Special Needs

  1. Special Needs My kids are having a water fight in the bathroom for the last 20 min. I'm terrified to see the mess but they are having so much fun and it's great for SN DC! 34 min ago (0 replies)
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
  2. Special Needs I'm in NYC. Is there any resource/website etc. you can point me to to figure out what the process would be if I want to get the DOE to help fund dd at a SN private school? I see...(more) 48 min ago (6 replies)
    lots of terms thrown around (Nickerson?) and I'm not sure what any of them mean. I really just need a straightforward soup-to-nuts tutorial on how it's done. Thanks.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
  3. Special Needs Longshot, but does anyone have a name or contact info for the chairperson of cse region 10? we have not been contacted about services for next year and i know it must be past...(more) 50 min ago (8 replies)
    deadlines. tia.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Mark Jacoby 48 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • ^But I would make a trip in person to 125th or nothing will happen, BTDT. Go first thing in the morning and wait. You'll get his attention and don't leave without a meeting date. 47 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • ok, i have mark's info. but i was under the impression he wasn;t the person i need to contact to see about setting a meeting. maybe i'm wrong. sent him an email but i will try...(more) 36 min ago
          again. thank you!
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • He's the chair of Region 10 so far as I know. But I would just go there with your IEP and tell them what's going on. 33 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • is it also possible Maurice Collins might be someone to check out? 28 min ago
              log in or sign up to post a comment
              • He's the placement officer (or he was last year), very nice guy. Honestly this late in the year if you haven't been contacted for a meeting, go to the office. I made that mistake...(more) 22 min ago
                in the past and now I just show up. Stuff happens much faster and better when you show up.
                log in or sign up to post a comment
                • thanks, i will. our situation is kind of odd because...(more) 16 min ago
                  we are not actually seeking services for next year. but our ot still needs to submit reports, etc, and i figure there needs to at least be some meeting to close things up, right?
                  log in or sign up to post a comment
                  • If you are terminating services just write a letter to Mark telling him your dc is done and you are terminating services. If there needs to be a meeting, you've let them know! 14 min ago
                    log in or sign up to post a comment
  4. Special Needs My ten-year-old needs a math tutor/specialist who knows how to work with many different math programs/curricula. My DC has struggled in math....(more) 1 hr 41 min ago (2 replies)
    It has moved at an absolute crawl using a modified Houghton-Miflin approach that just is not working for my DC or DC's learning style. Any recommendations for providers who make out-calls or in-calls in Manhattan/Brooklyn/Queens. Thanks.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • any good teachers at DS's school? 1 hr 40 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Does the Orton-Gillingham method apply to math too? It's a multi-sensory approach that worked for my dd in reading. 1 hr 39 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  5. Special Needs This morning i brought my kids (aspie 7yo, nt 5yo) to a local park where there is an outdoor fitness center that has restricted access to folks 14 and over but special needs kids...(more) 2 hr 5 min ago (32 replies)
    are allowed to use it at all times. while using the equipment with my kids, a woman said to me "this is only for adults and special needs kids". I said "I know". She repeated herself. I repeated myself. She repeated herself a third time. I repeated myself a third time and nodded my head towards my son as I said "many special needs are not visible to others". She started to say it a fourth time when her oblivious friend told her "this woman doesn't understand so why don't you ignore her". I was so flustered by this that I called the town government to confirm that I was in the right and I was told I was. What would you have done differently? for what it is worth, my son does not know that he has aspergers - just that he has all sorts of special services at school that not every kid has. This happened nearly 6 hours ago and is still on my mind and affecting my concentration at work. Thanks.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Sorry, that kind of situation is always flustering. After the first missed connection I would have gone over to her and said in a soft voice "My son has special needs. Thanks." 2 hr 2 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • we were the only people there and she was 2 feet away from me this whole time 2 hr 2 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • Then she really is an idiot not worth your time. I totally understand why this stayed with you. It is uniquely upsetting to have our legitimacy challenged. She thought she was the...(more) 49 min ago
          great protector of the playground - she probably doesn't have enough to do in life and looks for opportunities like this to act like a "hero" and you didn't play by the script in her head. I think asking for better signage is a great idea!
          log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I understand how offputting this kind of encounter is -- I'd still be thinking about it and would feel the same way -- but you handled it very well. 2 hr 2 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • ^it was clearly her issue, not yours. 2 hr 1 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
      • I especially think OP's statement about some special needs not being obvious was very good. She didn't want to say too much with her dcs right there 1 hr 59 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
      • op here - thanks 1 hr 58 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • what a loony tune. i would be flustered, too. 2 hr 2 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Although tempting (and I would've done the same!) it's never worth it to engage with people like that. What you said was a perfectly fine explanation. That woman was nasty. Now...(more) 2 hr 1 min ago
      you have to be kind to yourself and let it go. Don't let her have that power over you.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • This. 2 hr ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
      • thanks. btw, this is what the woman at the town parks department said to me too two hours ago! :) 1 hr 59 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • First let me say I totally sympathize - situations like this always get under my skin & bother me for day (I need to develop a thicker skin)! Second of all I think that you...(more) 2 hr 1 min ago
      handled it the best you could. If your DC was within ears' shot of this woman, it wasn't the time to explain your DC is on the spectrum. I think this woman is clueless! You said that "some special needs are not visible to others"! The only other thing I could have possibly said would be "not all special needs are physical disabilities"...but hindsight is 20/20, you are there with your kids and you don't want to make a scene.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • you just gave me an idea: the fitness center's entire cost was underwritten by a local special education committee. i should write to them and suggest that the sign at the...(more) 2 hr ago
        entrance that says they paid for it should be supplemented by some sort of educational sign that says this. that would hit the nail on the head provided that ignoramus knew how to read.
