[Deleted User]

Normally, I lurk on this list…however David you have inspired me to add something to your BC pot.

Again as a disclaimer opinions are like assholes everyone has one and this sir is only mine.

Firstly Avery as per usual you hit the point on the old head , which is ulitmately the children will win in court.
David you so kindly asked how Avery's comments had anything to do with the first posting regarding the clever idea of returning voting tabs
(make sure you send out your press release with a catching title and get some press on your idea)….
Firstly it does appear that David you have a great deal of hostility, anger whatever you want to call it, and perhaps rightly so. I deal with anger on a daily basis, but your quick to slam approach because you don't think the voter tabs deals with the larger issue, actually has you thinking inside the box rather than out.
EVERYONE including you Dave have a part to play in this. Not everyone is here to do the same thing but we all ultimately have the same goal in mind for our children, which again as Avery pointed out is universal access to medically necessary treatment.
When I deceided to file an Ontario Human Rights Claim I had SEVERAL lawyers tell me to forget it and not even waste my time ( which I sence is what you are telling the voter tab woman , even suggesting the ridiculous). Well Dave couldn't have been further from the truth.
The amount of Press I have sustained in Ontario for three months now for autism has been virtually unheard of before ( at least with regards to ABA). It has appeared week after week, radio , newspapers, TV…and guess where you are heading… Supreme Court of Canada…and guess where that is….OTTAWA Dave….and guess where people from OTTAWA reside Dave… you got it buddy … ONTARIO. Do I think I have helped your BC case? You bet my big white ••• I do ( thought I should point out I am not NORTH AMERICAN Indian)so you wouldn't mistakingly think I was getting money I wasn't entitled to).
So perhaps the voter tab woman's idea isn't BIG enough for what you want today. Let me ask you , what have you done , other than throw angry insults at people, to help your child today?
Your anger is justified. But not at the expense of a woman just trying to do what she feels she can for her kid. And news flash EVERY little thing adds up and helps….maybe not in Dave's world…but out here it does.
so again the quote…
opinions are like assholes, everyone has one…
but once in awhile its just an ••••••• with an opinion, right Dave?
Norrah Whitney
fight4aba@hotmail.com
aba4u@earthlink.net

[Deleted User]

This post is for Melodie Pilloud

Melodie, please email me your mailing address and I can ensure a FEAT Parents package is sent to you. Second, please feel free to call me at 604-467-7807 and we can talk about any further questions you have.

No, a hearing test will not determine your child is autistic but it is used to rule out hearing loss. Some of the early signs of autism mimic the signs of hearing loss such as not responding when spoken to.

Autism is a spectrum disorder meaning that children with autism can have a variety of "symptoms" as well as degrees of severity. Some children are labelled as "high funtioning" (which is a rather contentious term but that is another post) because they adapt more easily, have a higher level of language skills and may be slightly more social than the stereotype of autism.

Sometimes doctors are not fully informed on what autism is and how it presents. Like many people I've encountered they perceive autism as a type of retardation or think of someone like "rain man" as being the only definition of autism. It is not. Some children with autism are excessively bright, some are middle of the road others face great learning challenges.

I'm running out of time and must sign off but please do call me so we can talk about what the diagnosis of autism means (regardless of high functioning, mild and other adjectives) and what ABA is as well as issues of funding.

Michelle
467-7807
Mkarren1@aol.com
phone call is the quickest way of getting ahold of me.

[Deleted User]

This post is in response to the post about male therapists.

We have been fortunate enough to have had 2 male therapists on our teams. We initially hired 2 male psychology students to work with my 2 1/2 year old son in the early days of his program. I too was a bit apprehensive at first as my child was barely verbal and like you was used to women being around my children. As with all of my team members, I remained close by during sessions as we all got to know each other. We initially kept a baby monitor in the room, right from day one, to know what is going on with all of our new therpists. Later we began a sort of open door policy. My son was rigid about closing the therapy room door so it remained open at all times. That was great for me because I always knew exactly what was going on and was happy to realize all of my therapists were doing great! Both young men turned out to be an absolute delight on our team. They brought different perspectives to the team, were highly energetic and physical which my son LOVES and had great ideas on play (I have to admit it I do not "get" some of those typical boy toys on the market, how many times can one drive the hot wheel around the track and find it fun?!)

One of these then jr. therapists is training to be my son's sr. therapist, and also works on my daughters team as a jr. therapist, the other needed a semester off and is returning to our team in May.

I would highly recommend having a male therapist on your team, particularly when dealing with a male child with autism. AS with ALL therapists, check references thoroughly.

[Deleted User]

Hi Dave,

I am part of an Irish Dancing school – Penk O'Donnell School of Irish Dancing – and we would love to perform for free for a fundraiser! I'd also be willing to offer to volunteer to help organize or anything else.

Michelle

[Deleted User]

Hi David,

I would be VERY willing to help. I think that is a great idea! However, I am in Victoria :( But I could help with advertising here.

