[FEAT BC Admin]

In this discussion area, please feel free to share your experience in implementing A.B.A. programs in the school system. We would particularly like to hear from those parents who converted their school teams to A.B.A. We’d like to hear the nightmares as well as the success stories.

Any insight that can be shared by school-based special education assistants to help parents would also be very meaningful.

Topic

[Tanja Weiser]

Hi,
I am a new to this discussion board. My son was diagnosed last August, while I was 7 mths pregnant to my 2nd child. I went through major whirlwinds of emotions…denial, remorse, anger, depression, etc. It's been a rollercoaster ride to say the least! My son is high functioning on the spectrum, with a severe speech delay & major control issues…but it really came as a shock (it's not a very pleasant label to put on someone's child)! I do feel lucky in some ways though, as now we have some funding to help him(as limited as it may be). But with that said, I have experienced so many, many road blocks; so many wait lists, not enough funding for certain services, shortages of therapists, etc. It's so frustrating & overwhelming to deal with (especially when you have a newborn child on top of it)!!! Then I read about families like Hunter's (in Langley, who was prohibited from attending school). This extremely upsets, angers and frustrates me. This could be my family in a couple of years (as my son is 4yrs old.). How can the school get away with this? Why wasn't the ABA consultant allowed in the classroom to implement a behaviour plan? Is it a territorial thing/power trip? I really feel for the family. I know that my family struggles daily with our own challenges & stresses (on top of having a baby)…I can't imagine what it would be like to be in a situation where you have to have lawyers involved to try to get a proper education for your 6 year old son. My heart goes out to you & families like this! Be strong and advocate, advocate for your child…like you're doing!!

On a separate note, does anyone have any feeding issues with their ASD child that compares with ours. Our son had acid reflux at birth to 12mths. He's had issue with food since. Currently, he accepts about 6 foods and with that list of foods…gags & chokes (sometimes throws up). This is a huge stressor for our family. I'm running out of things to give him to eat. I'm so worried he's going to end up on a feeding tube. He's already dropped from the 25th percentile in height & weight to the 15th percentile. He's skin & bones!! Some of his issue is sensory and some…definitely behaviour. I'd like to hear from you if you have encountered similar prombems with your child and am open to suggestions of what could work to turn our situation around. By the way…supplements won't work as he's very paticular as to what type of liqud he'll accept & where it goes (ie: what type of container, for instance: Milk must be in his baby bottle, as he gags & chokes if it's in a cup and he only drinks water & OJ, but again in very specific drinking containers), and he refuse to try anything new (ie: chocolate milk). Right now he's living off of Toddler biscuits, yogurt, milk, and either banana or apples. Occasionally he'll accept chicken, pork chops or salmon & dry cheerios. That's it! That's all he'll eat. Not big on carbs or veggies!! I feel doctors don't really take it serious until one is malnourished!! I welcome your comments.

Thank you!

[Ducky Piyo]

HI Brooks,

Thanks for clarifying and I am encouraged to know I personally came to the same conclusion that your post was sarcasm at these idiots that know little about our kids and make them sound like they are monsters.

This ticks me off because nobody cares about the right of the child to access again HIS right to education and what about his human rights and dignity?

While a bunch of idiots cannot figure out what to do and scared of an eager learner of 6 years old…suddenly it is our fault and no school for us?

When someone has no skills for the job what do you do? You hire the right skill set, not the seniority of the person paid for the job. No offence to hard working real people in the Education field but this is a solid case that screams with evidence of complete lack of instructional control. They didn't even try, their cowardly actions has written off Hunter premature when they have no idea what to do and won't admit to it. Nasty that they call WorkSafe and blame a child? Grow up already.

WorkSafe came in so how about MCFD? Who is fighting for our children when adults get the attention here?

I am sorry you are going through this but it serves a great reminder (sadly at your son's cost) that it can happen anytime, again, and again, and again, and again and to any of us.

The right of a child to education should never and must never be ignored. Our kids are not an interuption of their day, ASD kids should be the reason they a) have work and b) be in this line of work to begin with.

Keep us posted on the developments as news updates April 12th are that School board is working to find a school to place your son? Sounds like a solution but in my opinion it covers up one but does not address the original one of the lack of skills in the worker.

Supporting you all the way. I cannot wait to meet you at the Advoacy Workshop.

In the meanwhile chin up Brooks, you are not alone!

Piyo

[Barbara Rodrigues]

I found this quote and thought I would just put it out there….

"I can assure you there is no more powerful advocate for children than a parent armed with information and options."
Dr. Rod Paige, U.S. Secretary of Education (2001-2005)

Barbara

[Brooks Patterson]

Hi Piyo,

There is nothing remotely scary about my 6 year old son.

My sarcasm can sometimes be misinterpreted.

We do really appreciate all of the support that you and the others from this board have given us.

Brooks

[Ducky Piyo]

Hi Brooks,
I am sorry but did I misunderstand your post? Are you saying the kids from your son's former class are scared of him or they are not? I am sorry to ask you for clarification but several of us parents were not in agreement. We want to support you accurately and not insult you in our replies. I believe you realize this :-)

So please accept my apologies if my other post seems off topic/awkward.

Piyo

[Ducky Piyo]

Thanks Brooks for this posting. Yes, I have the same thought as yours. Great minds think alike!

Piyo

[Brooks Patterson]

I'd like to thank Ms. Ewart for clearing something up for me.

In her letter to the Province on April 15th she focuses on the rights of the regular children. I guess that makes the parents of the 60,000 or so children with special needs the proud guardians of IRREGULAR CHILDREN. What utter nonsense! The urge to respond with a string of expletives was pretty strong I must admit.

How insightful that she also assumes that the other regular kids must have been scared. (imagine how scary it must have been for all the regular students in the class.) That explains a lot. When 5 kids from my son’s former classroom were playing out in front of my house this weekend with my son, they sure looked worried. They rode bikes, played hockey, and wrote with chalk on the pavement. But behind their shrieks laughter I could tell that they were concerned. “Look out for the irregular kid!” One of them might have said.

[Jenn Ralph]

Sorry…wanted to thank Dave Marley too….sorry Charlie!
Jenn

[Jenn Ralph]

indeed…you are so right Dave…
Lest we forget…
The people that have helped thousands of children achieve their potential.
My life,my family's life and my daughter's life, were changed by the likes of Jean Lewis, Sabrina Freeman, Dave and Julia Chan, Barbara Rodriguez, Bev Sharpe, Dr. Glen Davies, Dr. Mel DeLevie, the hon justice Chris Hinkson and Birgitta VonKrosik,the Auton families, the Anderson familes and the Hewko's… among so many others. Now there is a new generation but if we don't all learn from the past….we are destined to repeat it.
We must all learn the history, be aware of the current and consistent challenges and learn how to advocate. Please everyone, especially new families, attend this workshop on Apr 30th. If you absolutely can't make it, make a point of getting to a FEAT or ABA Support Network meeting.

[David Chan]

I get really really jade sometimes at the species.

Then people like David Marley comes along. You could have done a lot of things in your non practicing of law.

You chose to take up our little cause.

Thank you sir, nice to know once in a while there are people that will speak up and do the right thing.

[Author]

Replies