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • Good idea! Unfortunately I think many uneducated people still think of special needs playgrounds as being for kids with obvious physical disabilities or obvious impairments like...(more) 1 hr 59 min ago
          down's. They don't realize there's a huge range of what is special needs!
          log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I am sorry you had to deal wtih it. but I am curious why they allow special needs kids to use it and not typical children? why woudl sn kids benefit and not others? or is their...(more) 2 hr 1 min ago
      equipment made for the physically handicapped?
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • logic, huh? it doesn't make sense to me either. besides, you go on the weekends, and there are tons of nt kids there. 1 hr 59 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
      • np - I was assuming it was bc special needs kids have fewer resources and probably benefit from using facilities that aren't as crowded. But I might be totally wrong 1 hr 58 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • Those all abilities playgrounds they build now can accommodate wheelchairs, other sensory stuff that's scarce for kids with SN's. 1 hr 57 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
      • np: a lot of SN kids can get overwhelmed in public spaces. By controlling the # of kids on the equipment, it helps kids with SN. Also many ASD, ADHD, and low tone kids have...(more) 1 hr 57 min ago
        coordination problems.
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I'm so sorry, that is awful...I used to get flustered and not respond and now I'm that mom who loses it on people who do that kind of stuff. She's obviously the one who didn't...(more) 2 hr 1 min ago
      understand, or I suspect she did and wanted to bully you into leaving.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Your situation reminds me of a documentary on autism I saw. In it the mom of 3 sons with autism parked in a handicapped spot (she had the permits) and some man says "you all don't...(more) 1 hr 55 min ago
      look handicapped to me!" The woman turned around & starting yelling "do you know what autism is?"
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • np: I have 3 boys with autism and we have a permit too.I have gotten a lot of looks and those types of comments. 1 hr 53 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • np- what do you need to prove to get the permit? 1 hr 53 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • you really just need a autism dx, but no one tells you this when you get the dx 1 hr 49 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • get out. I would feel bad taking hte spot from someone with a disability that keeps them form walking from their car to the store. I could not do it 1 hr 46 min ago
              log in or sign up to post a comment
              • not the np here - remember that not everyone with a physical disability is necessarily manageable in a parking lot. i can think of many kids i've met with autism who can...(more) 1 hr 45 min ago
                physically walk but would not be manageable in a parking lot, and thus necessitate the parents getting a permit
                log in or sign up to post a comment
                • OR: this was the situation with the woman in that documentary. She had 3 severely impaired, nonverbal children parking lots were dangerous - they'd dart out, start stimming...(more) 57 min ago
                  mid-crossing - really unsafe, thus the permit for handicapped parking.
                  log in or sign up to post a comment
              • my kids are involved and not a mild case at all. parking lots are dangerous with them. besides there are a few spots, not just one. 1 hr 37 min ago
                log in or sign up to post a comment
              • nnp: My ds uses a wheelchair and I don't see the problem with it. My ds only needs the card because our vehicle has ramp otherwise we have no problem walking, usually if I am not...(more) 1 hr 35 min ago
                a lone we just pull up in front of the store and let the ramp put there because spits where ramps are supposed to go are a joke and have no room.
                log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I would feel exactly the same thing. What a bitch! I'd be fuming still like you are. 53 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  6. Special Needs Can anyone tell me more about execu search for OT/PT in nyc. I understand that they are a placement agency, but who do they work with (which tier) and are they still subject to...(more) 2 hr 7 min ago (0 replies)
    the 5 day deadline for each tier? They aren't really giving me very much information. Thanks.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
  7. Special Needs How long on meds before a difference. Ds 14 dx with depression and OCD, thinking there is bigger things at work now. He is on 10 mg of prozac and 15 mg of abilify. He is still tje...(more) 2 hr 51 min ago (42 replies)
    he same kid. Even more aggressive. He does not participate in therapy, and not sure how long we can get him to voluntarily take the meds. Our pull on him is wearing so thin.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I'm glad you managed to get him to take the meds! That's certainly a step in the right direction 2 hr 50 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • He is fighting us on it every day now, and says he hates how he feels on them. Big figjt after he takes them. 2 hr 48 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • SOunds like it's the abilify that's making him feel wonky. 2 hr 47 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • Would you cut the abilify? We need to target his aggression, he is very physical now. 2 hr 45 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • Speak to his doctor about abilify. If it makes him feel too wonky it may be because it's early days. There are several substitutes for abilify too so that's not the only med of...(more) 2 hr 24 min ago
              its kind that you can consider
              log in or sign up to post a comment
              • Thanks. I speak to him about it. 2 hr 21 min ago
                log in or sign up to post a comment
    • A month. 10 mg Prozac is nothing 2 hr 50 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • We are slightly increasing every week. 2 hr 48 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • DS 11 we tried him on lexapro & tenex--not helpful at all, not big change, if anything worse. Off of those & was prescribed prozac at school (boarding) and saw good results right...(more) 2 hr 48 min ago
      away (per staff & therapist). He's home now after a month on med & we see a big positive difference.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • I think we are going to have to send him away, he doesn't want to, but I am worried about my safety and his now. hoping.to.work a lot of this out this summer. 2 hr 46 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • It is a very difficult decision. But I have to tell you that so far it is the best thing we have ever done for DS. He was miserable before he left & taking us all down with him....(more) 2 hr 44 min ago
          I can't tell you how bad it was, and he's not even a teen. I flashed forward & imagined it getting so much worse. He is home now for a few weeks---happier, respectful, cooperative, mostly nice to his sister (big issue before), engaged, able to sit at dinner & have a conversation. It may not sound like a big deal but it is.
