What IS working?

[oliviapope]

I was hoping we could start a thread with what is working for your family. Hopefully we can all gain new ideas, or a fresh perspective on something. Anyone willing to share?


My 6 yr old has SPD and it took a long time to get a diagnosis. This has obviously affect behavior/reading/etc...

Currently we are doing Montessori (it goes through 8th grade-he is in first now) and it is a perfect fit.
We also have been doing MNRI or Masgutova Method for six months. It has made a tremendous difference. His reading has exploded, greatly reduced tantrums, he is able to ride a bike, score goals in soccer, etc. Last week his teacher said he just seems so happy and at peace with himself. So far this combo has been a magic bullet for us. However, we have slowed the impulse stuff, but still working on it for sure.

Anyone else? Diagnosis and treatment/supportive measures?

[craftyone]

We just started Sensory integrated OT and speech that follows. I hope it gives us insight to help my son with his sensory issues, which I feel hinder his learning.

We continue with ABA therapy at home 10 hrs a week. Plus ABA based (almost 1 to 1) preschool with inclusion of NT peers. Reports from his school tell me that he is learning his classmates names and ,while is is a start, will come up to other kids and try to join in together.

It is very slow going for my son since he is moderate on the spectrum, but I don't see any regression.

[ktzmoh]

My 7 year old has ASD (Aspergers before there was no aspergers) and ADHD.

For us Montessori was hit or miss. We had an incredible Montessori preschool that was so good for him, and we had a Montessori Kindergarten that was horrific and started a downward spiral that took a year to dig out from.

For us Intuniv has been very successful in reducing the impulsive behavior and addressing some of the ADHD. Also incredibly successful has been the ABA based interventions at school through his IEP (implemented through his classroom aid, teacher, services coordinator and speech therapist). We do incremental rewards and praise at home for good choices and progress toward bigger goals. Also, transitions are hard so we give lots of notice: 5 minutes left, 2 minutes left etc.

Approaches that have worked for bedtime include guaranteed downtime in his bed alone to draw, which he really loves and I think helps him process some of his thoughts. We give him however many minutes to draw, and then he gets bonus minutes to draw after that depending on how the teeth brushing/bath/bedtime routine goes.

We find that he responds really well to factual information when we need to compel him to do something he's not inclined to do - like eat his dinner. We give him information about how food fuels his body, how his body processes the food into energy and how different kinds of foods are important to grow and build strong bodies. he likes to know what nutrients different foods have. He would never eat a tomato if we didn't tell him that lycopene is good for his body. This also works with homework, we tell him how repetition helps his brain build memory etc. I think it helps him to understand that things are not so arbitrary as they seem KWIM?

What else has worked... hmmm. Staying very consistent about rules helps tremendously. And yet we do try to stay flexible - rigidity is a recipe for disaster with him. So he knows he has to eat all of his dinner, but we might let him get up and run a lap around the 'race track' every five bites or something like that. Does that make sense?

IDK - we are evolving still on how we approach him. His temper seems to be creeping back up, so we need to figure out ways to better address that frustration and anger management.

[auntie]

DS has an Aspergers, ADHD, dyslexia and GAD dx.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy- ASD/GAD
Cognitive Social Intergration Therapy- ASD
Social Thinking- ASD/ADHD
Orton Gillingham- dyslexia
Meds- GAD/ADHD

We didn't do a whole lot of "explaining why". IME, that strategy exacerbated DS's tendency to see himself as an "equal to" an adult and a lot of pointless debating. As always, YMMV.

Since these are behaviors and attitudes that can undermine success in the classroom or workplace. Getting to a point where he could be compliant because it was expected is a big part of why he's successful as a college student and employed. With the rate of full time employment for adult with Aspergers at a mere 15%, this was something DS's psychologist was very focused on.