Autism Day Treatment Program: Day 1

Well, we made it throught the first day. That's always the hardest, right!? Lowell has been getting up by 5 am every morning for months, so it concerned me how he was going to make it until 12:30 pm when the program ends for the day. Today he was up and at it at 4:30 am. He was fine until about 7:30 am when I think he realized that he got up too early:)

We got to class at 8:30 am and he wanted no part of staying in the classroom. He bolted for the hallway and didn't want to come back in. It escalated and needless to say he was getting pretty riled up. We tried getting him into some of his favorite things, puzzles, books, etc. but nothing was working. He kept grabbing my arm and wanting me to leave with him. Poor little guy! We decided it would just be best for me to leave.

I wasn't sure what kind of report I would get when I came to pick him up at noon. I ran into the speech therapist and OT in the hallway and they said he did great. Yippie! I then spoke with one of the main teachers and she said he settled down nicely and had a great morning. What a relief! Here is his progress report for today:

What I did really well today: puzzles, joined in with other kids in the sensory table and with bubbles.

What was fun about today: playing in the gym, rolling down the mat, building with blocks, puzzles. Loved pull tubes and played reciprocally with them.

My mood was: very good after the first 10-15 min:)

Anything else important? He did very well! Tired by end of morning. Tried verbalizing at times.

From Occupational Therapist: Wow, what a fun day! The kids had fun in the monkey room. They had opportunities to swing and "crash" into the big pillows. They all enjoyed exploring new toys. They transitioned well down to the gym and enjoyed having the space to explore and move their bodies.

From Speech Therapist: It was a great day! We all enjoyed singing and being silly. I'm focusing heavily on building trust with the children and assessing the toys and activities that motivate them. We are also very busy learning the visual schedule system to help transition times.

All in all, not a bad first day:) One of these days I will try to take some pictures of his room to post. Today just didn't seem like a good time to get out the camera. I also have to figure out how I'm going to bring Chloe in with me while I drop him off and pick him up. I am feeling great about the program. The communication with the teachers is fantastic! So glad it has begun:)