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • I don't know how it will work, because ds doesn't even think he has a problem, according to him he is "fine" and we are "making things up" and aggravating him. One look, ...(more) 2 hr 40 min ago
            thing to him and he is exploding. He seems defensive about something. I am tired of getting hit or something thrown at me. And so tired of the fighting and his never ending cleaning. We took the door off his room and he still has yet to calm down from it.
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • My DS did not want to go. We took him for a tour & interview. He admitted the school was nice but didn't want to go. I was so scared when I took him back to enroll about how it...(more) 2 hr 38 min ago
              would go. he was very sad and said "I didn't choose this" but he didn't get physical. But now he is SO much happier & more self-aware.
              log in or sign up to post a comment
              • this is what I want for ds to be aware and def less physical. Its a huge physical fight to get him to therapy. He cannot just committ to it. 2 hr 35 min ago
                log in or sign up to post a comment
                • Mine is not that big & still a bit young, but starting to get physical & also doing things that were dangerous for him, destructive to property. He was starting to refuse going...(more) 2 hr 33 min ago
                  to school, withdrawing more & more while there, not able to interact well w/ friends.
                  log in or sign up to post a comment
                  • He still goes to school with no fight. He is getting a bit oppositional and puffing his chest a bit though while there..Not him at all. At home, man, we get the anti christ.I has...(more) 2 hr 30 min ago
                    d to replace the lamps because he threw them at dh.
                    log in or sign up to post a comment
                    • We had a big difference between school & home--usually cooperative, quiet, respectful at school (thought kind of trying to disappear due to an LD). At home it was WWIII....(more) 2 hr 27 min ago
                      Swearing, throwing/breaking things, saying horrible things to his sister, totally uncooperative--it took forever to get him to take a shower or go to bed. And it was having an awful impact on me--felt like a total failure as a Mom, like something was really wrong with me.
                      log in or sign up to post a comment
                      • I feel like a huge failure, like we should have gotten help sooner.Everyone says but he is so smart and still goes to school.But he can't be in school forever, and no smart...(more) 2 hr 23 min ago
                        doesn't help the fact he kicks, hit and punches me. Because I am aggravating him or telling him to go to bed and stop cleaning.
                        log in or sign up to post a comment
                        • I am so sorry. I really know how down you can get. No one should have to live like this--not him & not you. 2 hr 22 min ago
                          log in or sign up to post a comment
                          • It makes me so sad for him. He is throwing his life away. 2 hr 19 min ago
                            log in or sign up to post a comment
                            • He's not. He's 14. The meds will start to work. If not these then other ones. YOu're doing all the right things. Now just don't lose your resolve. 2 hr 17 min ago
                              log in or sign up to post a comment
                              • Do you mind saying what boarding school your ds goes too? Sounds like it has done wonders. 2 hr 15 min ago
                                log in or sign up to post a comment
                                • I mentioned it before--Little Keswick. We tried a lot of different therapies + SN private before + different behavioral approaches at home & we could not find anything that...(more) 2 hr 12 min ago
                                  worked. So far this is making a huge difference for DS. I think the biggest thing is having everything in one place w/ an incredible staff who sees him all the time in every scenario.
                                  log in or sign up to post a comment
                                  • Thanks, I feel like I need to make a list for the future just in case. Did you get the state to pay for it? Thanks for telling your story too, because I know now it can work, if...(more) 2 hr 10 min ago
                                    We get there.
                                    log in or sign up to post a comment
                                    • There are options out there. I think if you do some research it will give you a positive place to focus your energy (at least, that happened for me). We don't have funding. We...(more) 2 hr 6 min ago
                                      are very fortunate this is something we can do for our kid.
                                      log in or sign up to post a comment
                                      • ^^also, you are not a failure. You have a kid who is WAY tougher than what's typical. You're probably working a lot harder at being a mom than most women. 2 hr 6 min ago
                                        log in or sign up to post a comment
                                        • Thanks. I will try to remember that. 2 hr 3 min ago
                                          log in or sign up to post a comment
                                      • Thanks again. Your ds is lucky to have you. 2 hr 3 min ago
                                        log in or sign up to post a comment
                • has your doc recommended any books to help you manage his behavior? 2 hr 23 min ago
                  log in or sign up to post a comment
                  • some books about oppositional behavior and ocd, I cannot remrmber the title. my dh also started reading something from total connection or something like that 2 hr 20 min ago
                    log in or sign up to post a comment
            • Tough decision and good for you! You have to maintain that you're the boss. I think that's really critical (and he's still a child even if he thinks you're nuts and he's jus...(more) 2 hr 19 min ago
              fine)
              log in or sign up to post a comment
              • I feel like I am close to losing the control though. Hard being the boss while taking some pretty hard blows. 2 hr 16 min ago
                log in or sign up to post a comment
    • You still have the specter of taking him out of the school he wants and replacing it with therapeutic boarding school; hopefully that gives you a little leverage for a while...(more) 2 hr 45 min ago
      longer
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • Yeah we are barely hanging on to that at the moment. Some days it works better than others. He feels as if we are threatning him. 2 hr 44 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • It is a threat. And a credible one at this rate too. 2 hr 40 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • One minute he can say then do it, then the next time he is throwing a fit over me overreacting. How many chances do we give before I start calling schools. He doesn't seem to get...(more) 2 hr 37 min ago
            he has to work with us, if he wants his "life" back, but he is delusional. Nothing is wrong to him about his behavior.
