Specific Intervention Ideas (Jannie's post moved)

SRL

Active Member
This post of jannie's was initially made within another thread but I thought we could give both topics better attention by sorting them out. Let the ideas begin!

"often we suggest to parents to get "interventions" Let's make a list of interventions that have been highly effective so that parents know what they looking and or should be asking for.

MWM, I'd love to hear your suggestions as you always tell us how effective and essential interventions were for Lucas.


I also want to preface...that special education and an IEP is definately the direction to go....but, and this is a huge, but...not everyone qualifies...there must be educational impact. Just because you have a diagnosis does not mean that a child is eligible for special education. I think as parents we need to fight and push for this, but many times parents the child are not found eligible for an IEP. The shcool says wait and see for impact. In my child's school, there are four kids diagnosed with aspergers and only two of them have qualified for special education services...This is a different issues...let's just focus on interventions !!

I'll list a few that I can think of...

Get a complete Neuropsychological evaluation !!

1. Contact the school system and let them know your child is disaplaying symptoms of autism spectrum and or let them know your child is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), etc...

2. Get a complete speech and language evaluation. Ask or insist the school system to proviide Speech and Language therapy and/or consider private therapy (many insurance programs will allow speech therapy, especially with an autism specturm disorder) The therapy should focus on not only langauge development but pragmatics; which includes therapy for social language and communications. It teaches children skills such as turn taking, sharing with peers, give and take during conversationa, using eye contact, wait time and personal space. Ask for social skills training during the therapy.

3. Get a complete Occupational therapy evaluation which includes testing for Sensory Integration Disorder. Ask or insist the shcool system to provide occupational therapy and or consider private therapy (Many insurance prorgrams will cover occupational therapy, espcially with an Autism spectrum diagnosis).

3. Enroll your child in social skills classes and groups. Consider looking for small structured play groups in your area.

4. Read about social stories (Carol Grey writes many of them...and many others on the board have websites)

5. Use picture symbols to help your child with communication.

6. Consider play therapy

Personally I believe there are many benefits to private therapy..I definately suggest you contact your insurance companies. Even if your child get's services through the shcool system it is always helpful to have private therapy as well."
_________________________
jannie
me: computer programmer
difficult child: 8 y/o boy, grade 2 is going well- athletic, bright, way too competitive, easily frustrates, and wants HIS way diagnosis ADHD(impulsive/active), Mood Disorder-not otherwise specified, newly diagnosed Tourette's Syndrome (mild)Sensory Integration Disorder (SID)?-trileptal 900 mg, abilify 10 mg

difficult child #2 : 10 y/o boy gifted, adhd, anxious, and impulsive- Lexapro 5 mg, vyvanse 20 mg
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Hi. I'll tell you what Lucas had in place, but understand he was in foster care for two years before we got him and they put him in an "infants at risk" program that REALLY helped him too. He had speech before he could even talk so that he could learn to form his lips the right way...this kid was a veteran of interventions when we got him. I'm convinced it's why he's done so well. He was so obviously on the spectrum when we got him, I'm truly amazed nobody caught it! Well, WE DID...lol. This kid would sit and rock, echo words, and throw the most eloquent fits...lol.

Lucas went to EI when he was three. Before that, he'd gone to Occupational Therapist (OT), PT, Speech and Social Class at the "At Risk" child center three-four times a week. When he was three he went one half a day in Early Intervention and one half day to Headstart. In EI he continued to have Occupational Therapist (OT)/PT/Speech and social skills. This followed him to kindergarten. We tried mainstreaming him, but he stopped learning at around third grade so he was put in Special Education for two classes and went with an Aide to his other classes. The Aide was FANTASTIC and single-handedly taught him stuff most kids seem to pick up by osmosis, but that Lucas needed text-book taught. She taught him how to load his back pack, write lists, get the big picture out of a story rather than focusing only on unimportant details, and how to organize (of which he had no ability). He can't do it as well as other fourteen year olds today, but he's SO MUCH BETTER. After three years mostly in Special Education (where he got intensive help) he is mostly mainstreamed. His aide is 1:3 and goes with him to class, because she has two other kids who need her more. But she says she rarely needs to even talk to him. He is pulling B's and C's on his own. He does have an adjusted cirriculum. Lucas was a very frustrated toddler. His tantrums were as bad as they get and if you tried to, say, forcefully put him in to a "time out" chair he'd get out and GROWL (no kidding!) and throw his chair halfway across the room. He broke a lot of chairs. If we tried to calm him he'd hit or bite us or kick us. He broke the door to his bedroom at two years old. Once he learned to communicate (and it seemed to happen overnight) his tantrums really tapered off and finally stopped. Since he got so much help, understanding and learned life and social skills (and still does) he stopped being frustrated and has become a very compliant, sweet, good-natured child. EVERYONE tells me what a nice kid he is. He has a great smile and wonderful manners. He isn't your typical kid, but he's a GOOD kid, happy, with the chance for a full, rich life. I don't believe this would have been possible without his interventions. medications didn't do squat for him.
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
I think what has helped Duckie the most (other than treating her allergies) has been to work on her sensory issues. She sleeps better with a heavy blanket, massage and deep breathing helped her to be calm in loud or overstimulating situations. Stretching to help release tension. Down time, too. And physical activity to help with balance and gait problems.
 

