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Introduction

Novemeber 17, 2004~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, it’s been a very long time since I have written anything for this diary. Let’s see if I can remember what I wanted to write.

I told you about Jonnie’s summer activities last time and promised to mention Joshua’s the next. Even though it is now almost winter, I think that it is still relevant to this diary and so I intend to include it. Before I start on that subject though, I want to update you in regards to an unexpected consequence of Jonnie’s summer activities.

Sensory Integration Disorder

Many parents of special needs children are learning about sensory integration disorder. I am one of those parents. Before autism entered my life, I never knew this disorder existed; now it is a daily part of my life. Both of my special boys have this to differing degrees and it affects them both differently.

While Joshua had been receiving specialized OT that included activities that targeted a ‘sensory diet,’ I was informed that Jonathan’s sensory needs were not severe enough to affect his education and therefore fell outside of the realm of the school district. I accepted their statement as any ignorant parent would, figuring the establishment knows best.

But our summer was full of sensory activities. Summarizing them from my last entry, Jonnie swam every day for 10 weeks as well as played basketball and soccer. We were on the go constantly and we had a great time but I had no idea how much benefit this would end up having for him educationally. That’s right, soccer camp and swimming lessons had a huge academic payoff.

Jonnie’s sensory integration issues tend to manifest themselves in the fact that he doesn’t ever sit on his chair on both buttocks at the same time. He is almost incapable of holding his pencil correctly (in his left hand—he is left handed) and he cannot tolerate elastic at his ankles or wrists to the point of pushing up his jacket sleeves or sweat pants even in the coldest weather. He will wear long sleeves in the summer and shorts in the winter and he still covers his ears and hides from the vacuum noise. He has a hard time with chicken or potatoes prepared certain ways because of the texture of the food. None of this, of course, seems logically connected to reading, writing, and arithmetic. Evidently, the connection is quite strong.

Last year, in the third grade, I was still struggling trying to get Jonnie to memorize his addition facts. We tried tricks, songs, manipulatives, flash cards and videos to no avail. I moved him along in his math concepts and he was able to master those, but everything was slowed considerably by the fact that he could not add 7 and 8 in his head in under three minutes. I refused to allow him to count on his fingers, knowing that once a habit like that was established, it would be near impossible to break.

And, while we had come a very long way last year in his reading progress, it was difficult for him to write a paragraph. He had trouble copying three sentences he had dictated to his teacher and his stories wandered from topic to topic even when dictating. His RSP was discussing a possible visual motor problem and I was wondering if he would ever not struggle in school. After all, unlike Joshua (with his severe autism), Jonathan appears so normal outwardly and holds so much potential intelligence and promise for a bright future.

We did nothing educational over the summer. I needed a break, they needed a break, and our schedule was far too busy anyway. So, imagine my surprise when, upon the first week of a new school year, I discovered that Jonathan had made leaps and bounds in his ability to learn. Having tested the last month of the prior school year in the seventh percentile in recollection of math facts, he was learning his multiplication facts at an alarming rate. We’d cover 6’s on Tues and by Fri he was able to recall his facts w/in 5 seconds, usually w/o skip counting.

I gave him an assignment involving writing a story after we had done a web diagram with details of the character the story was to be about and he came back with ¾ of a page. The organization of the sentences still needed improvement, but the sheer amount of information he was able to put down on paper was completely shocking. And while out of order or needing some connecting phrases, all the sentences were about the topic at hand.

And that wasn’t all. The same child who could not go one day without misplacing a book or a paper was able to, after being shown how, keep his binder in a state of organization. He has a tab for work that needs to be done, a tab for work that has been done, a tab for homework helps, and a tab for things he wants to keep long term in his binder. AND HIS PAPERS ARE NOW FOUND UNDER THE CORRECT TABS! Not only that, but they are usually no longer ripped out, torn, nor are they smudged all over.

I showed him how to have an answer column for his math paper work and to put his “scratch work” in order on the page, and his work is coming in with an answer column and all his work numbered and in order. From completely illegible papers, he now turns in work that any kid could show off with pride. He still occasionally misplaces a book, but now it is rarer and usually with good cause (such as having taking it some where and not putting it away when he returned home.) But that isn’t all.

He was incapable last year of taking out the trash without being redirected back to the task several times. He’d start to gather trash off the counter and table after a meal, get distracted and walk away. We’d have to redirect him back to the trash. Repeat several times and the trash is finally all gathered. Then he was supposed to take out the bag and tie it off and take it outside. This also was likely to be interrupted at least once. Then, upon returning, he would never remember to reline the trash and wash his hands. Both of these steps required at least one redirection each. Often, it would take two or three to get the trash lined. To say this was frustrating is an understatement.

Skip ahead to after 10 weeks in the pool. We have a different kid. He is able to manage his own time. I allow for an hour of video game playing if he gets his homework done every day and all of his chores. In the past he could not complete the tasks even with such a motivation. But suddenly he is not only able to do so if he is hounded, but he no longer needs to be hounded. Finding himself with a few free minutes, he remembers his math he has not finished, and sets to work on it himself. He completes it despite it being twice as much as he was assigned just a few months prior and, to my complete shock, he does it neatly and correctly. Last year, half of his problems would come in incorrect; now he hands in a paper with only one or two mistakes.

The change is shocking. It covers every area of his life. I ask him to take on a new task while his sister is gone of vacation and he figures out how to do it and does it as well as she does. I don’t even have to show him. I add chores to his list and he accomplishes them, usually without being told.

I am not exaggerating in any way. The change is so very dramatic that I am now looking into getting my boys in a pool every morning. I have to find one that is indoors and I hope that it doesn’t take too long. You see, while I have no time to write about it right now, Joshua also made some tremendous connections from being in the pool most of the summer.

Guess whose kids are taking swimming lessons again next summer?

Best wishes,

Khy, loving mommy to 2 special boys and 3 other kiddos

(I have not reread this; I do not have time, so please excuse grammar, etc. not being perfect.)