Sorry that I've not posted as often planned. I'm sure that you will all relate to having very busy lives. Before I realized it the days, and weeks, and months, and yes, even years have come and gone in a flash!
It's amazing how far Cameron has come in two years. He continued to excel at a greater rate than any of us expected. For the last two years he had attended Pre-K classes for children with autism. There he continued with his ABA, Speech, OT, and Sign Language therapies. He began saying words clearly about 6 months after his 3rd b-day. It didn't take long at all for all the stored up words in his head make their way out (proof that he absorbed all of the countless hours of therapy). Of coarse, his words soon became short semi-sentences. After about another 6 months he was able to make complete sentences. Currently he is able to string two or more complete and original sentences together. Not only is he able to conveys his wants and needs, but he can also tell me about school experiences he has had and much more. It has also allowed us to experience the great personality that Cameron has and to see the wonderful imagination that he posesses.
I remember how we used to joke that once he started talking I might look back and wonder why I was so eager for him to talk...O.K. I admit it, there are times that I do wish for some 'Quite Time'. It seems to be a rare thing around here these days.
One of the behaviors that we are currently dealing with is what we call "Scripting". He has the ability to remember and repeat back the script (word for word dialog) of things that he has seen only a couple of times. It could be a movie, a commercial, a book, a repetitive classroom situation, a song, a phrase or saying that I repeat too often. The issue is that he is CONSTANTLY scripting if he is not engaged with someone or something. He is well aware of this behavior. I often ask him when he is deep in script "Are you scripting?" after he replies "yes" I ask "What are you scripting from?" and he will always tell me. I allow it at home as long as he is not irritating anyone. But, we are trying to keep this behavior out of school. So, the rule is "No Scripting at School" which is still a work in progress. When he's reminded of this rule while in school he responds with a simple "O' I'm sorry" and is able to refrain for awhile. At least until he get's board again! At this year IEP (Individual Education Plan) meeting the subject of Main Streaming was a major issue that was discussed and re-discussed and re-discussed! The majority of his team thought that he would eventually be ready but, wasn't quite 'there' yet because of behaviors like scripting, rigidity to routines and poor emotional response control. I insisted that ever since Cameron first began therapy he has consistently exceeded ALL of my expectations for him. They all eventually agreed.
So, he was placed in a SDC (Special Day Class). But a half an hour everyday he is main streamed (with an aide) in the regular kindergarten class. So far so good (only 3 days so far). If he continues to do well then every two weeks an additional half hour will be added. I have high hopes. I know that he is academically further ahead then most of all the other kindergarteners (and some 1st graders, too!) It's just the few behaviors to correct. The way I see it, we will only be able to work on those behaviors by putting him in the situations that are causing them. I predict he will be fully main streamed by the end of the year. Although he has completed the ABA program that the District has in place, he will still receive ABA. A new program is being developed. Cameron's ABA head therapist noticed that there were a number of autistic children, in our district, that are around Cameron's age that are showing a high interest in socializing. So, starting in two weeks every Thursday for two hours a group of them will meet and do just that! I'm not sure of exactly how it will be but it sounds like fun!
Those are some of the high lights of the past two years. There's more to come. Hopefully it wont be another two years till my next post. lol
