autism

Paying for Autism

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A couple of weeks ago, back on July 1st, the new fiscal year began in Maryland, which meant that applications for Low Intensity Support Services opened for funding for FY2014.

By the end of the first day, Southern Maryland was done accepting applications for the year.  Where we live, in Central Maryland, the wife went into a panic when she was warned a week later that applications would shortly be closing for our area due to similar demand.  (She actually drove the forty minutes each way to hand-deliver our application so it would be there before the newly-imposed July 15th deadline.  LISS does not permit applications to be sent by fax or email – they have to be hand-delivered or sent via US Postal Mail.)  And we’ve come to the conclusion that we’re likely not to get any LISS funding for FY2014. Continue reading →

Stop Staring

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So, yesterday, we went to a baby naming and then to Sesame Place (since we were in the area).

Going to the baby naming meant getting up fairly early – the naming was in a suburb of Philadelphia, about 2 hours drive from our house, and so we had to get up, get everyone washed, and get our butts on the road before we’d normally be done with breakfast on a weekend morning.  Obviously, that’s not going to do things that help the kids get into a “mood” to be cooperative, but we had hopes. Continue reading →

Holyday Thoughts

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It’s not just that our dues to the synagogue were due this week, in order to be considered members in good standing to get our tickets for High Holydays, but the fact that I got the gabbai list for the rest of 2013, and my name’s up for Gabbai Sheni for Simhat Torah.

I’ve been reading Torah since my Bar Mitzvah (obviously).  When I was single and living in Texas, I used to read on a regular basis for my congregation down there, since it seemed like a good way to give back. That tendency continued when I made the move back to Maryland, first at my grandmother’s congregation, then the congregation I joined on my own, and then finally at the shul where I attend with my wife today. Continue reading →

Pulling Teeth

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The Monster’s verbal inclinations – whether regressing or not this summer – really do tend to send us into loops of repetitive questions.

The real problem is when we try to give him choices.  Anything beyond a yes-no question lately tends to be a failure unless he’s highly motivated to give a more direct answer.  Inevitably, once you get to a certain point in the conversation, the loop begins. Continue reading →

Outputs

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As I’ve mentioned a few times, we’re nearly done with the Monster’s first real summer at day-camp.  (To give you an idea of how deep into the summer we are, Color War began at their camp today.)

I’ll admit that I’m not really sure what he’s getting out of the summer, but that’s not really the goal of the entire operation, is it. Continue reading →

Breaking Patterns

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With only two more weeks of camp, and then a week off before school, the order of the school year can’t come soon enough.

The Monster, like many children, does better when there’s an established rhythm to his week.  He does better with the clearer order of the school year than he does with camp, and it’s showing as we’re trying to at least make a good-faith effort as school prep stuff. Continue reading →

Disconnect – Parental Edition

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If it’s not bad enough that the Monster obviously has receptive and expressive language issues… it’s the fact that sometimes, as parents, we do as well.

I know that children are always going to be challenging.  I know this enough from dealing with my friends’ NT children, and seeing how they are on the verge themselves of tearing their hair out with the effort to avoid ending the problem.  (As I’ve said in other contexts – God made them cute to ensure their survival.) Continue reading →

Failure to Communicate

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It’s been that kind of weekend.

So yesterday, we had a get-together for the wife’s Mommies’ board, and we were then off to a cookout at her sister’s house.  This seemed fairly straight-forward and fun to me – we’d go over to the get-together (where the kids could get into bathing suits and splash around, and have cupcakes) and then zip down the 90 or so minutes to the cookout where they could gorge themselves on hot dogs.  What’s not to like? Continue reading →

Snake Oil

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Note before I start: I can guarantee this is going to offend some of my readers.  If you’re the type to be offended – and you probably already know how, based on today’s title – either turn away or just remind yourself later that you chose to be offended. =p

Yesterday, the National Autism Association had a “Someone Needs Your Ideas” post up, with a parent asking about having a child with eating issues similar to the Monster’s (that the child really only eats chicken nuggets).  Most of the suggestions were very useful and utilize proven therapies (ABA, etc) to achieve some positive results in food broadening… but there were the usual fluttering of “fringe” cures that came in as well. Continue reading →

Spoonful of Sugar

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I don’t really remember being as resistant about taking medication as the Monster is.

The Monster’s had a lingering cough for about two or three weeks now – he was sick earlier in the summer, but he’s started up coughing again more regularly, in a manner that makes it sound like he’s ill… though he’s not acting all that much different than normal.  Save for being a bit more whiny than usual, and for being more difficult than usual about eating… it’s all par for the course. Continue reading →