Category: best buddies

Follow Up On Nicholas: A Good Week

I went to the school psychologist to follow up on the Best Buddy program. Nothing has been done. The psychologist said he did ask about it, but I have to fill out the application online. I asked if I could print out the application and give it to the program coordinator since I was there on campus. The answer was NO.

I have a problem with filling out information about my boys online. I don’t know where this information is going. This is private information, and I don’t want their identity compromised.
In the past couple of months I’ve already received solicitation calls for my two teens with autism. These are calls regarding college and taking the PSAT or SAT. I’ve asked these callers where they are getting my sons’ information from, and they refuse to tell me.
I conveyed this to the psychologist who said that is illegal. These callers must identify where they are getting the information. That doesn’t do me any good, and it only makes me more cautious as to filling out forms online.
We are at a stalemate.
The good side is that Nick seems to be holding his own for now. He’s talking a bit better. He seems more stable emotionally. So we continue to take one day at a time.

Nicholas: A Good Week

This week has been a good week. What a blessing! Makes me wonder if I was taking for granted all the other “good weeks” that we had…

A friend asked if “one of the boys has had a set back. I thought they were all doing so well.” Yes, the boys were all doing well. I am not sure why Nick is regressing, or seems to be regressing.

One suspicion I have is teenage turmoil. How hard is it for a teen without autism to maneuver high school and puberty? I recall tough times. I have seen Nick’s three older brothers, with and without autism, have tremendous struggles in transitions, friendships, and work loads.

Nick is a teen with autism. The autism effects his expressive and receptive language. Nick thinks in pictures, so his brain is firing like crazy to interpret speech and sound. Most kids his age may not have the patience to give Nick time to process what they say.

I brought up this issue at Nick’s IEP meeting about two weeks ago. His speech pathologist recommends a program called Best Buddies. The psychologist and case manager said that they’d sign him up. I haven’t heard anything so far, so tomorrow, Monday, I’ll be calling the school to see what the status is. In this program NT (neuro-typical) kids signs up to befriend special needs kids, and they meet the kids for several social outings.

I am hopeful that the Best Buddies will help Nick through this time. However, this is one small piece that may fit the “puzzle” of autism.

I still am trying to figure out if there are any other issues at hand, but here’s to Nick’s perseverance!

photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean-b/