In January we met with the principle, the teacher, and three others from OLA's school. We discussed with them the various things we were seeing at home and at school. In particular we were talking about the battles with homework and difficulty in reading . Also staying on task to complete a project. I must say for the first time in our struggles we felt like and outside source took us seriously and were committed to helping us find some ways of helping OLA succeed. One of the greatest things to come of that meeting was a solution to the drawn out battles we were having over homework. It was decided that we would give OLA fifteen to twenty minutes a night to complete his homework - if during that time he became to combative or refused to comply - or if he completed only a portion then that would be the end of it for the night. We did not however want him to use it as an excuse not to be responsible for completing work, so any unfinished work would either be completed the next day at school ( and not during recess either - I could now have kissed his teacher for understanding his need for physical release of energy) or he could bring it home again that night and try again. ( This has worked well since some days he is less combative than others). He also began bringing home a sheet or two of uncompleted work and we send it back and forth until he is able to get it complete. This way he eventually stays got up - but with out all the extra stress to everyone. I also began being a scribe for him on some things , which relieved some of the stress that writing causes him.
We also began trying some other things during morning wake-up time to see if we could help make that transition less painful for all involved. Some things have worked some have not. It is still a work in progress. But the aggressive behaviors still continue - some days are better than others.
I also began an intense reading regime for me on all things that I could get my hands on (that I fell come from legitimate sources) to educate myself on FASD. And I began to try and educate those around us - family - BBA, dad, other select relatives; friends, people at our church, and a couple of his teachers at school. And I am beginning to grow a small library on FASD - with books, DVDs, and articles on this and related topics.
In February I began this blog - at first primarily as an outlet for me, but now my hopes are that eventually it will become part of the growing movement towards helping to educate other about FASD and the dangers of drinking when you are pregnant.
We are now down to the finale month of school. He is currently caught up on all his work and I have only had to sit with him at school twice in the last two and a half weeks. His teacher has moved him right up to the front of the classroom and right next to her desk (bless her again for this change - that seems to help him stay focused a little better).
We are also are now down to one week before we head to a hospital that has a department capable of making an official diagnosis and giving us some direction and resources to continue to aid him and our family. I can't tell you how excited we are - we are counting the days. I don't by any means think that this will win the war. However, I do think that we may win a battle or two in the war.
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