FinanceDude
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Dammit! Autism...
- Thread starter Bimmerbill
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Brat
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Consider contacting the special ed folks in your school district too. They may be supportive, or they may be a PTIA. No harm in taking their measure now.
OP
OP
Bimmerbill
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Thanks, I do think I'm making progress. I read a pretty good article about the role of dads and autism. #1 is THIS IS WAR. So, I'll attack it any way I can.
Special ed folks at the local school were pretty good, tho I don't expect many one on one hours out of them. Preschool only meets twice a week for 2.5 hours.
Anyways, thanks for letting me vent and giving me some options to think about.
Special ed folks at the local school were pretty good, tho I don't expect many one on one hours out of them. Preschool only meets twice a week for 2.5 hours.
Anyways, thanks for letting me vent and giving me some options to think about.
I would try to get the undergrad students for free first. I volunteered ( no pay) for several hours a week for a year when I worked with that family. I was about 26 with a masters degree and a full time job and found out about it because my friend was their music therapist. They had a full schedule of people with some paid and some volunteer.
Here's that link for the Option Institute's Autism Treatment Center and the cool thing is that the Kaufmann's formerly labeled autistic child is the CEO of the Institute and a trainer for their Autism Treatment Center. Autism Treatment Center of America: The Son-Rise Program
I looked at the web page and it seems very informative and has a link for forums too.
What a great dad you are. Some would be tuned out or letting their wife handle it. Your child will have a great advantage with the stong love and support of her father.
Here's that link for the Option Institute's Autism Treatment Center and the cool thing is that the Kaufmann's formerly labeled autistic child is the CEO of the Institute and a trainer for their Autism Treatment Center. Autism Treatment Center of America: The Son-Rise Program
I looked at the web page and it seems very informative and has a link for forums too.
What a great dad you are. Some would be tuned out or letting their wife handle it. Your child will have a great advantage with the stong love and support of her father.
FinanceDude
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Bimmerbill
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Actually, I am the primary care taker. My wife is tuned out and letting me take care it all. She still says DD does not have autism, despite the diagnosis. Flat out denies it. A few months ago I put DD in daycare because DW wasn't interacting with her too much. DW did the basic care tasks OK, but anything else wasn't happening.
DD really has made great progress since I stepped in, started doing A LOT more, and started taking her to daycare daily. Plus, I spend the evenings with her while DW works, so DD gets daddy from 0630 to 1830 or 1900.
I tell you what, this would have been much easier 20 years ago when I was 22. But I am very grateful I make good money now, have a nice home, decent job security and spent the last 20 years buying all of my toys.
Thanks again for the words of encouragement. I will ask for volunteers first!
DD really has made great progress since I stepped in, started doing A LOT more, and started taking her to daycare daily. Plus, I spend the evenings with her while DW works, so DD gets daddy from 0630 to 1830 or 1900.
I tell you what, this would have been much easier 20 years ago when I was 22. But I am very grateful I make good money now, have a nice home, decent job security and spent the last 20 years buying all of my toys.
Thanks again for the words of encouragement. I will ask for volunteers first!
chris2008
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While I do not want to challenge or belittle the diagnosis - could some of DD's condition be the result of too little interaction in her first months of life?
Autism and Asperger diagnosis seem to be in fashion to diagnose people with little social abilities.
Any way, the better you help DD now at this early point in her life the better her chances are that she outgrows her condition.
It is the best "investment" you could ever make.
All the best to you, DD and DW.
Autism and Asperger diagnosis seem to be in fashion to diagnose people with little social abilities.
Any way, the better you help DD now at this early point in her life the better her chances are that she outgrows her condition.
It is the best "investment" you could ever make.
All the best to you, DD and DW.
The idea of parental interaction or lack thereof has pretty much been put to rest for Autism. They used to throw it on the parents but extensive studies have sunk that line of thinking completely.
I think there is an uptick in Autism diagnosis because it is better understood now, and I think the medical community has fined tuned the process now. I know a couple people who have kids that had Autism ruled out and instead been diagnosed with subtler and less heard of issues. I really think they've learned from the whole ADHD/Ritalin debacle.
I think there is an uptick in Autism diagnosis because it is better understood now, and I think the medical community has fined tuned the process now. I know a couple people who have kids that had Autism ruled out and instead been diagnosed with subtler and less heard of issues. I really think they've learned from the whole ADHD/Ritalin debacle.
