Here we go!

Well, We have completed 4 days of Austin's intensive program so far. Unfortunately, this all started just as I was leaving town to help my daughter, Elizabeth move into her new apartment, so I was not here to observe on Saturday, Sunday, or this morning. What I can tell you is that something happened while I was away. My husband, Mark, who is incredibly supportive of the various things I want to try with our son, became a believer in ABA!

No, Austin didn't stop hitting himself, or start complying with every request, but what Mark saw was how much Austin can learn when people EXPECT the MOST from him! On Friday morning, I posted a quote that I came across, on my Facebook page that really hit me, and I wanted to put it up there for people to really think about.

"Children who are treated as if they are uneducable almost invariably become uneducable".- Kenneth B. Clark

It seems so appropriate for our experience with Austin. We have been trying to convince people for years that Austin was far more intelligent than they were giving him credit for. There were many IEP's that I would tell them that until they had an IQ test specifically for Autism, their numbers meant nothing. Their tests showed he was in the trainable mentally handicapped range with an IQ of 53. I asked them if that was because he couldn't do what they asked of him, or that he WOULDN'T do it. Austin went to a Center School for several years (a school for the most developmentally disabled children in our district). Over the years, his behavior seriously deteriorated. Throughout this time, Austin continued to become interested in the computer. He could go from the main Desktop screen to Google, to YouTube, type in his favorite logos (20th Century Fox, Paramount, you name it), and then take screen shots and print them out. (See the picture of our bedroom wall of his "art"). To be honest, there are many "typical" people that I know that couldn't do that!

Sorry, I got a bit off track. The point, is that because Austin could not communicate with them, he scored a certain number which determined expectations. His behaviors continued to become more intense. He became aggressive with his peers. The Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plan, as always, showed his behavior was due to his inability to communicate. The plan was to increase his communication, which would decrease his frustration and therefore, decrease his behavior. Sounds great, right?

I was finally able to convince the district to FINISH his almost 3 year long Assistive Technology Evaluation. Shortly before Spring Break this year, our IEP team sat down for the results and found out that the district had finally put a Dynavox V Augmentative Communication Device in front of Austin. The very first day that he touched the machine, he told his teacher "Shut up, I don't like your singing!"

He was blowing them away with what he was able to do with this machine. Our IEP team agreed, with gentle persuasion from me, of course, that we were going to write an IEP that would basically put Austin in Communication Boot Camp. He was assigned a 1:1 aide (virtually unheard of in our district) who was assigned to redirect Austin to the Dynavox during his school day whenever he was frustrated with his inability to communicate. He remained at the Center School, with his 1:1 aide. The school district wanted my insurance to pay for the device. I reminded them that it was the district's responsibility to provide the AT Device. They did order one for him to use, and I allowed them to submit for the Dynavox through my insurance company. I know our district is a bit short on funds, so it was OK, plus this way, they have at least one machine to try with other kids well before they are Austin's age.

At the end of the school year, the IEP team reconvened. Everyone was amazed at what they were seeing Austin do. His Alternative Assessment Test came back showing he was at the 1st grade level (he should be in 4th grade, but I held him back so he is in 3rd). They were happy with his result, I was not! They had limited Austin, he had never been truly challenged! We wrote an IEP to move him to a Functional Classroom for kids that functioned higher than the children Austin had been with. We put many accomodations in place, as his behavior was still very challenging. We met his new teacher, and she gave us a list of her expectations for Austin, that we could work on over the summer (count to 100 by 2's, 5's, and, 10's, count backward from 30, and 200 sight words.

We were worried, it seemed like a lot, but we were sure that he needed to be challenged, and that he was capable of more than anyone had ever believed him to be.

So summer went along as always, until the day I called the Agency for Person's with Disabilities. As you know from my previous post, we are now doing it "our way" and working with a full-time behavior program, written by his Board Certified Behavior Analyst. A funny thing is happening, our son with the "53 IQ" has surprised even us over these 4 days.

Since his new program has started here at home, we now know: Austin CAN count backward from 30, he made it all the way to 60 counting by two's with Miss Brynn. He read a book to Miss Nicole, not a book that he memorized sight words before he read, just a book that we had here at our house. The logos that were everywhere, taped to our walls, are gradually being moved BY AUSTIN, to "Austin's Space", marked on our wall framed by puzzle pieces. (See the picture)

Austin is still fighting, hitting himself, non-compliant and aggressive at times. The difference is that NONE of his "staff" care what number he was assigned by a dumb test.

As I said before, I wrote the quote on my status on Facebook that, "Children who are treated as if they are uneducable almost invariably become uneducable".- Kenneth B. Clark. I received the best comment on that staus from one of the BEST AUTISM classroom teachers that I know...

Thank you Ms. Miriam, children are blessed to have people like you in their corner. Her comment: And children who are treated as though they are geniuses and miracles tend to reach for their own stars.