[David Chan]

Way to go Ali, so proud of you. need to see some pictures now…. so thrilled.

On a similar note, Mr. P has been using his phone to text for some time now. Working on precision and accuracy. In any event, I was out running some errands, and decided to text him to let him know I'm on my way home.

For a twist, I half hearted added, " do you need anything from Save-ON".. expecting a no.

He always answers text, so I wasn't surprised when the text notification rang; but when I read it, it was way too cool

It said," Yes, buy more milk"

That's throwing the old man a bone.

This is where therapy has gotten us. Many thanks to all the folks out there, you know who u r.

All the best everyone, fight the good fight.

Dave
Mr. P's Dad

[David Chan]

I see ads on here, and it always follow on similar lines, working with a kid…. will train. all the usual tasks that we ask from our therapist.

I got to thinking, some of the people that have interacted with Mr. P most successfully have been people that have had no previous contact with people on the autism spectrum. His third grade teacher all those years ago, his current rowing coach. I try to draw some similarities, the conclusion that I could come to was that because they had no previous encounters with kids on the spectrum, it was all a clean slate. There were not a whole of expectations, more a sense of wonder.

It's quite refreshing really. They see the side of our kids that we don't even see sometimes. These folks have that sense of wonder. Wow, look what he's doing… so cool. No limits, at least physical ones in our case. Just the sense of hey what can do next. What can we teach him ? or more to the point, what can't we teach him.

I'd take that sense of wonder and adventure over "experience" any day of the week. If I could put it in a bottle and give it to each new person that starts working with our kid, it would be just amazing.

Something to think about, and interview for when u guys are look for the next therapist…By the way, we are all doing ABA Applied behavior Analysis Therapy. At least I hope you are, if your are reading this board. I know it's not fashionable to use the the term therapist anymore, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna get Cancer intervention when I need Chemo-therapy

you get where I'm going. I know it's just words, and what's in a name, but words have power, and many people have worked tirelessly to make the treatment of autism, a medical, neurological condition, to be included in MEDICARE, our most treasured institution of accessible healthcare. Let's not let these people down, by call the folks that work with our children Behaviour Inteventioinist.

It's just my two cents.

All the best people, fight the good fight

Dave,

Mr. P's Dad

[David Chan]

Well, P has been playing the electric guitar for the last couple of years. We chose electric, since one fo his Tx't was a musician, and she suggested electric because you don't have to press as hard on the strings. In any event, P has always liked music, so away we went, he started with a Tx't that was a musician, and now he just has a regular teacher.

In any event, he's made practicing a part of his daily routine. and we design the practice, so that he never practices the same thing everyday, he has two rotations, and so he does the one on one day, and then a different on on the other, and it rotates.

He's learnt some useful tunes like happy birthday, which comes in handy. Learning chords too, so he can do a couple of pop tunes. Only need 3 chords to be in a rock band… Interesting note… the song "chain of fools" with Aretha Franklin, is exactly ONE Chord…. yeah… see, you don't need to know a lot of them, just strumming one chord, then transition to the other one.

It wasn't about therapy, but more about cool, and social acceptance. We're thinking of getting him an acoustic for X'mas, as it is much more transportable, and kinda hip to have a young guy, pull out a guitar at a gathering, and strum a couple of tunes.

When he is practicing, it let's him do stuff on his own for a probably a good half hour, we've put in scheduled breaks in there, so it's less rigid… I guess we could have tried piano as well, but, since we didn't own a piano/keyboard. and it's hard to schlep a piano to a picnic…..

just strumming along.

Mr. P's Dad

[David Chan]

In a perfect world, Mr. P would be a sophomore at Standford, looking at what Silicon Valley company he wants to intern at and getting the letter of reference from his summer employer. Sadly, reality bites…, but may be it doesn't bite as much as I thought.

This morning our son spent some time with his grandparents, and great uncle from out of town. My dad is 80, he is notorious for not turning on his phone, so when I finished my errands, I was suppose to contact them to see about lunch.

As lunch time grew near, I sent a text to Mr. P's phone, we messaged back and forth at least 5 of 6 exchanges, I knew exactly where they were, where we were going to meet, whether they had arrived already. It was all so terribly regular.

Please remember, this young man, as a child, as most of you long time readers know has NEVER been without a therapist since the age of 5, so texting in a sensible, useful way completely independently ( he asked my dad where they were on the road) is absolutely HUGH. No not a sophomore at Standford, but a darn functional young adult, pretty cool methinks.

And on that note, we are still looking for a learning work situation for Mr. P. He reads and writes, uses a computer keyboard well, and a nicer kid you will not find. Had to put it out there.

It's been a long road, and of course, we are far from arriving, but it's stuff like today that gives us that little push to try yet a little harder.

As we like to say, ABA all the way….

fight the good fight people

Mr. P's Dad

P.S. if you've got a job for Mr. P, you know how to find us.

[David Chan]

I was watching Masterchef tonite, I know, why am I wasting my time watching reality TV, when I could be out lobbying for children with autism. Well, I need brain candy, very sad indeed, but I took a really interesting lesson from watching the show.

