was thinking of expanding Matthew's drink options to include Almond Milk. He said he has tried it since his Mother drinks that and soy milk. Nice to know the aide is aware of these products.

The other day when the aide was asking me about toilet training and saying he wanted to learn more to be better, I told him that I have plenty of books. He is very eager to gain insights into autism and Matthew. He really wanted to observe a day at the summer camp but was busy doing the summer school in another part of Los Angeles and could not get it into his schedule.

I placed some extra pecs boards for scheduling in the backpack the other day suggesting maybe the Teacher wanted to utilize them. The aide told me that the Teacher was interested in them and was going through his supplies to see what he had. They also started a list for taking pics of various things for Matthew's school day. My other son Nicholas is the voice on the output device.

I was surprised to learn the the Elementary School Teacher threw out many of her pecs supplies and gave a bunch to the aide. He was going to go through them this weekend to see what he could bring to school. Why would a teacher toss out these supplies instead of saving them, sending them to speech department or giving to parents, that makes no sense.

The aide is also working on getting Matthew lunch through the school. There does not seem to be a menu for parents, but the school personnel has access in the morning to this. He wants to know ahead of time as well what they are serving. I did not want to fill out the lunch program form that requires income and SSI number to be sent to the school. We do not qualify for lunch program. I just wanted to know the price and system for my son to get lunch the days they have burgers and pizza. The lunch program participants get tickets. The aide needs to pay $1.50 for Matthew to get lunch. I let him know that he can let other kids eat what Matthew does not or to put in the classroom refrigerator. Since they have juice I asked about getting that for Matthew as an alternate drink option.

Back to school night we were able to sit in the classroom and speak with the teacher. At one point Matthew lunged at me, but the teacher told him to fold or hold his hands and that is what he did. We went through the hallways to find the Horticulture class and met the teacher. She showed us the area they do gardening in. She said the kids are good with Matthew and his classmates and are used to special ed students. We saw one kid with a walker and a few with canes walking with their families. Even my son Nicholas said he liked the school. This kid was very verbal about how much he hated Matthew's last school as kids were running all over and it seemed chaotic and uncontrolled if we were still there when bell rang. We always went fifteen minutes earlier and signed Matthew out to avoid that nightmare.

I did get some feedback from the teacher that the Speech Therapist has a full load and as she is removing students she will start with Matthew. I will wait awhile before filing a State Complaint. We already have one year of compensation for speech services.

One day the aide and I spoke about the OT and what type of questions she was asking him and the teacher. He was able to tell her what Matthew did last year in Elementary School. I also asked him to compare the school settings and tell me what he thought. I also indicated I wanted him at the IEP meeting next year.

It is really good to have a positive vibe from the aide. This helps everyone tremendously. The atmosphere is calm, my son is getting more attention since prior there were 8 or 9 students and several aides. Matthew will not get on the bus without knowing his aide is behind him on the steps. They have formed a good, strong bond.

The first month is a positive one. The teacher is receptive to my Daily Report form filling it out almost everyday and only missing two times, one of them being today.

My other son Nicholas is in his second year of California Virtual Academy (CAVA), now as a seventh grader. The first week of school his teacher came for us to fill out the Master Agreement only to get notice that Saturday morning that she quit Friday for a position in another school district. We just met new teacher a week ago for home visit and testing.

Previously art and music were elective subjects you did not have to partake in. This year CAVA changed that, but you could choose either Music or Foreign Language, so Nicholas is now taking Spanish and enjoying art. He is also doing good in study island.

The community day is on Tuesdays, which is also the early release day in LAUSD for teacher meetings so the time frame is not in our favor to make it home in time to meet the bus. I promised Nicholas we would visit the Zoo more often and perhaps bowling. I am looking into going to the Zoo next week. He is enjoying shows on History Channel and likes visiting their website and Animal Planet. He has taken an interest in Star Wars and moving beyond just animals as his interest.

September was good for both kids. I am hoping October will be just as good and maybe even better.

A BidetSpa is what this Autism Family needs

I was very excited to read a blog post on a new bidet toilet seat that was being utilized by a special needs girl in the same age range as my nonverbal autistic son Matthew. I have wanted a bidet for years and have researched styles and brands often. My favorites folder has several saved from various searches.

The one and only time I have ever seen a bidet toilet was during my high school years back in New Jersey. A friend had a modern white house with an intercom system, a button to call the fire department, (which I did by accident once) and the bidet in a large bathroom.

