Discussing Autism

This year my son does not qualify for Extended School Year (ESY), as he did last year. Some of your children will and that, depending upon the school district, may be a very good thing.

For us, last year, it was something to pass his time and to fill his mornings. I don’t think that he learned anything new or that he progressed but he was able to keep a school schedule, continue to take a bus to school everyday, and maintain a some of what he had learned the year before. (more…)

Wait, so Autism is not the end of the world?

Since we adopted our son from Russia in the summer of 2005 we have struggled with him. From his fingertips to his toenails the child is a medical mystery and developmental mess. (more…)

Now that you know a little about Auditory Processing (and I say little because there is to much information out there that I have only scratched the surface) where do you go to get help?

Unfortunately, audiologists can not make a reliable diagnosis of Auditory Processing Disorder, or Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), until a child is seven (and it takes specialized testing) because of the way the neurological system develops. However, visual processing can be diagnosed early and a neurologist can determine if a child will or is having trouble processing auditory information.

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Last Christmas Grandma gave AJ PECS, the Picture Exchange Communication System from Pyramid Education Products. It worked well for a while, or until we figured out that the pictures we had were geared toward school instead of the home and to get more meant to buy more pictures.

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After Amy’s comment yesterday I promised to provide you more Gluten Free and Casein Free information.

Basically, how does one get started on the diet, where does one go, and what foods are best?
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When we went to visit our Pediatrician last week because AJ has bronchitis I asked her about the new Autism Screening and what she thought about it. Her response was that they had been doing it for years…so why come up with a new plan? (more…)

Not long ago I wrote about the new Toys R Us launch for the Differntly-Abled Kids and recently Julie over at Play Library wrote about it. Obviously, I am not a big fan. Why?
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The start of this summer, as many of you remember, was very difficult for us, as we were beginning our chelation with Pfeiffer Treatment Clinic. Little Pickel had an extremely difficult time with his initial toxin die-off and then again when we introduced the Nystatin, a yeast treatment it got even worse. We had days of constant, literally constant screaming.

However, his improvement this summer, has been dramatic. In fact, we are so enthusiastic about his progress that we are going to keep him on the chelation protocol for several more months because it is a vitamin and amino acid therapy and can do no harm to his system…only good. We realize that this can be costly to us but we see such a different kid and we love it.

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My Sister Site, My Two Boys, is doing a HUGE Signing Time Giveaway for the next five weeks. Signing Time, the leader in teaching children sign language, is giving away five products to My Two Boys to promote their new series, which launches September 17.

Head on over to check out the giveaway products.

If not, order directly through to get your free autographed copy and 10$ gift certificate.

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The original PECS are actually Pyramid Educational Products. It is a unique augmentative/ alternative training package that allows children and adults with autism and other communication deficits to initiate and develop functional communication.

The idea for PECS came from B.F. Skinner’s 1957 seminal publication, Verbal Behavior and teaches students to use pictures to communicate with people. ie: students find pictures of what they want and hand their communication partner the picture to indicate their wants and needs.

PECS moves from single pictures to the creation of phrases and sentences and reinforcement systems.

We use the original PECS system in our house just for schedules, especially when we are having a difficult time with transitions and routines. We purchased the Schedule Pictures and the Traveling Schedule Board. However, the Schedule Pecs are heavy on classroom pictures and I would recommend Pics for PECS 2007, which has pictures like Brush Teeth, zoo, I want, MY NAME IS (GOSH I WANT THIS ONE, draw, eat, cut, flush toilet (IS THERE “NO” AS WELL?)

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