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • I'm the mom above with the DS in boarding school. It was not his decision & it wasn't done as a reaction to a specific behavior or set of behaviors. It was based on looking at...(more) 2 hr 34 min ago
              him--not thriving--and our whole family--thrown into turmoil. Not a punishment really but an opportunity. Ds did not get a choice in it.
              log in or sign up to post a comment
              • I would like to reason with, but I don't think I can anymore. 2 hr 33 min ago
                log in or sign up to post a comment
                • It doesn't sound like that's possible right now. Fingers crossed the meds will help in time. Give them another month and keep up your spirits! 2 hr 26 min ago
                  log in or sign up to post a comment
                  • Thanks. I am trying. Trying to stay out of his way too! 2 hr 22 min ago
                    log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I don't know anything about the subject, but just wanted to offer you a supportive word, as this must be a very difficult situation. Best of luck. 2 hr 45 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  8. Special Needs DD's new glasses came again, this time I brought her aba therapist to help with the transition. She smacked them out both of our hands before we could get them on, meltdown...(more) 3 hr 1 min ago (2 replies)
    galores the whole time. I rather she just not see clearly because I cannot. My patience is gone.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I think you need to hand this whole projec to the ABA therapist. 2 hr 51 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • this. also, the aba therapist should know to just start with reinforcing dd for tolerating the presence of the glasses (not even wearing them) 1 hr 8 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
  9. Special Needs Recommendation for a service coordinator (EI) ?...(more) 3 hr 6 min ago (0 replies)
    In addition to YAI, any other suggestions? I know YAI has a gate keeper, what about other agencies? TIA.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
  10. Special Needs If you are at a SN school did you have your Ei yet with CSE? my dd ends school this week and they cancelled our meeting a few weeks ago and never rescheduled it. How long do they...(more) 3 hr 41 min ago (1 reply)
    have before we get a nickerson letter?
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • August 15. We have not had our meeting either and it has NEVER been this late in all these years. 3 hr 19 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  11. Special Needs Is Bank Street school a SN school or welcoming of kids with LD or SN? 3 hr 43 min ago (7 replies)
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • no 3 hr 43 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Not a s school and not known as one of the welcoming schools 3 hr 42 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • what's the target population? 3 hr 41 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • Parents who believe in progressive education 3 hr 41 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
    • The Bank Street Family Center has CPSE spots. It's not connected to the School for Children at all. 3 hr 20 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • 30 years ago, Bank Street invited my 5 year old son to leave. They said he was psychotic and would live in an institution for most of his life. By accident we discovered thT he is...(more) 2 hr 25 min ago
      dyslexic and dysgraphic. Went to Gaynor for a number of years. Did HS i 3 years. College in 3 years. Went to a top 5 Law school at 19. (Oh Phi Beta Kappa). Now married, two dc (1 ASD). He is a partner in one of the Big Law firms. And no he is not pschotic. I hate anything to do with Bank Street.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • OMG write them a letter!!! 1 hr 42 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
  12. Special Needs How did you find the best therapists for your dc? word of mouth? hate having to share dc's issues with the world in order to gain info on who is good 4 hr 14 min ago (4 replies)
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I had first appointments with 1/2 a dozen for speech, behaviorist, ot, pt, psych. then I stick to them like glue when I find a good one. we've had the same nurse for 3 years 4 hr 13 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • All word of mouth & ybm. Very happy with all of them. 4 hr 2 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • EI assigned great therapists ds's first year and after that they all recommended people they knew for CPSE. 2 hr 49 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • word of mouth from other parents and referrals from current therapists/providers. personally, im selective and what information i share and with whom outside of the sn community,...(more) 2 hr 27 min ago
      but within the community im an open book
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  13. Special Needs For those of you with SN kids who are very happy in life, how do you think you do it? Do you think you have a positive outlook in general and this makes it easier? 4 hr 15 min ago (13 replies)
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I think it has to do with personality. My 6 year old ASD kid is the happiest kid in the planet. And I'm the complete opposite. I've always thought of myself as being a bit...(more) 4 hr 5 min ago
      cold, but I push myself to be loving to him because he needs all the support he can get. In turn, I think that's why he's such a happy kid.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • One day I decided I wanted to be happy. I wanted to enjoy my dc. It took time to come to that decision but for me, it was a choice. Dc is who dc is, I can't change...(more) 4 hr 1 min ago
      that I either accept it and all that comes with it, therapies ect and find enjoyment out of that or be miserable.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • np: this, totally. I also know 2 people who lost their DCs to cancer - really makes you realize things could be worse, and you need to embrace the positive while you have it. 3 hr 13 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Not sure how to read the question. Are you asking about SN kids who are happy in life or moms who are happy in life? 3 hr 45 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • I meant you as the parent 3 hr 39 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • I've always been a generally positive person, and that definitely makes things somewhat easier. I tend to be able to let go of negative emotions a lot faster then DH for example....(more) 3 hr 31 min ago
          I worry about dd all the time, but I do feel I have a safe emotional center that keeps that worry from being all-encompassing.