Since my adult years I have been plagued with Hemorrhoids. My Mother mentioned to me long ago she had them, so this might be another hereditary thing that passed on to me like the asthma and eczema I have been plagued with my whole life.

In fact, several years ago I had contact with my first husband (86-89) for some reason I cannot recall, and the first thing he asked me, (with his brother on the other phone) was if I still had Hemorrhoids. That was a reminder to me of why I left him in the first place, very childish. Who wants to be remembered for their Hemorrhoids? The horror of it all. I learned earlier this year that he passed away a year ago in a car accident.

My nonverbal son Matthew is on the autism spectrum and has sensory issues as well. He has had two solid bowel movements in his twelve years that I can recall. The first one was the day he went on Ensure Plus from regular milk. The second time was the first day he started taking Risperdal. This was in 2003 when the antipsychotic was prescribed only for Schizophrenia treatment and has since added autistic disorder. Their father suffers from Paranoid Schizophrena. I have sole physical and legal custody. All my family is in New Jersey and we are in California. I am the home health care worker for my son Matthew through the State of California. (IHSS)

Matthew liked the Ensure Pudding and moved on to soy yogurt for a few years and now has regular vanilla pudding or french pudding yogurt once in awhile in his lunch at school. He also tried the Naturade Total Soy drink supplement before just drinking regular soymilk and rice drink. I have been toying with the idea of adding Almond Milk to his diet.

Matthew has been wearing the Huggies GoodNites for many years now. Insurance covers five cases per month.

We have been living in a duplex for ten years now with one bathroom. There is a small window that opens out to the neighbors driveway and entrance gate to their house. The venilation fan stopped working last summer and I have an oscillating tower fan hooked up to an extension cord under a rug to the outlet. With the addition of the feral cat from outside who broke his leg one year ago, his litter box is now in the bathroom as well.

This is one of the hottest rooms in the house and unbearable for me with my severe eczema. I am regularly prescribed Prednisone and have even received a shot of cortisone in the ER a few years ago and earlier this year at a clinic. The side effects are depression, mood swings, personality changes, weight gain and vision issues. I have been through all these side effects, with vision problems now surfacing. I recently learned my Mother had cataracts, so that might be next for me.

I am a single mother to two boys on opposite ends of the autism spectrum. They are fifteen months apart at 12 and 13. I homeschool Nicholas who is now in seventh grade. Matthew just started Middle School, takes the bus with his male aide. He is in a MRS class, which means Mental Retardation Severe. He never received speech therapy last year due to shortage within LAUSD and now he is on wait list at his present school. He also receives Adaptive PE and Occupational Therapy. There was feeding therapy for five years and one year of Floortime in the home.

Matthew has several diaper changes a day, sometimes as often as every half hour. I mentioned earlier he has had two solid bowel movements. It is very rare for a diaper to be filled with just urine. I would characterize the diaper contents similar to creamy peanut butter.

Due to my severe eczema I can only use one kind of baby wipes, since the others have ingredients that burn my hands. I cannot wear any type of glove beside cotton gloves, (due to a latex allergy) that I have purchased in the past by the dozen on ebay and currently at Walgreens for five dollars a pair. I hardly use detergent at the laundromat due to my sensitivities, nor do I use dryer sheets, bleach or softener. The cotton gloves do not last long and my son has had many rashes.

With a BidetSpa I would get the relief needed from the posterior wash and the feminine wash while my son will get a more thorough cleaning without having to endure wipes, Baby Powder and rash cream. He is in Middle School and in Physical Education, doing laps around the track while wearing a diaper. I cannot do this alone and have purchased The Potty Journey and Toilet Training for Individuals with Autism books for guidance.

With the addition of the BidetSpa we would save money on purchasing all the extras, my skin would not have to endure a hot bathroom and Matthew would be cleaner with less irritation. This is the one component we need to start toilet training and would be a blessing for all of us.

Just last year we got a new toilet seat and a few days ago a new flapper for the toilet since it broke in half before Matthew got home and the landlord was next door working - perfect timing for once. We would love the remote control, if that is included in the giveaway. The automatic deodorizer sounds like a dream for us and the bathroom. All the features including the soft lid are appealing to this autism family household. My 13 year old would even share his opinion in a review posted here on the blog and another more extensive one at the Autism Spectrum Disorders site and we may even be able to get the product added to the Epinions site.

