Loving & living with a special needs child

4.3.2001

i couldn't make the appointment ~ first day opf classes. however, it also broke krustav's routine and he was quite loud in his humming tonight. some days i worry about him being out of touch with the real world. he stims and he'll watch tv or play on the play station, but true interaction is not common nor sustained. when i did that language paper for my language acquisition class last quarter, the instructor pointed out that he uses very little expressive langusge. i know being more separated from the rest f the world, not being social, is an autistic trait, but i can't help worrying about it.

on a side note, i have decided to drop my psych minor. i have pretty much taken everything i can that applies directly to kristav and think at this point i need to focus on getting through school so i can put all the kids in a better environment than where we are now. while i have further to go in the communications minor, i feel that may actually help me in my english teaching. dropping psych will reduce my school time by a quarter. we all just need to move on now to a better lifestyle over all. and while i know those changes will have their usual affects on kristav, i also know it will be better for him over all to be in a neighborhood that's safe, maybe in a house with a fenced in backyard, with a better diet than we can afford now and all that good stuff.

4.2.2001

Yesterday, meaning Sunday, I took the kids to church. I do this every Sunday, because their spiritual growth is important to me. When it was time to leave, I went first to Kristav's Sunday School class. Kristav, in school, is in the 2nd grade Special Ed. He probably should be with other 8 year olds in church; however, he feels more comfortable with the kindergarteners. Well, I went to pick him up, and I saw something that--well--saddened me somewhat. All the children were at the table, doing whatever they were doing--except Kristav. He was by himself, self-stimming, twirling a toy egg-beater and humming as he does. When I called him, he got his jacket, and then attempted to wrap it around the toy he was spinning. I had him return the toy; I didn't just fall off the turnip truck, y'know--I was pushed! I shouldn't really chastise his Sunday School teacher for this. After all, if Kristav suddenly cops an attitude on them, he can be a handful. While we are trying to limit his self-stimming, sometimes it can be the lesser of two evils. Better that, than a full-blown temper tantrum. Thank God, he hasn't had many of those lately.
This morning, I take him to see his doctor. Maybe she'll change his medication, although the Ritalin appears to be working fine. Domynoe, if you read this, I'd like you to come with me.

posted by dad on 4:19:32 AM | note me

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