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • np - agree verbatim with pp 3 hr 22 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
    • part of having angelmans is to be happy so that helps also keeping his life familiar with open.communication options. As for my other dc, its jot that easy for him, but he is...(more) 3 hr 44 min ago
      described by many aa happy, but only if he gets his way.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • OP: I phrased that weird. I meant how have you found happiness in life. I have found it difficult and wonder if it is because I tend to be negative about things in general 3 hr 35 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • I have the worse negativity about my dd, I don't enjoy her at all, and so am not happy to be her mom or around her at all. I cannot stand it. But I see no good in her rigjt now to...(more) 3 hr 8 min ago
        get happy
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Denial. 2 hr 48 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I think I'm generally an optimist and I also have perspective. My first child died. No matter how frustrating dealing with ds special needs can be, I'm always so thankful that...(more) 1 hr 57 min ago
      I have a healthy, living child. (ds is ASD). Even in my darkest moments, I tend to imagine how much worse it could be (at least it's not cancer or a terminal illness, at least we live in NYC with access to so many places, etc.) I think perspective keeps me a little saner than I would be otherwise.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  14. Special Needs Anyone on have a dc in diapers or pull ups? Ds 4 is leaking through them. Best brand to stop the leaking? Should we double up on them?(we do this at night and it helps a bit...(more) 4 hr 23 min ago (3 replies)
    better). Or we just need to change him a bit faster.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Are you using the nighttime ones. They are made for dcs older then 4. My dc wore them on and off until 7. I also got the hospital pads so if it leaked which was not often, I...(more) 4 hr 18 min ago
      would just have to change that pad.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I recommend goodnites as well. Previously bought inserts that went into diapers - not sure if they still sell them, but they were similar to a maxi pad - may be worth trying that...(more) 4 hr 15 min ago
      instead
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Op: Thank you ladies will give it a try 3 hr 18 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  15. Special Needs Ice breakers and helping me feel more comfortable? Ds has 2 nurses, they are very nice people, but its weird having people in the house we don't know yet. I feel like I am making...(more) 4 hr 53 min ago (4 replies)
    things awkward. How can break the ice a bit. I'm not a really chatty or outgoing person, and I don't want to cross any lines.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Just be yourself and go on with life as normal. Do what you would do even if they were not there. iF that means walking around in pj's drinking a coffee do it. 3 hr 59 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • So far I have been doing this. I just feel like maybe I ahould engage in conversation? maybe? Do I ask them if they want to watch something on tv? if they want something to eat?...(more) 1 hr 28 min ago
        so awkward.
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • If I make coffee I ask them if they want some. I want to make them feel welcome but at the same point it's my house and if I need to clean the oven, I'm going to clean the oven...(more) 57 min ago
          or prep dinner ect. Be nice b/c then you can run out and if I run out I ask them if they want anything + sometimes I will bring back treats for them. Maybe have a coffee cake and offer it. A good nurse will not take advantage. I had one who did and replaced her but most know boundaries so offer to be polite.
          log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Food is a big icebreaker for me. If I bought something delicious over the weekend I might say to them "Do you want to try this cheese? It's amazing" or whatever. Or mentioning...(more) 1 hr 17 min ago
      movies that you're interested in seeing. When all else fails I ask them how they're holding up in whatever annoying weather we're currently dealing with, do they have allergies, etc. Or pretend like you're in the bathroom in middle school with them like that scene in Mean Girls and say something like "Ugh my hair is so awful when it's humid like this!" and make a silly face. Something that invites them to chime in.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  16. Special Needs Question for moms with kids in nyc sn privates: have you ever requested a teacher? My kid had a great teacher last year and I would love that teacher to be homeroom teacher next...(more) 6 hr 21 min ago (1 reply)
    year. they had a great academic connection.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • doubt you can but try it I do know that I was asked if my dc wanted certain friends in her class next year 6 hr 21 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  17. Special Needs Being fat just sucks so much and has pretty much consumed my life 7 hr 35 min ago (19 replies)
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • so change. 7 hr 35 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • don't be mean. this is sn and believe me, we all are stressed out. Food can be a huge comfort 7 hr 34 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • I'm not trying to be mean. : ( I meant it. Change is hard though. 7 hr 33 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • np your delivery could use some work (and empathy) 7 hr 31 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
      • so goddamn flippant. 7 hr 32 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • join WW! It comes off slow and steady and stays off. 7 hr 35 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • I've done weight watchers for years 7 hr 34 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • the great thing about weight loss is you can always start it the next day. Can you take long walks? that's how I started losing weight. 7 hr 33 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • This, and it's good for stress 7 hr 33 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
          • I do and I have periods where I will lose weight but it's very hard for me to sustain 7 hr 32 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • i hear you. I weight myself every morning which I vowed not to do but it does help if I find myself starting to go up 7 hr 31 min ago
              log in or sign up to post a comment
      • I do ww and have lost 96 pounds so far (started in Oct 2010). It has completely changed my life. It taught me how to eat. It is not a diet and meeting are awesome. So much of...(more) 4 hr 19 min ago
        the philosophy is about managing feelings. I was so thankful to have these meetings when I ds was dx'd (happened about 5 months in to my first year).
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • me too ;( i know it seems like its fixable, but for some reason, I just can't. have tried everything! It completely consumes me, depresses me and is ruining my life. New therap...(more) 7 hr 33 min ago
      ist this week. hope it helps! GL to you!
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • thank you -- to you too. I honestly feel like there's not a moment when I'm not thinking/worrying about it. 7 hr 31 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I feel your pain. It's been a problem for most of my life. I'm doing Jenny Craig now because even with WW I was not able to stick with it. I needed a kickstart, which it helped...(more) 7 hr 21 min ago
      with. It's expensive but I had to do something!
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I'd suggest working with a psych. I'm a personal trainer and I think it's mostly in people's heads. It's hard to make behavioral changes. A psych can help you see yourself ...(more) 6 hr 36 min ago
      Objectively. I also think joining a group, running club, Zomba club, cross DIY challenge is great as it has long and short term goals and provides a new social group one with healthy goals.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I was you 3.5 months ago, my weight had crept up over the years and I was miserable. I downloaded the my fitness pal app and started to log in calories and also bought the Fitbit...(more) 6 hr 5 min ago
      and increased my walking (I am too lazy for a real gym) to 10-15K steps per day, I am down 26 lbs today and feel much healthier and so much better about myself, you can do it!