The BidetSpa features include a Urine Spray Guard and an Occupie Seat Sensor, which means it will only work when someone is sitting on it and not from pushing buttons.

This family will be a happy CleanButt family. I already ordered the Free 8 minute DVD to learn more about their product. Please keep your fingers crossed that we win the giveaway, and if you are in the Los Angeles area you may come over and test it out, when Matthew is in school.

Concerned about Horticulture and Adaptive PE classes

My nonverbal son Matthew is in the sixth grade at a Middle School taking the bus for the first year ever with his male assistant. They are in a MRS class, which is Mental Retardation Severe. There is a total of four kids, started out as six, some rearranging took place the first few days of school. There is also a Mental Retardation Moderate class (MRM).

The third period class is Horticulture, which is in a general education class so they are mainstreamed with that class, some use term inclusion, depends on where you live and what State. I use the term Special Ed but others use self-contained class. I have only heard that term used in other blogs and online, not within the Los Angeles Unified School District, also known as LAUSD.

This is also a first for wearing a school uniform, which is white polo shirt and navy blue pants, so far shorts is what Matthew has worn to school. Today the temperature was 90. For Physical Education (Adaptive PE) the uniform is royal blue shorts (shiny kind with string) with a white t-shirt that has school logo. The shirt is to be tucked in, not working for Matthew and aide just lets him wear it out, thankfully this is not an issue.

Matthew's white shirt is quite dirty on the days that they go outside to pull weeds and whatever it is they do in Horticulture. One day his hands were really dirty upon arriving home as well as his blue shorts and white sneakers. So now they know how hard it is to get Matthew cleaned up and might be lenient on days he arrives dirty after I have cleaned him up and missed a spot or he touches something outside before the bus comes.

PE is at fifth period toward the end of the day about 1PM. I had concerns about this being outside during the heat of the day and even mentioned this on the phone to people within the school district. I suggested contacting the health department to make a complaint. I do have an option of getting a letter from Doctor to restrict Matthew's PE participation and requesting an amended IEP.

The problem is that Matthew really needs and benefits from the physical aspect of PE. Plus the fact that it is at the end of the day and I thought the positive from this would be to wear him out, no such luck thus far. He does go to bed by 7:30 PM thanks to his medication and giving his dosage at 5PM. Matthew takes Geodon, which is an anti-psychotic.

He has been doing laps as soon as they get to the track and his aide has a hard time keeping up with him. He does not want Matthew to get in the habit of just running around the track. He does take breaks after laps and they sit down for about fifteen minutes after that. He will not drink water and I am worried about what condition he is in after doing the laps. His aide did take a picture and showed me Matt on the track.

The good news is that he is not going into the locker room to get dressed. The boys get dressed in the classroom and the two girls go into the locker room. This is how the teacher has handled dressing in years past, he has twenty years at this school and 17 in the same classroom.

The aide has told me that there are three other general education classes out there at the same time. They all seem to stay clear of Matthew, but today Matthew went in the other direction while the other classes were jogging.

I gave the aide a plastic water squirt bottle to put water in and squirt Matthew when he gets too hot. I did this in the summer time and also to slick his hair back. I want him to drink water and learn to use the fountain or bring water bottle for him to drink. He has taken sips here and there over the years, but mainly just drinks rice drink or soymilk.

I do not want my son to collapse and wonder what type of feedback or advice I can give the aide. I will meet the teacher on Thursday for back to school nite, which I just learned about today and they get out early on Friday because of that. I have yet to receive a notice from school on either of these happenings. I am assuming due to the California budget crisis and no money coming to schools that this is the reason they are out early on Friday. Several years ago Matthew was hospitalized for dehydration since he would not drink anything when he was sick and needed IV. He was also anemic and malnourished when younger due to feeding issues.

The aide tells me that Matthew's face is a bit flushed and not too sweaty, I may need a pic to see this firsthand or somehow sneak on campus to find out. Today in Horticulture they were in the general education classroom doing some writing and Matthew did not want to and tipped over the desk and banged somethings around. He then removed Matthew from classroom. There was no mention of this incident in the teacher communication sheet. Other days the teacher has mentioned Matthew had a timeout so I asked the aide what that meant and what a timeout was. He said the teacher sits next to Matthew.