Keep me posted,

Franca

[Deleted User]

I was just wondering, Are there any parents on the board that have sent their autistic child(ren) to "regular" school with a one on one shadow/aid? If so, how long did your child need the one on one aide for? I know this differs from each child but I was just curious as to the range.

[Deleted User]

Also regarding teaching music:

My Mom is a piano teacher in Ontario, and she teaches both traditional piano and Suzuki-style piano. For some reason, she keeps getting students who have various challenges, and last year (when I was still living at home) began teaching a little boy who has hyperlexia (and his behaviours get better on a GFCF diet, but he's becoming 'more autistic' as he gets older). She uses the Suzuki method with him.

Obviously this child is pretty high functioning – he's VERY verbal, but he's also very stuck on his routines. To get him to practice, Mom started him on a token economy – he practices each piece the proper number of times between lessons and he gets a penguin sticker (something I keep her supplied with).

The nice thing about the Suzuki method is that it is, at its most basic level, ABA. I'm going to be doing training in June to be able to teach Early Childhood Suzuki music classes, and I've helped my Mom teach them before. The things Suzuki wrote about in his books ARE ABA. Now, obviously, this is my opinion, and probably a developmental psychologist would say the opposite – but that's what I, personally, like about the method, as an ABA therapist.

Mom is continually telling me about her students, and often will ask me what sorts of things she should try next to help them learn – she especially asks about this one little boy.

The other nice thing about Suzuki that I think is good for children who are very visual learners (as many children with autism are) is that it's auditorally (sp?) based. The children initially learn to play by listening to a CD of the pieces they're learning. Eventually they learn to read music separately from the pieces they're playing (reading and playing at the same time is really hard!), and finally to do both at the same time. The music also follows a logical progression, from folk tunes that are simple to play and probably already in the child's mind, to the typical classical pieces by Beethoven et al.

Finally, there are not only Suzuki early childhood classes (which involve the child and a parent with a number of other children with their parents), but Suzuki methods for many different instruments, from piano to guitar to violin etc. My plan is to run 'baby classes' specifically geared towards special needs children.

More information about the Suzuki method of teaching music can be found at http://suzukiassociation.org

-Janna, ABA therapist

[Deleted User]

Also regarding teaching music:

My Mom is a piano teacher in Ontario, and she teaches both traditional piano and Suzuki-style piano. For some reason, she keeps getting students who have various challenges, and last year (when I was still living at home) began teaching a little boy who has hyperlexia (and his behaviours get better on a GFCF diet, but he's becoming 'more autistic' as he gets older). She uses the Suzuki method with him.

Obviously this child is pretty high functioning – he's VERY verbal, but he's also very stuck on his routines. To get him to practice, Mom started him on a token economy – he practices each piece the proper number of times between lessons and he gets a penguin sticker (something I keep her supplied with).

The nice thing about the Suzuki method is that it is, at its most basic level, ABA. I'm going to be doing training in June to be able to teach Early Childhood Suzuki music classes, and I've helped my Mom teach them before. The things Suzuki wrote about in his books ARE ABA. Now, obviously, this is my opinion, and probably a developmental psychologist would say the opposite – but that's what I, personally, like about the method, as an ABA therapist.

Mom is continually telling me about her students, and often will ask me what sorts of things she should try next to help them learn – she especially asks about this one little boy.

The other nice thing about Suzuki that I think it good for children who are very visual learners (as many children with autism are) is that it's auditorally (sp?) based. The children initially learn to play by listening to a CD of the pieces they're learning. Eventually they learn to read music separately from the pieces they're playing (reading and playing at the same time is really hard!), and finally to do both at the same time. The music also follows a logical progression, from folk tunes that are simple to play and probably already in the child's mind, to the typical classical pieces by Beethoven et al.

Finally, there are not only Suzuki early childhood classes (which involve the child and a parent with a number of other children with their parents), but Suzuki methods for many different instruments, from piano to guitar to violin etc. My plan is to run 'baby classes' specifically geared towards special needs children.

More information about the Suzuki method of teaching music can be found at http://suzukiassociation.org

-Janna, ABA therapist

[Deleted User]

Thank you very much Dee Dee, we were hoping that some parents had such experiences. We want our child (son – 41 months) to have as well rounded experience as we can safely provide him. This defintely makes the decision process easier. Thanks again for your sound helpful advice.

[Deleted User]

I don't believe you stated in your posting whether your child with autism is male or female. I am the parent of a son with autism and I have been fortunate to have had a male therapy team member for over 3 years. We are now in the process of having to replace him as he is leaving in the fall to attend university in the states. I would like to clone him as his presence will be greatly missed. My son is 10 years old and this young man has been his buddy and role model for 3 years. It helps that this therapist has amazing skills, great instincts and is very fun, energetic and reinforcing to my son. It also balances out all the female direction he gets at school and in his home program. I would very much like to add another male therapist to our team but they are few and far between. I will always use my instincts when hiring and more importantly CHECK REFERENCES. And certainly don't eliminate the potential of male therapists just because they are male or you may be depriving your child of a valuable person in their life. I speak from experience.

Regards,

Dee Dee

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