Remember that post where I talked about the T-shirt? The one about autistic kids rock?

[conuly]

Yeah. I've just now realized the *other* reason the complaints against it irritated me.

"Oh, my autistic kid doesn't rock, nor spin, it's such a stereotype, etc, etc, etc"

*taps foot*

Here's the thing. Many autistic people do rock. And guess what? SO DO NTS. Cradles? Rocking chairs? Swings, rocking horses, see-saws, rock-a-bye expletive baby? Rocking is something NTs do all the time.

And they spin, too! They pick their kids up and twirl all around, holding them by the waist or the hands or a hand and a foot. And then kids and adults clamber to go on carosels, and merry-go-rounds. Sit-n-spins weren't invented just to cater to autistic kids, after all.

And yes, non-autistics spin objects, too - spinning tops and dreidel-dreidel-dreidel-I-made-you-out-of-clay and pinwheels and spirographs....

So this is a bad thing why exactly?

Autistic kids rock. So do all kids. It's what they do.

(And before you tell me that the difference is in degree, I *know*. That's not the point.)

I have another rant on playing coming right up.

Comments

[conuly]

Well, he's still the same kid he was already. So you don't have to view things as problems unless they are, do you?

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

He's not the same kid which IS the current problem but what I mean is I don't want him put on a track that won't give him freedom and choices.

I don't want him denied access to programs because they think he can't handle them because he is getting any sort of services. I don't want him treated for things he doesn't have, or have them project problems onto what may be something ok.

Say it turns out to be something that just needs a speech therapist. He goes in nursery, goes in pre-k, and then they evaluate him for gifted program. But he's getting speech help, so they judge him based on that, there is no way he could be gifted because he needs help for something -- or even the teachers treating him as less intelligent because he gets that help. Now imagine he doesnt really NEED the help but they assign it to him because they get money for it, or he's just borderline and they don't want to 'graduate' him from a program because they get something out of it -- will this hold him back academically at all?

I want him to have as many opportunities as any other kid, and I am concerned with the way the board of education labels and pigeonholes children, so an unnecessary label would hinder him (even a necessary one would).

Hell I see the doors closed just because Finbar ISNT gifted! And I see obviously gifted kids not getting into the program because of a test and bored shitless.

So staying on top of things, from my gifted, to my 'regular' to my possible special needs kid is a priority, for each of them. It's just that each label causes its own unique set of problems and with Ted it looks like there is one hell of a learning curve...the more I talk to other parents that I know, the more I'm leaning towards him getting diagnosed (?) as autistic, of what kind or extent I don't know yet.

But the label doesnt matter, the opportunities and his happiness do.

[conuly]

I was in speech classes (which really sucked, and were badly run after my first teacher went away), and also the gifted program. That's what IEPs are for.

I'm not going to lie and say that getting a diagnosis can't cause its own problems, but it's not a definite problem in and of itself.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Well I'm not going to ignore getting a diagnosis, of course, I just have seen where kids were given things just to keep programs (like Early Intervention) going and know some parents who really try to get their kids in it, mostly for the break/free daycare it gets. I've had parents ADMIT that! "Oh I dont think there is that much wrong with my kid but it's fantastic, they pick her up, take her for a few hours and send her back and its FREE."

I was just looking into a recommended place, Thursday's Child, but it appears that it is early intervention only. My MIL may have info on where to get him evaluated, too, because it's part of her job, finding services for children. (Step MIL, the sane one, not the nuts one in Iowa.)