At the elementary school they made the kids stand there with hands behind back and then other times put head on desk. I need to find some clarity on these at the back to school night. When they did art at the Elementary school they went to the class next door that also had a door to get back into the class. Matt did well there and with music that was with general education classes.

I also need to get the schedule and get some more information on why the special education kids on buses do not get to eat breakfast and have to wait by bus for fifteen minutes.

Does your child take Horticulture and know more about this type of class? Any feedback on the PE issue with Matthew doing seven laps. I think to limit him now would be hard since he has been doing this for over a week now.

Child with Autism Gaining Independence

My nonverbal son Matthew just finished his first full week of sixth grade at a Middle School. The prior week school officially started on Wednesday. The bus is here most mornings before 7 AM and gets him home before 4 PM. With Matthew it is not possible to try on clothes without actually wearing them that day. Since he has to now wear a uniform I was concerned with how he would tolerate wearing white polo shirts that are tight at the cuff on the arm and the buttons on the neck with the color. He has only worn a full button-down shirt once and that was on graduation day at Elementary School this past June. That outfit he wore was the same one Nicholas wore the year before at his Elementary School graduation. That outfit is ready to retire from the closet altogether.

Over the summer I had purchased three white shirts at Jiffy Shirts with great results as they arrived the following day. I also bought three shirts at www.walmart.com to have different options of shirts for Matthew. One was tagless and the other brand I cut out the tags.

The night before school as I had prepared clothes for the first day I decided to try a shirt on Matthew. He was pulling at the collar and not wanting me to do the bottom button. I had two navy blue shorts ready for the next morning. He has been wearing pants and shorts that have the string attached, which is his stim most often to play with the strings.

On the first day of school the shirt was successful but the shorts were another story. He was pulling them all the way up, reminding me of an old Jerry Lewis comedy movie. The two shorts were not working so I went into the laundry basket for the last pair of blue shorts, spritzed some Air Therapy Orange Spray on them to get a fresh smell and they seemed to work.

I have had a pair of his string shorts and loose tshirt on the bed waiting for him when he gets home. When Matthew and his assistant get off the bus I let Mattthew inside so I can hear about the schoolday from the aide. He is usually carrying Matthew's backpack and lunchbag. Sometimes Matthew comes back to the front door to get these bags and bring into the kitchen. A few times Matthew has only had on his shorts and the rest another shirt. His aide was even impressed with how fast Matthew was able to change his clothes.

This is a new skill for Matthew since in the morning he needs a diaper change and gets dressed with assistance from me. Two times my son Nicholas has had to help him get the shirt on. The pants and shirt have been on the correct way as well.

I come into the house to see Matthew getting a bowl out of the cabinet and putting pretzels into it. When he was at Elementary School I picked him up at his classroom everyday and had a baggie of Gluten Free Pretzels for him to eat on the way to the car and during the drive home. The first year I was bringing a video for Matthew to hold on the way home.

Matthew is able to take off chip clips but cannot put them back on. He will hand me the package and the clip to do it. He now likes Muenster cheese and will remove the baggie from the refrigerator when he gets home and let me know it needs to be opened.

He will also go into his backpack and retrieve his homework, proceeding to get a crayon and scribble a mess on the page before I can even try to hold his hand and help guide him.

I have even noticed Matthew now taking off his socks when there is either a hole in them or he has stepped in the water bowl for the cat. I just need to get him to toss them in garbage or laundry basket instead of the sock drawer. He will try on a few pairs until he finds one that fits.

I think the next step will be to show him how to empty his lunchbag and put ice bars back in freezer and remove the Rubber Maid Juice Box Containers so they can be rinsed out.

The feedback from the assistant and the communication checklist from the teacher is that Matthew is running 4-7 laps in Adaptive PE and enjoying Horticulture. You can tell that by looking at his hands and sneakers when he gets home. He really likes pulling weeds. These are the two classes that his MRS (Mental Retardation Severe) class is included with general education.

Here is an article I wrote on the issues we are having with LAUSD.

Halloween Experiences for those on the Autism Spectrum

Halloween is just around the corner. Stores have had costumes stocked for a few weeks now. With school back in session students will be discussing which characters they will be wearing as a costume or if you are The Sewing Mom you are making costumes.

I have one article on my site for Halloween, which I did three years ago. I want to have more options available for readers to gain insights into the Halloween Experience for the child on the autism spectrum.