Sarah in SC
Moderator Emeritus
You have my sympathies, Bill. I've been following your thread with interest, and thought that this news article might at least make you feel that you are not alone.
FOXNews.com - Study: Autism Puts Unprecedented Financial Strain on Families - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News
More than half a million U.S. children have autism with costly health care needs that often put an unprecedented financial strain on their families, national data show.
Compared with parents whose youngsters have chronic health care needs but not autism, those with autistic children are three times more likely to have to quit their jobs or reduce work hours to care for their kids. They pay more for their kids' health needs, spend more time providing or arranging for that care, and are more likely to have money difficulties, the study found.
"This is the first national survey that looked at the impact on families of having kids with special health care needs," said lead author Michael Kogan, a researcher with the government's Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
FOXNews.com - Study: Autism Puts Unprecedented Financial Strain on Families - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News
More than half a million U.S. children have autism with costly health care needs that often put an unprecedented financial strain on their families, national data show.
Compared with parents whose youngsters have chronic health care needs but not autism, those with autistic children are three times more likely to have to quit their jobs or reduce work hours to care for their kids. They pay more for their kids' health needs, spend more time providing or arranging for that care, and are more likely to have money difficulties, the study found.
"This is the first national survey that looked at the impact on families of having kids with special health care needs," said lead author Michael Kogan, a researcher with the government's Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
Achiever51
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Bill, re: the horseback therapy suggestion. By all means, please do follow up on it. We donated a horse to a local therapeutic riding center several years ago and I spent considerable time volunteering with the kids at the center. There's something magical about getting a handicapped kid onto the horse...the horses seem to sense that the rider is special and the riders almost always respond positively to being on the animal. Some of the improvements in the kids were amazing. Don't know why or how it works, but it does.
God bless you and your family.
God bless you and your family.
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Bimmerbill
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Thanks all. I plan to follow up on the horseback therapy. I read the story about financial strain on autismspeaks.org. They have daily recaps of autism related news items.
I've been making some slow progress. I've found that there is a huge need for these types of services, but few providers, and very long waiting lists. Typical rates for 1 on 1 therapy is $60 an hour and my insurance won't pay for it.
I'm still working the local university angle. I may be able to get grad/undergrad students to work with dd. Probably more affordable, at around $15 an hour.
One of the biggest issues I have now is finding out HOW many hours of therapy dd needs, WHAT type of therapy, and WHO prescribes it. I have some general guidelines, but nothing concrete. I have a call in to DDs pedi to see if he will write a prescription for services (OT, PT, Speech therapy, other therapy).
I think I may have to hire a behavoirist/child psychologist/dev pedi ($125 an hour!) to write a treatment plan. This may specify the # of hours. Then I can work on lining up people, and figuring out how to pay for it.
It is almost like I am hiring my own team, and need to do all the leg work, all the hiring and planning. I'm still amazed that I'm doing this, and not some healthcare provider. Heck, I am an IT guy, I don't know much about how all of this work.
I will be attending a parent support group 2nd week of DEC, so will ask how everyone else did it.
I've been making some slow progress. I've found that there is a huge need for these types of services, but few providers, and very long waiting lists. Typical rates for 1 on 1 therapy is $60 an hour and my insurance won't pay for it.
I'm still working the local university angle. I may be able to get grad/undergrad students to work with dd. Probably more affordable, at around $15 an hour.
One of the biggest issues I have now is finding out HOW many hours of therapy dd needs, WHAT type of therapy, and WHO prescribes it. I have some general guidelines, but nothing concrete. I have a call in to DDs pedi to see if he will write a prescription for services (OT, PT, Speech therapy, other therapy).
I think I may have to hire a behavoirist/child psychologist/dev pedi ($125 an hour!) to write a treatment plan. This may specify the # of hours. Then I can work on lining up people, and figuring out how to pay for it.
It is almost like I am hiring my own team, and need to do all the leg work, all the hiring and planning. I'm still amazed that I'm doing this, and not some healthcare provider. Heck, I am an IT guy, I don't know much about how all of this work.
I will be attending a parent support group 2nd week of DEC, so will ask how everyone else did it.
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Bimmerbill
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Thanks. I'm pretty overwhelmed and tired today. Had a meeting or appointment about dd every day this week. Making progress at least. Pedi neuro said nothing wrong, come back in 6 months. genetics testing next Monday, then I should be done with doc appointments for a while and can focus on lining up therapy.
