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Author Topic: Early November update  (Read 5774 times)

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Offline Tamet Gould

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Early November update
« on: November 07, 2006, 07:12:51 AM »
Well we still havent gotten that spike in skills we got in late Sept, he has plataued back out.  But, we didnt go backwards or lose any skills he just doesnt have that focus that he did during those several days.   :no:

We are still struggling with him initiating his going to the restroom.   Something will come along and make that spontaneous, just wish I knew what it was!!   >:D

We are trying to establish a behavioral curriculum for him involving teaching him many different things in a wide spread of areas, receptive, vocal, manding, labeling and interverbals.  Ben is so smart but his behavioral issues have a tendency to interfer with things (focusing on the world around him vs himself).  For example; we went to Plano on the 31 of Oct for a session at Wayman learning Center and he was doing great, set down and was signing and requesting things, scanning his choices when presented and then the young lady decided to take him to the large room and do some things and he just decided at that moment to no longer participate.  In otherwords, Gail said he decided to go into "unwilling learner" mode.  She said it isnt that he cant learn, he is very smart, he just decided he didnt want to participate in the learning process anymore.  Now, this is the kind of thing that is naturally going to happen to Autistic children his age when they have lived like they have lived for 10 or more yrs and controlled their enviroment. 

I just wish all this stuff had been around 10 yrs ago, so we wouldnt be going thru this now, but, guess we gotta deal with what we gotta deal with. 

He is going thru a bad stemming phase right now and we cant figure out what is causing it.  It is very destracting and very hard to get him interested in the world around him because the self stemming is much more satisfying to him.  So, if you know of someone with a very young child that is starting that, make sure to let them know they better get him/her somewhere and involved in active learning because the stemming will be hard to overcome once they get older.  The medical world is clueless as to why this starts but Dr Carbone says that it is a learned skill just like any other.  The kids cant communicate and dont get the stimuli essential for communication at a young age primarily due to health issues (to many to even discuss here) and the body has to find a way to receive that stimulus, it is necessary.  So, they create their own stimulus not relying on the enviroment around then to receive it.  Once they realize they can create it themselves it is VERY HARD to compete with that and it normally raises its head during times of stress, pain or low grade pain.  Naturally my antenni go to jumping when this occurs becasue it means something is a little off with him physically and it isnt presenting itself in a way we can see what it is other than increased stemming. 

I am very thankful for all the headway we have made in a yr.  I had several people come by our booth last weekend and ask about him and on several occasions I just smiled and pointed to the front of our equipment in the stands and there he sat with a smile on his face or stemming.  It is pretty amazing because we couldnt have done that a year ago and a lady reminded me of that, her comment was "Boy, what a difference a yr makes".  It really struck me how right she was.  Our home has changed drastically.  If you talk to people that have run into Ben in the last several months they will tell you there is a HUGE difference in him.  9 times out of 10 if you speak to him, he will look you in the eye and tell you hi now.  He was unable to do that spontaneously a yr ago.  We couldnt have him set in the stands near us at a show without him taking off or grabbing someone (he still has a hard time not hugging any pretty little grey haired ladies  >:D)  but I can tell him no or sit down and he will do it.  BIG DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!! 

There has been a lot of stress leave our lives because of the changes that have occurred in him, and I want more for him.  I want him to be able to function on a much more normal level.  I want him to be able to not only tell someone hi, but to have a conversation with them.   He is doing so many wonderful normal things now; he puts his own bowl or plate in the sink once he finishes eating.  He turns his tractor off if he runs into anything, and he will even turn it off and get off of it when he is ready to do something else.  His words are becoming more understandable, he will take our hand, when we go somewhere that he recognizes and wants to go into, and say "come on" and proceeds to drag/lead us to his destination. 

You cant image how thrilled we are when he comes up to us and expresses what he wants, verbally and physically.  Makes my eyes water to think about how much he is really doing now.  But, I am ever greedy when it comes to him.  I  WANT MORE!!!!!!  So, if I sound like a spoiled rotten child in that aspect, to bad so sad.  That is what I want.   >:D 

Keep him in your prayers, please, and if you know of anyone that would be interested in being a sponsor on the horse trailer please let me know.  It is going to take lots of $$$ for us to get him the therapy and medical treatment he needs to create a more normal life for him.  We need to take him to a Gastro specialist that is strickly for autisim and they are several thousand $$$$$ with all the tests and stuff they do AND they dont take Medicaid.  Call me at 817-373-2534 or email [email protected]

You can go to http://ebarrelracing.com/bensaddleraffle.html  for more details, yes I know it says saddle raffle, I just updated the page with the trailer and never changed the name of the page.   :lalala:
« Last Edit: November 07, 2006, 07:48:30 AM by Tamet Gould »
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