Autism Treatment Center of America Forum

[sesp07]

Hi,

I have a teenage son who goes in streaks of responsiveness. He doesn't seem interested in the playroom. I have not been able to invest a lot of money into the playroom, to set it up with stuff. I have had plenty of ideas and props that are cheap, but they haven't worked, according to videos I've watched. He seems uninterested. I have set up forms. Those forms are not being filled out by my helper, she did her own, then stopped altogether. She is a paid employee who works with him, and has told me he doesn't respond at all in the room, that my son just watches her play. He doesn't start any play or talking in the room. She does it all. When I go in there to watch, it is the same way. I don't know if it's because I'm there or not. Now we decided he doesn't like it in the room, and is more responsive downstairs with all the other kids, or outside, which is true. He brightens up and talks about what he wants to, when he wants to. 3-4 loops are done on conversations he wants and where he wants to talk. He has always done that. Now, therapy has moved to my helper's house, because she lives across the street, and my husband doesn't like therapy being done around my other kids because they are to do homework, and my son is to do 1-1 therapy. He also does a lot of pacing and OCD stuff around the house. Therapy over at her house may or may not be around her children while they do homework, and he may do the same as here. Is this way going to get the same desired results?

Please help me figure out what's going on, and get back into a structured plan that I can calculate and measure progress, and know what's going on, so I can have 2 cents to put in. I feel a little hopeless.

thank you.

[BeckyDamgaard]

Hi There,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns. I would love to help. I have some questions for you that will help us to support you in the best way possible.

Have you been to The Son-Rise Program Start-Up?

What are your sons interests and motivations? What does he like to do when he's on his own or hanging out around the house?

Are you familiar with the Son-Rise Program Developmental Model?

Where did you set up your forms from?

I believe that having some phone consultation with a Son-Rise Program teacher would be extremely helpful to you. Please let me know the above answers and I will give you some suggestions to help your son right now.

With warmest regards,

Becky Damgaard (Son-Rise Program Teacher)