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Overeaters anonymous 5 hr 59 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  18. Special Needs 2 things every person with SN should have IMO: being out in nature and music therapy. other therapies are necessary, too, but i sometimes wish we hadn't neglected the nature and...(more) 7 hr 37 min ago (8 replies)
    the music early on, e.g., i wish we'd done less center-based OT and more home-grown "OT" outside
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • This what I know we're lacking--nature, vigorous exercise. Sucks not to have a hard and be NYC. Kids resist any organized sports 7 hr 35 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • ITD my dc needed fine motor help and eventually medication. Sure nature is important (my dc gets more outdoor time than most suburb kids I know bec. Make a point to get him out)...(more) 5 hr 57 min ago
      but seriously? Nature doesn't cure special needs,
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • OR below: actually there's studies demonstrating benefits to being in nature (and REAL nature - like hiking, out in fields exploring...not playgrounds outside) - helps with ADHD...(more) 3 hr 10 min ago
        and emotional issues as well.
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • so funny you say this - I just read a great book about how all kids are nature deprived, and how much being in nature helps kids grow emotionally 3 hr 11 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Coulda woulda shoulda There's 10 things I would have done differently. FWIW: My ds may be the only kid with autism who is not affected by music. 2 hr 46 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I think both of those two things are so important and since Im a musician ds was always exposed to music and plays as well , made sure also we have lots of time in nature but it...(more) 2 hr 13 min ago
      still didn't make his adhd go away. On meds. Still not sure how much ot helps him.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Ita. Dd's best therapy is the community garden on our block. 1 hr 14 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  19. Special Needs So conflicted -- dropped out of big law because the life was so miserable but every now and then feel like a loser for not staying the course 7 hr 39 min ago (14 replies)
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Do what works for you. There's nothing particularly noble about slaving away 30 years to make your employer rich. 7 hr 38 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • funding retirement and college, being a complete adult...those are values you get from working, it doesnt have to be big law or nothing 7 hr 36 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • you lost me "at being a complete adult" -- that's bullshit 7 hr 35 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • I look around at the 45 yo women around me who SAHm with kids in school f/t. Yoga and housework do not make for a rich, full life 7 hr 34 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • they may not to you but to others they may; also, what do you expect them to do at this point? 7 hr 33 min ago
              log in or sign up to post a comment
              • work, go back to school, volunteer (and not just a Thanksgiving to make a point) 7 hr 32 min ago
                log in or sign up to post a comment
                • you should tell them that to their faces. bet you don't. 7 hr 30 min ago
                  log in or sign up to post a comment
                  • np: I am one of those. I have a masters as do most of my friends who are doctors, lawyers, some had their own practices they sold and made a choice to stay at home. Many do lots...(more) 6 hr 9 min ago
                    of volunteer work: advocates, junior league, pta. Some just stay at home. Some may work one day. There is not a right way to be happy. It's different for everyone. Yoga and housework is enough for some.
                    log in or sign up to post a comment
        • or. I never said that it did. 7 hr 35 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
        • what if college and retirement are funded? 7 hr 33 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
    • my friend left to be general counsel for a business as is so much happier. 7 hr 37 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I went to a tt law school, but steered clear of biglaw from the get-go as a quality of life choice. There are plenty of other niches in the profession. Signed, gov't atty. 7 hr 35 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Im a partner at a firm. It is extremely stressful because of the pressure to bring in business. It is no panacea and having 2 SN kids on top of it has made things pretty...(more) 5 hr 22 min ago
      unbearable. The grass is always greener. I have had to make a lot of career sacrafices. I never feel good about anything Im doing. If Im the road not travelled dont shoot yourself in the foot. I agree that being out of the house is a good thing but big law and SN kids are extraodinarily difficult to handle. Im sure there is another way, finding it is very hard in and of itself but Im sure its worth it.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Like an above posted, I'm also a tt law school grad who avoided big law completely. I've had a great career in the non-profit world and eventually left doing legal work to...(more) 4 hr 47 min ago
      focus on policy. I'm 15 years out now, and honestly most of my law school friends who started at law firms have left. Many aren't practicing at all. All have interesting jobs and a better quality of life then they did when they were working at firms.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  20. Special Needs Hs dd having severe anxiety and may have processing issues; neuropsych evaluation recommended by school - anyone btdt 7 hr 56 min ago (3 replies)
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I"m sorry. I have suffered severe anxiety as an adult so I really sympathize. We have a family history of anxiety/OCD. Definitely get the evaluation and in the meantime make...(more) 7 hr 53 min ago
      sure she is getting plenty of sleep and regular exercise. Daily cardio has been compared to low dose ssri for treating anxiety symptoms but she may still need meds. GL and I hope dd feels better soon.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • thank you 7 hr 51 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
      • np: daily cardio is shown to help with depression, not anxiety as much 3 hr 9 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
  21. Special Needs Had a blow-up last night with DH over a messy kitchen and 3yo ds intervened, telling us to USE NICE WORDS and making us SAY SORRY. Sitting here at work feeling like the worst...(more) 8 hr 12 min ago (18 replies)
    mother in the world. Please don't flame. We do not fight (too) often. Well, did when dss were very tiny and nobody was sleeping and we don't know why our older ds (who is SN) was such a hard kid to parent... things are much better now. It was just a stupid escalation that I should have sucked up but after a full day with two dss I felt enraged that DH was flipping out over plates on countertops.. Any helpful suggestions for something I do to make it better for everyone? I'm in tears.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • you're so totally getting your period 8 hr 11 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • it was not about the plates. your dc is right. you would probably really benefit from having some regular outlet for your frustration. everyone gets pissed off. if you bottle it...(more) 8 hr 10 min ago
      up you'll explode like that at some point. and it isnt fair to anyone (including yourself as you obviously feel bad).
