Young Autism Mommy Update

A week or so ago, I wrote about a Young Autism Mommy who called me by mistake.  I met her and her ADORABLE Little Boy last Monday at the local McDonald’s playland. Her Little Boy was a very *busy*, very *active* very *typical* of many an almost-four-year-old. And yes, I could tell he had autism just by looking at him. No real eye contact. No real communication other than taking his Mommy’s hand to show her what he wanted.  Some communication is better than none but it still is very stereo-typical of many people with autism.

All Young Autism Mommy wants is to feel respected at her IEP meeting and wants to know what to expect. She feels she was blind-sided a bit when, after the Case Study was finished, she had her first IEP meeting. When she was told she had to sign it before anything could be implemented (not true….you can initial the items you approve of and not initial things in dispute and then sign the new, REVISED document after the revisions. An IEP can be revised at any time during the school year as long as BOTH the school and parents agree to the revisions), she signed against her better judgement.

Her IEP Meeting is the week after Mother’s Day. We’ll go out for coffee the week before so we can go through what needs to happen this time. I’ll suggest to her speech therapy and OT total minutes per week for a half day program.  I’ll also strongly suggest the district hire an autism consultant to help get the most out of what is available in the district.  And since I know *where the bodies are buried* in her district, so to speak, I can honestly say this district has hired an autism consultant in the past–ten years ago, to be exact–because I am the one they called for referrals. School Districts just love precedent!  Ho-boy, this is gonna be fun!

Every month is Autism Awareness Month at our house!