The show is made by Fox in the U.S. basically it's a cooking competition for home chefs.

Long story short. Amongst the competitors, there is a blind contestant. She can't see the ingredients, but she can cook, she has an aide, that helps here pick out the stuff, she still does the major part of the cook. Her ideas, some one helps her execute, and cook.

What does this have to do with school issues in Autsim ?

It demonstrates attitude. The three judges spoke to each other, "Do you think it is an advantage that the blind contestant has and aide ?", " Well, no, because they have to learn to work with each other"

There was no talk of the how the aide made it unfair for the other contestants, the question did not even come up.

Lo those many years ago, when Mr. P was in his early years in school, the comment was made that it was Unfair to the other children that he was in the class, his aide and the reinforceres was in fact an unfair advantage that he had over the other children.

Welcome to our hell. In the politically correct veneer of FAIRNESS for all, means justice for none.

It wasn't fair for the typical children in the class for my kid to be, there, well, I guess the fairness would dictate that all the other kids have a disability as well, I guess in this distorted world that's fair. oops, that would be segregation. I think we're kind of pass that aren't we ? Or are we going back there ?

What our American friends seem to be able to grasp is that even though the contestant was disabled, she should be able to compete. May be it's because there is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) or whether it's just a different ethos in America, the understanding as least as I see it, is that everyone, should have the same oppourtunities, even if they need additional assistance. (Maybe they were just worried about being sued using ADA) it doesn't really matter what the motivation, the disabled contestant got to participate, not just participate, but compete.

We could take a lesson from our American cousins. Accessibility and fairness, is something that we need to strive for.

As for what our kids are capable of, and what they can participate in, is only limited by our imagination.

Fight the good fight people.

yeah and some times reality TV isn't all bad for you.

[David Chan]

What's in a name ?

As you may have gathered I am a long time FEAT'er, and a supporter of Medicare for Autism Now. Many of you have probably received the link about the OPM (office of Personel Management) a part of the U.S. Federal government's decision to recognize ABA Therapy as a medical service eligible for insurance, rather than an educational intervention. If you folks haven't become aware of this, here is the link
http://www.autismvotes.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=frKNI3PCImE&b=3930723&ct=11775907

Autism Speaks Hails Landmark Federal Decision Calling Key Autism Therapy a ‘Medical’ Service Eligibl
http://www.autismvotes.org

Which brings me to the point of names. I know that of late, because the bureaucrats want to separate ABA treatment away from the MEDICAL Sphere, the term BI or behavioral interventionist have been introduced into the current parent lexicon.

My point is the following. If we are to get any traction, with Medicare for Autism. We have use correct terminology for the folks that work with our kids. ABA is a medically necessary, TREATMENT for our children's Autism Disorder.

The key word here is TREATMENT, not intervention. When your leg is broken, it's casted. part of your recovery is to see a physiotherapist. not a "joint mobility interventionalist". We call people that rub us the right way Massage Therapist, not muscle spasm interventionist. Yet we call people that is part of our children's ABA THERAPY, Behavior interventionist.

Really ?

I know it's just words, and a name, but really think about the implications of the words we are using.

It's just my two cents, but I had to say it.

Dave,

Mr. P's Dad

[David Chan]

You never know how much work you've done till you see it.

This pass Friday and Saturday Mr. P volunteered at an event call youth day 2012. It's a retreat run by the Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver.

He help to set up the venue, helped to serve dinner,and clean up at the end of the event.

The cool part was that the folks that were running the programs got very little of the back story of Autism, ABA, DDT. The contact person was told that P needed really concrete, clear instructions, and that's about it.

I was there,not so much to facilitate, but to more or less observe what he would do. Conclusion, he did the jobs just fine. The down times, and there were quite a lot of them was a bit more awkward, the socializing was not as slick as it could be,but not awful.

He made some connections, and some really unintended ones as well. One of Mr.P's new endeavors is rowing, like rowing shells. As it turns out, one of the people volunteering is a rower as well.

In any event,quite a successful event for all concerned. Have been asked to participate in the next event,which will be in the fall. Very gratifying.

Mr. P continues to be a work in progress, it's not done by a long shot. Any of you out there that's looking for a hard working young man with a great attitude to work for you for real wages, feel free to chime in anytime, you know how to find him.

Bottom line, all the work that has been done in the past,and continues to be done today all comes together in the most unexpected way.

The journey continues, fight the good fight people.

All the best

Dave,
Mr. P's Dad

[David Chan]

Currently we have a position for a tutor/therapist for 2 shifts, Mondays and Wednesdays, during the day for a young adult with ASD. living in Richmond. Shifts will include some academic, some life skills, and recreation components. Vehicle, an asset. Regular consults with behavioral consultant is every six weeks, and attendance is mandatory.

This is an excellent opportunity to work with a young man who has been in an ABA program for the last 14 years.

Please send enquiries to neatpix@gmail.com

[David Chan]

Just want to thank you Julie, I'm almost in tears. Good for you Alex.

Pay it forward.

Mr. P's Dad

[David Chan]

Hi Claudette, could u post our email please.

Dave
Mr. P's Dad

[Author]

Posts