My 12 and 13 year old do not participate in Halloween. Their Elementary Schools had parades. I would pick up Matthew early and he would wear regular clothes to school. Now that he is in Middle School I am not sure what the procedure is for this Holiday in terms of wearing the uniform to school or allowing a costume. Nicholas is homeschooled with California Virtual Academy so he will be home.

I am looking for input from families that have had past experiences with their child on the autism spectrum by wearing a costume to school, participating in a party at class or elsewhere, and also those that have parties in their home and take their kids out for trick or treating.

If you have blogged about it and interested in sharing your link please post it in the comments. If you want to create a blog post please let me know your website address so I can follow when it gets posted. If you are planning already for this year you can also comment here about the preparations and let me know if this is something I can include in my article.

As an example I can just say that a Mom in NY to a 4 year old boy did this and that. If you want me to link to your blog please indicate that as well. I would like to have an article helping new families gain insights from other families on what type of costumes kids can handle, how long they last outside doing the visiting of homes, what about barking dogs, diet issues for treats and parties and sensory issues with the costumes and makeup, etc. If there is a certain book, CD or DVD you have used to help prepare for Halloween, please share. I have reviewed a few Winnie the Pooh ones and curious to know if any exist specifically for those on the autism spectrum.

I am looking forward to hearing from other autism families on their experiences sine we just bypass the Holiday and wait for November to show up. If you have any recipes or blog post on gluten casein free treats please share those here.

PE Activities for Homeschoolers

My 13 year old son who is high functioning on the autism spectrum is in seventh grade. We are utilizing California Virtual Academy, known as CAVA and utilizes K12 curriculum. This is our second year with CAVA. Prior to this Nicholas was in Elementary School in general education with just RSP consult with teacher.

We are doing CAVA for the Middle School years since it is our hope that he will get accepted into The Los Angeles Zoo High School Magnet, although it is College Prep. He wants to work at the Zoo and looking forward to reaching the age you are allowed to volunteer.

This year we will be visiting the Zoo on a monthly basis. I hope to get him a nice camera to take photos like animal photographers do out in the wild. He also likes to visit animal sanctuary websites and Humane society sites. His two main interests are Dinosuars and Cats - big and little cats. He did a report last year on Jaguars that he is very proud of.

The focus of this post is on PE Activities. CAVA has a form parents need to fill out and turn in each quarter, know as the Physical Education Activity Log. Students are required to complete an average of twenty (20) minutes each day. The teaching adult is responsible for completing and submitting the log.

These are activities that are structured, organized and supervised, like participating in an athletic class, dance class or sports team. Activities like bicycling, hiking, jogging or calisthenics are listed as examples.

We have an Exercise Bike from Sears that Nicholas started using last year, but with the September heat here in Los Angeles that is not comfortable. There is also yard work that is done once a week using the Craftsman Reel Mower. I cannot get him motivated to go down to the lake for a few laps, which is what we did last year on the way back from dropping Matthew off at school.

This year the bus picks up Matthew so we can go before 7:30 AM, but many bring their dogs and he is afraid of many of them. There is also a stench down there from the trash and the birds, etc. I had to put my membership with 24 Hour Fitness on hold due to the cost not within my budget at this time.

He is not interested in sports at all. I thought maybe some sort of DVD showing kids exercising might be good to alternate between the bike, outside and walking. I am looking for feedback from other homeschooling families on how they incorporate PE into their daily routine. Also ideas from other autism families on what types of exercise their young teenagers participate in, sports and extra curricular activities.

I would like to do an article on my autism site on the topic of PE and sports. It is a topic I have little experience with my boys and would like links to reviews on DVDs for all age groups and posts from blogs on this topic to include for resources within the article.

At summer camp this year Matthew's class went to the high school and ran around the track. The teacher mentioned to me how fast he was and wanted to know if I was looking into Special Olympics. Than the other day at school Matthew's assistant took pictures of him on the track and said he was really good and mentioned Special Olympics.

Nicholas has a friend from summer camp who swims and is in Special Olympics. Anyone who has a kid in the Special Olympics and has written about the experience is welcome to send me or post the link so I can add that to my article. I was already looking into the Parks and Recreation Services here in Los Angeles. Matthew already has a long day with bus time, so I need to see about weekend offerings in the area. We would probably need someone to assist and that would be through the Regional Center, but with California in a Budget Crisis and funding non existent that is highly unlikely.