jannie

trying to survive....
I remember when difficult child was about 4 1/2 years old we made a chart that focused on being able to play a game without becoming upset when he lost. I think it said, "I played a game and didn't get upset when I lost." There may have also been a section for when he won he'd have to say "good job" to the opponent. The first chart had perhaps 5 boxes and when he lost five times and didn't get upset, he recieved a prize. We used this chart for quite a while because he really needed to work on losing....Now five years later, he still will becomes upset when he loses...but it is much improved.

I also made a chart for following directions right away. Each time he'd do something I asked he'd get a box filled in. I liked it because it was easy and I could use it as often as I liked. It just helped to reinforce listening right away.

We also had a strategy chart. This strategy chart included things he could do instead of getting angry. The included:
*jumping up and down and counting by 10s to 100 three times
*go outside and play basketball
*color
*watch tv (therapist suggested this...I was against it, however, if the rage/tantrum didn't happen because I allowed him to watch some tv to cool down--it was better than a tantrum
*take deep breaths
* do jumping jacks

Each time he used a strategy instead of getting upset we put a sticker next to the strategy used to calm down. This allowed him to get rewards for using strategies and it also helped us to see which strategies he was using.

Another big intervention was medication...this was a big decision and it wasn't easy....and it was very diappointing at first because I thought if I allowed him to be on medications things would be better...and I was blown away when the medications didn't work right away. I never expected to have to trial so many medications.

I also found a therapuetic nursery school program. This was not a special education program, but a program for kids who were struggling emotionally. At first, I thought....my kid doesn't belong here...these kids have so many problems....but you know what....my kid was having major problems. He was not being successful in preschool...and was having trouble with babysitters. This program taught him that no meant no..and that if he was upset and angry...because he couldn't do what he wanted..so be it...he could be upset and angry. They also worked on anger managment strategies and ongoing play therapy. It was an excellent program. They also worked really hard with self-esteem and understanding different types of feelings.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
thank you was most helped by the Occupational Therapist (OT) interventions - brushing, understanding what he needs and letting HIM guide us. By this I mean if he is jumping around we provide a place to do this, and try to make a game of it.

The Out of Sync Child Has Fun has been the book that helped us most with him.

We watch diet for the kids. If I hadn't paid close attention I would not have caught on to some of his food allergies because they caused his BEHAVIOR to change, not just a rash or breathing problems. He got wild, or itchy, or acted like he just couldn't stop wiggling and jumping. Cutting the preservatives and food coloring out helped this tremendously. He also has other food allergies, and they are tough to find, often allergy testing does not find them.

We had NO help from allergy testing. The shots did not help and we ended up discontinuing them.

medications for GERD made a much bigger difference than allergy shots. He takes Zantac (generic form - OTC acid reducer) daily and it helps a LOT with his coughing. He coughs all winter, often so much it causes problems at school. ONLY Zantac and Benadryl help.

Hope this helps someone.

Susie

ps. Watch social skills classes carefully. We had one class that was great, difficult child learned a lotof important social behaviors and WHY they were important. The other class we had was terrible. The kids came out like a herd of wild buffalos. Yelling and screaming through the doctors office, carrying those clacker toys or other toys that made icky noises and actually learned how NOT to behave!
 
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