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • ^or, yes, it could just be PMS 8 hr 10 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • she says they often fight- why are you people thinking she's hormonal?? 8 hr 8 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • she said they do not, and she's a weepy angry mess. 8 hr 8 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • oh, missed that part. still think it's bizarre to jump to PMS when she did indeed have a difficult time 8 hr 6 min ago
              log in or sign up to post a comment
              • well, i didnt jump to it, it was an afterthought 8 hr 3 min ago
                log in or sign up to post a comment
    • just tell ds that he is right and you are sorry he heard you and dad fighting 8 hr 9 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • OP: To clarify, we don't fight a lot though we did for years. Once SN DS started services life got massively better. Secondly, as a matter of fact, period due any day. 8 hr 5 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • funny, we've been having serious issues with my son and my dh (after we left the hospital) wanted to make sure my car was washed before it went in for service and i was like wtf...(more) 8 hr 3 min ago
      but then I talked to the school nurse and she said, this is the way he's dealing with your son, trying to keep things tidy (unfortunately, I"m already overwhelmed with all of the other stuff and tidy car is hard even on my best day)
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • OP: Thanks for sharing. Made me smile. 7 hr 59 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • The fact that your dc understands the importance of using nice words and apologizing means you did a good job as a mom! 7 hr 52 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • OP: Wow... thank you for that perspective! Will apologize to him and praise him when I get home. Feels good to have a plan. 7 hr 45 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Look on the bright side, ds has learned and knows what to do in a situation like this. Rather than beat yourself up, why not turn it around and pat yourself on the back? You...(more) 7 hr 46 min ago
      learned a lesson and ds stepped up. I understand why you're upset, but give yourself a break :)
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • OP: Thank you... you guys are great. Feel much better. 7 hr 44 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • On the upside, it's great your child knows it's better to use nice words. My dc has "caught" dh and i arguing and i have had to apologize and tell him he is right, i was not going...(more) 7 hr 36 min ago
      about it correctly and that i would try harder next time... modeling opportunity....
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • OP: + 1 BIG LIKE. 7 hr 17 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • you should actually feel like the BEST mom at the moment. You are raising a thoughtful kind kid. Give yourself TONS of creadit for this. Your kid rocks! He (or she) did not...(more) 4 hr 3 min ago
      cry, the child told him what you needed to do, and this is appropriate behavior.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  22. Special Needs Trying to get DOE to pay for services in a placement...(more) 8 hr 14 min ago (6 replies)
    that is not a school but offers educational services. Interested if anyone has had any success? Very complicated situation and it is temporary. Interested in both NY or NJ
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • are you in NJ 8 hr 12 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • yes 8 hr 10 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • NJ is good for that but you probably need an educational advocate if you don' t have one. Also, the state has services you might be able to receive if deemed necessary. 8 hr 7 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Yes I am worried about side effects Dr said it is temporary to help kid learn how to deal. 8 hr 11 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • sorry wrong post 8 hr 10 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I'd need more info on the situation. I have helped get services for kids in nj (at their home) until the school situation gets worked out. Most that I helped with have been due...(more) 4 hr 7 min ago
      to school refusal so we get temporary services until we find a private school and get that worked out.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  23. Special Needs Anyone have an LD kid in a public school with a lot of...(more) 14 hr 54 min ago (11 replies)
    supports (extra help, speech, modified work, some special classes)? Do the gen ed kids ostracize the kids who have IEPs and special classes? Trying to decide between SN school or public school with lots of support. SN school very far away and only 12 kids/grade with a variety of needs. Seems like making friends a problem either way -LD dc very social.
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I think that the answers to this would be very individual based on the particular school. I've never seen this in our NYC public. 10 hr 7 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I've got an AS kid in public with a ton of supports (no real choice, we got shut out of nps and ASD Nest). It's working well enough, and he has a few decent friends in his class. 9 hr 53 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • np: glad it's working out for you! Did they even give you a reason for the shut outs? 9 hr 42 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • We didn't know we had a need until around December, no clear dx until Feb. A lot of schools filled the class before getting to our app, and many just felt they couldn't handle a...(more) 8 hr 41 min ago
          kid who was academically advanced with needs typical of an ASD kid.
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • just surprised NEST would reject a kid with this profile 3 hr 8 min ago
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • He was ironically rejected for behavior that is pretty typical of AS, and supposedly because he currently has a para and "they don't do paras". Duh, he has a para because he's in...(more) 3 hr 4 min ago
              a 30:1 class, which wouldn't be an issue in ASD Nest.