Reminder - if you have any input to add about PE activities for homeschoolers or specifically for a kid (tween, teenager) on the autism spectrum, please leave a comment with details, link to post, blog, etc. I am working on an article and will include your link and also feedback for Special Olympics would be helpful as well.

Housing Options for Autism Families

I enjoy watching House Hunters on HGTV, which airs nightly at 10 PM. Sometimes my 13 year old son Nicholas catches the show as well. We have dreams of moving out of this duplex house we have now rented for over ten years. I regularly peruse Cragislist, Westside Rentals and Mobile Home Village to check new listings.

We cannot live in an apartment or condo. That would mean four neighbors to deal with and having to endure listening to Matthew running across the rooms, banging walls and screaming. Amenities like pool, fireplace, deck, patio and french doors would have to be avoided.

I need to have parking, tired of the street hassles for a space near the house. An on-site laundry room or at least a hook-up would be necessary. Trying to deal with laundry during school holiday times and vacations are not easy. Due to my skin issues with my severe eczema it is essential that I get a dishwasher. Also the bathroom must have a window and fan vent. This will help when giving Matthew baths and starting the toilet training.

We also need a fenced yard and preferably central air conditioning. For many years now I have paid a rental fee to my landlord for the stove and refrigerator, probably paying for appliances two times during this period. I would like a shower that has the sliding door and a garbage disposal for the kitchen sink.

The neighbors next door have their grown sons living theere for many years. It is like a pot festival coming through my windows. Today when the bus arrived my front yard was a stench bucket from them. Earlier in the day our kitchen had smells from the other neighbor. My son Nicholas had problems with his eyes and throat.

I am tired of living at this dump, but there are not many options for us. I also want to try to buy a mobile home by the time I am 50, which is under two years. It is a long term goal that most likely will not get met, but a dream nonetheless.

Nicholas has a dream of living in his own apartment with his cat Junior and another companion animal. He wants to drive a truck and not get married or have kids. I am trying to teach him about finances and what a struggle it is to pay bills and have anything left over.

It would be nice someday to share a house with another autism family and have the street or community consist of families with kids who have special needs. Safety for everyone and living where neighbors know what your life is like and can offer support in many ways.

The To Do List Begins

My nonverbal son Matthew starts school tomorrow. Once he graduated Elementary School in June there was six weeks of summer day camp. After that commenced we had almost four weeks of down time at home.

While autism camp was in session I was able to do laundry and grocery shopping, but during this break Matthew had to accompany me everywhere I went. Several times this meant enduring an attack from behind if I took too long making a choice in an aisle. Waiting too long at the Pharmacy Counter produced similar results. Errands worked best if we went directly to the coloring book section so he could pick one out. But then he wanted to get home so he could color.

I have now compiled my To Do list of errands and things I can do that will go smoother and faster.

Get the car washed
Go to laundromat
Grocery Shopping
Take Nicholas for a haircut
Clothes Shopping
Go to the library
Take Nicholas Bowling
See a Movie with Nicholas
Visit the Zoo with Nicholas
Take Nicholas to Community Day
Paint over the fingerprints on the walls
Take Nick to Dentist for fillings/root canal
Find an Ortho for consult for Nick - needs braces
Find an Eye Dr for me - need exam, new glasses, no vision Ins
Follow up with Dentist for me - need new Dentures, no dental Ins
Take the cat to Vet - flea bath, trim nails
Get back to 24 hour fitness for daily workouts
Start swim lessons for Nicholas
Practice riding a bike - in neighbor's driveway with their bike
Take Nicholas to get hearing and vision test



At home we will no longer have to walk around the kitchen holding our food and plates away from his fingers. Glasses of milk will no longer get dipped by his fingers. The ice cream container will not get squeezed. I will not have to trip over the vacuum cord because he is playing with it while I try to maneuver it away from his grip.

I might not have to lock the bathroom door or see his feet under the door way banging on the door. My face will not be mashed against his while I sit at the computer. Constant running through the hallway and banging the walls will not occur constantly. I am sure there is more that I will be aware of tomorrow and as the quiet days arrive.

I hope to get a lot accomplished during the day so that I can attend to his needs once he gets off the bus. Transitions for the whole family - earlier dinner time and sooner to bed for everyone.

Cheers to a new day.