My son Logan

Jen86's picture

After not knowing what to name my sons issues and behaviors I finally got help through the school and in so doing I got the doctors to evaluate him, they finally told us that he has Atypical Autism. I saw something different about him and so did his teachers but we couldn't put our fingers on it. It is nice to know it wasnt all in my head and now I can do something to help him. He has problems at school. He is a twin, he has a twin sister and they are 4 yrs old. After testing at school they found out developmentaly he is a year behind her and his class and he has a IEP and therapy but I have a very hard time getting him to concentrate and do his homework, If I can it takes a very long time and I also have his sister to help too and between them it takes quite alot of time to get it all done. I wish I knew of things I could do at home to help him catch up the things the school told me to try aren't helping  and they didn't give me a lot of options to begin with. Other troubles at home are that he has a lot of tantrums and I cant really sooth him, he has a hard time understanding me and I have a hard time understanding him. I feel lost alot of the time and after the diagnoses I dont really know what to do from here. He has an IEP plan at school now and all the teachers have been very helpful and kind. I just have this feeling like I am supposed to be doing something else to help him but I have no idea what else to do. After your kid is diagnosed with a spectrum disorder, what do you do afterwards? What needs to be done? What services are you supposed to look for? What help do you need or have to seek? What are some things you can do at home to help them learn and catch up. He does't quite know his number and letters. If anyone can give me some advice it would be extremely appreciated.

Comments

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seebert's picture

The biggest thing that needs to be done is Don't Panic.

Developmental delay is not developmental stasis- Donald T., patient zero for Dr. Kanner, ended up having a fine life as a bank clerk, learned to drive at 28, and today is semi-retired and taking holidays traveling around the world one month out of 12.

The bad news is only 3% of autistics are that successful in the long run. The good news is that we now know what to look for to make a child be more successful. Find out and keep watch on what he actually *enjoys* doing. Turn those items into hobbies- those hobbies into a career. Try to set his routines into a daily routine he can live with; down to the minute if need be. When he does have meltdowns- and he will- try to find the environmental causes of those meltdowns and eliminate them from his world.

That is the key to success with an autistic- let him shape his world, instead of forcing the world to shape him.