              log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Depends what the LD's are and where you are and how they support him. My DS was in NYC small public from K through 2nd (2 times) and though extremely social with tons of friends...(more) 8 hr 57 min ago
      he was failing academically even with all the supports. And it eventually made him feel different that he could not do what his friends were doing. He felt stupid and now and again made to feel that way by other kids. They knew he repeated 2nd grade. Anyway we made the move to private this year and he could not be happier. All the kids are like him. They are very social but also have LD's. He has tons of friends there and at his old school still. He is finally doing well and doesn't feel stupid. So my answer really again is it depends on where you are and how the school deals with the LD's. My DS needed a smaller class with specialized instruction and to be with kids like him.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • where is he now? can you say? 4 hr 48 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • it depends on hte kid and the school, but as you get into middle school , yes it is hard if you are isolated part of the day 8 hr 41 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • We go to a very good public school. I have a dc with adhd and no other LD who is academically advanced....(more) 2 hr 6 min ago
      with LD like dyslexia they put in Special Ed with kids with a wide variety of issues. If my dc had a languaged based LD I would apply to Special Needs schools that have more tools to help my child.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  24. Special Needs If you have a kid who is extremely mild ASD, how would you describe them when it comes to their social, emotional, behavioral, fine motor traits? 16 hr 42 min ago (14 replies)
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • ^^^ I ask because I wonder about my own ds. Language processing issues and attention difficulty - often takes an extra beat to answer a question. Seems emotionlly overreactive at...(more) 16 hr 37 min ago
      times, can be anxious when things don't go right (if he cant follow a command properly he can get quite upset). Seems typical when in a group of peers. Excellent eye contact, great pretend play, good give and take, etc. but when adults ask him questions he freezes up, eye contact not good at all, teachers note difficulty paying attention and poor handwriting. What does this all sound like?
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • ADHD 16 hr 30 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • That's his current dx (he's turning six so still young) but it is hard for me to understand how it differs from HF ASD. 16 hr 28 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • There's a lot of symptom overlap between the two conditions. They can also be comorbid. A good neuropsych can suss out the distinction, but I find that school personnel and...(more) 10 hr 11 min ago
            regular psychs often can't and urge towards the ADHD label in all cases.
            log in or sign up to post a comment
          • NP: have you done a Neuropsych eval yet? Try doing the theory of mind test on DC to see if his/her empathy is developed. That should give you a greater sense of whether you 're...(more) 7 hr 8 min ago
            looking at ADHD or ASD. Also - I'd certainly want to know sooner than later or you might get false DX ADHD and pill happy doc who wants to put your DC on ritalin etc. Often ADHD meds are poorly suited to ASD kids and actually give them greater anxiety so that's one to keep in mind as you move forward in your discovery
            log in or sign up to post a comment
            • This. Happened to us, ADHD meds actually made symptoms worse. Luckily, it was no more than a couple of months before we figured out it was really ASD. 4 hr 48 min ago
              log in or sign up to post a comment
      • pushing too hard for a dx. Treat what you see. 16 hr 28 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • I don't want a dx - trust me. And I have one - ADHD - but I jut get a feeling sometimes that ASD is a possibility. We treat with ST and OT currently. 16 hr 27 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
          • You are like us. We heard ADHD possibility for a long time but just felt that wasn't the right DX. Finally learned ASD at age 10....(more) 7 hr 7 min ago
            Now we provide very light (some would say only as good as placebo med) for anxiety.
            log in or sign up to post a comment
      • I'm not hearing even mild ASD. Id still want to see some rigidity in his thinking or behavior even if it isnt obsessive interests and there should be some awkwardness socially-...(more) 16 hr 25 min ago
        missing a beat in synchrony, not getting the underlying social message, not grasping perspective fully
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • Op: I don't really see that. He will however get upset sometimes if someone doesn't play what he wants to play, but I guess that is all kids. 16 hr 23 min ago
          log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I have two: one mild ASD and one with .... stuff (multiple evaluations, no clea cut).. 16 hr 26 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Can he really truly take the perspective of other people, understand that they have their own agendas, that other people don't necessarily know what he knows, that they are not...(more) 16 hr 8 min ago
      interested in what he's interested in? Does he seem to get it if he's talking to someone about a topic and the other person really isn't interested - he's not compelled to keep talking about it even after he sees that his conversational partner has checked out?
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • This sounds SO much like my dd, who doesn't have a diagnosis yet. 4 hr 33 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
  25. Special Needs Parents with PDD-NOS kiddos...how do you do with playdates for them? Are you open about their Dx? does that help? (0 replies) 17 hr 33 min ago (9 replies)
    permalink | log in or sign up to post a comment
    • Well, pretty much our entire social circle has always been other SN kids so yes and it has never mattered. The playdates are not very effective unless there's someone very...(more) 17 hr 32 min ago
      talented helping out, of course!
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • it;s an epidemic. where do you liev? 17 hr 21 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
        • NYC, and since dc went to SN preschool and SN elementary school we've stuck to our SN friend circle mostly because those are the families we've been surrounded by all these years....(more) 17 hr 19 min ago
          The parents get it and the kids also have their own issues so everyone is on the same page.
          log in or sign up to post a comment
    • We only started doing play dates very recently 3 yrs, 3 mos. I keep them short. We do a mix of friends, some also pdd and some nt. I don't share anything I don't want to. 17 hr 20 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • I usually just tell the other parent that my DC has some self-directed behavior so I stick around on playdates just in case DC gets stuck. 10 hr 6 min ago
      log in or sign up to post a comment
    • First of all, it's all ASD now. I have a PDD kid, but I started saying ASD a long time ago. It took a couple of months after dx to get there, but it's nothing to be ashamed of...(more) 7 hr 43 min ago
      (at first, I really clung to that PDD-NOS dx, though!) I am very open about it. If people have a problem, I don't want to be around them. Honestly, I think awareness is good and generally makes others a little more patient with ds. (usually ds is the less-problematic one - doesn't take other kids toys, doesn't hit, etc.)
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • Im not there yet :( 6 hr 57 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
    • People assume ds's ABA therapist is his nanny. She picks him up from school and takes him on play dates like the other children at his mainstream school. The other nannies will...(more) 5 hr 47 min ago
      call her for play dates and vice versa.
      log in or sign up to post a comment
      • My ABA therapist says she isnt allowed to take DC alone without nanny 5 hr 17 min ago
        log in or sign up to post a comment
next page »