Today was one of those days where you go from one obligation to the next. It started as my usual morning, get the kids ready to go out the door. Only today I had to get myself dressed in my National Guard uniform so I could go spend the day at the armory.
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Thankfully John was home so I didn't have to take the babies anywhere. I dropped all the kids off at school, went to the armory and started making phone calls. I got Larissa and I doctor appointments, talked to the principal of the school where I am going to go do observations at on next Monday and talked with Larissa's teacher.
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I called her teacher to see how she was doing. At home she is always go, go , go and it has gotten worse lately. OK, she is driving me crazy! I didn't assume she was doing the same at school because of her selective mutism. Her anxiety is just too high to act out in any way at school.
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Her teacher told me that Larissa will talk to her peers and reply to questions from adults. The fact that she will even reply to adults is a huge step for her. However she still will not initiate any conversation with adults.
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Her teacher told me that the other day in the cafeteria Larissa found a fork on the floor and picked it up. She went up to the assistant and stood there. The assistant was waiting to see if Larissa would talk to her, tell her something. She wouldn't. Larissa ended up walking away and putting the fork back on the floor where she found it.
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OK, why tell me this? It made me sad. Sad that once the assistant realized that Larissa couldn't initiate a conversation that she didn't ask her a question. I have the impression that they think she wouldn't. No, she couldn't. There is a big difference. It breaks my heart that Larissa was standing there wanting to tell her something and couldn't, then she didn't get a prompt to help her.....so she put the fork back on the ground. Ugh....
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So, I got to spend the rest of the day thinking about my kid and worrying. How will it be next year when there are 25 kids in class, many of them being a nuisance. Larissa will be forgotten. She will be quiet and not a problem. Ugh....I worry.
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I left the armory just in time to go pick the kids up from school and head home to change. The baby saw me and wanted a cuddle. However, she wasn't happy with just a little cuddle. Every time I tried to put her back in John's lap she cried. But, it did feel good to have her melt into me when I cuddled with her.
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After I changed I got to head to town to go to class. Tonight is my autism class and we had a guest speaker talk about visual aids. It was actually very informative. Although it was geared towards children with autism, I can see how I can adapt something for Anthony. I have some thoughts about that and think I will try to make him a visual aid this Christmas break.
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I got home by 8 pm and had some chocolate and have been surfing the web. I really shouldn't. I finished one of my big papers yesterday but have another big paper I should be working on. I think I will start on it tomorrow.
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I am thinking of making a Santa ornament too.... and I am still working on the playhouse. I also got an interesting call from adoptions. Very interesting. If something comes of it I will have to write about it. For now it is just something else for me to fret about.
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Well, I am going to bed and read some gossip rags. Seems like such a luxury.
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Nite all
That's sad about Larissa. And you're right that she'll get overlooked since she's quiet.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me angry every time I think about Ty not being diagnosed with aspergers until age 15 because the windows of opportunity for help were already closed. And it's not like I asked every doctor and teacher and the insurance company about it since he was age 4.