Saturday, November 17, 2007

Progress Report is in....

Today we got a report on Nick's progress with his I.E.P. in preschool. I will explain the "grading":

A 1 means: Not applicable
A 2 means: No progress made
A 3 means: Little progress made
A 4 means: Progress made;goal not yet achieved
A 5 means: Do not anticipate meeting this goal
A 6 means: Goal met

Here is his progress report from the school:

1. Nicholas will experiment with cause and effect when playing with 80% success for 2 consecutive data days. (4) (stayed same since last year)
2. Nicholas will independently nest four containers, or stack rings or blocks of graduated sizes with 100% success for 2 consecutive data days. (6-Goal met) (up from 4 last year)
3. Nicholas will demonstrate appropriate use of toys that have different properties on 3/4 opportunities w/ no more than 2 prompts. (4-same as last year; but he is interacting more as opposed to spinning)
4. Nicholas will shift attention from one object or activity to another with a)no more than 2 prompts by Oct 07 b) with 0-1 prompt by Feb 08. (6-Goal met)
5. Nicholas will play comfortably and appropriately in a small group with minimal prompts at 80% success for 2 consecutive data days. (6-Goal met. Up from a 4 last year)
6. Nicholas will follow classroom routine with no more than 2 adult prompts at 80% success for 2 consecutive data days. (4..same as last year; but more active this year)
7. Nicholas will indicate his wants and needs through gestures,signs,pictures,or verbal response on 3/4 opportunities with no more than 2 prompts (3...up from 2 last year)
8. Nicholas will express appropriate affection for peers and /or adults with no more than 2 prompts at 80% success for 2 consecutive data days. (4..smiles and laughs! Up from a 3 last year)
9. Nicholas will respond appropriately to social contact made by familiar adults with no more than 2 prompts at 100% success for 2 consecutive data days. (4..responding to name!)
10. Nicholas will appropriately express various positive and negative feelings with minimal prompts at an 80% success for 2 consecutive data days. (3...up from a 2 last year)
11. Nicholas will sit during circle time, small group time or other appropriate times for a minimum of 5 minutes or until the activity is completed; wait to be excused or ask appropriately to leave the activity with 80% success for 2 consecutive data days. (6-goal met)
12. Nicholas will choose a desired toy/activity using pictures,signs,or verbal request from a field of 4. (4+ on that)
13. Nicholas will imitate mouth movements/vocalizations/words by Feb 08. (4+)
14. Nicholas will identify an object/picture from a field of 3 by Feb 08. (4+)

Overall, he is doing far better than last year. On another note, our in-home therapist is not able to drive to our house-so we were back to square 1 by Monday. I asked someone in our autism group if they knew of anyone; and I got the names of three people. I will call them this weekend and set up a time for interview. This expense will be out of our own pocket-as our insurance does not cover private sessions. It will be roughly $25 an hour (4 hrs a week in home; or $400 a month). Mike and I discussed in length our finances to cover this. There is no way we can do without this therapy. Nick is making so much progress with the therapy and diet, I truly believe he will be high functioning-but he can't get there without help. We have cut down our cable to $50 a month, and doing some strict grocery shopping, and basically doing without anything we don't NEED. It's for Nick. We talked for more than an hour about all this. Mike has rarely spoken of "God", but he did this week. He said that God has a plan. We don't know what yet, but he does have a plan. It was kind of nice to hear those words come from him for a change. Usually it is me saying that.

As for Nick; that kid has an amazing memory. It might even be a photographic one. We can put a toy up, go out of the house for a few hours, and as soon as we get in he is making a bee-line for the toy. He remembers where it should be, and if it was moved while he was gone, he will look under every nook and cranny, and then take us to all the places he knows we hide things. I came home yesterday and found that he had placed his toys in an oval pattern on the floor of the "therapy" room. Blocks were in a line,things were stood up, and some things managed to get "clumped". (I.E. groups of 3 plastic fish)One of his teachers greeted him by patting him on the back the other day...Nick replied "No Hitting" to her. He has informed me on two occasions that he was "all done" eating. Our boy is starting to speak his mind...and what an interesting mind it is!

Sunday, November 11, 2007

New Slide Show

Nick's World

I was able to get some video of him this morning doing some of the things that he does. The first video captures his "machine" voice. He will do this with just about anything, but mostly body parts (i.e. his arm), and geometric shaped objects like the picture frame he has.

In the second video you see him spinning one of his favorite toys. He also incorporated the picture frame in this sort of "play". It seems that he is looking at the reflection cast by the spinning toy in the picture frame. The round object on the table is a mint case that he has peeled off the stickers.

Some of his ramblings make words. As you can hear in the third video, he says what sounds like "Got milk". Another obsession he has started lately is the need to carry around a towel,blanket, or any other item of clothing. He also likes to stand things up.