8 Great Gifts under $25 for Kids with Autism by HASBRO

While at LATISM, I had the opportunity to meet several brands - one of them being HASBRO.  I got to check out some of their toys and I instantly fell in love with the Play-Doh Diggin' Riggs Buster The Power Crane. (I knew that was a must have for The Boy. With Christmas and his 7th birthday coming up - it'll be a wonderful surprise for him.) However I was surprised to discover that many of the toys we have in our home were part of the HASBRO family.

When it comes to toys, we just can't buy anything - we need to make sure that The Boy can benefit from it. Play skills don't come naturally to many children with autism - it really needs to be taught. 

But there is no need to break the bank when buying gifts. So I'd thought I'd share some of our favorite HASBRO toys all under $25.00.

Playskool Sesame Street Bert & Ernie Figures - $5.99 
18 months - 4 years old
There are other great figures (Elmo, Big Bird, Grover, Cookie Monster etc.) but right now The Boy really loves his Bert & Ernie. They are the perfect size for small hands and great for imaginative play. We love recreating our favorite scenes and making up new dialogue. 

Memory Disney Princess Edition - $8.99 
Memory Game Match and Motor Speedway Disney Pixar Cars 2 Edition - $8.99
For 1 or more players - 3 years and up
We have been playing Memory games with The Boy since Early Intervention. We started off slowly, with 2 or 3 sets and as he got better - we increased the number of possible matches. It has helped with both concentration and turn taking skills.  

Don't Break the Ice - $8.99
2 to 4 players - 3 years and up
This is The Boy's favorite game! It's fantastic for fine motor skills - holding the mallet and setting up the game - and great for turn taking/socialization. The Boy loves when all the ice cubes fall - he doesn't care that it means he lost the game, he's just having fun. I have to admit, I really like playing this game too.  

Scatterpillar Scramble - $19.99 
2 to 4 players - 4 years and up (choking hazard - not for children under 3 years old)
The Boy's former Occupational Therapist used to play this game during her sessions. Holding the tongs helped his pincer grasp and eye/hand coordination.

Play-Doh Diggin' Riggs Buster The Power Crane - $21.99
3 years and up
Because what kid doesn't love Play-Doh? And for kids with autism and sensory processing disorder, Play-Doh is always the perfect gift. When I saw this at LATISM I knew that it had to be on The Boy's holiday list for sure. He loves Play-Doh and cranes - this is really the best of both worlds. Play-Doh addresses sensory needs, fine motor skills, strengthens hand muscles and encourages imaginative play.  When in doubt - anything Play-Doh is great gift.  

Gator Golf - $22.99 
1 to 2 players - 3 years and up
The Husband loves playing Gator Golf with The Boy. Gator Golf is not only fun for everyone but it also helps strengthen hand muscles and core, increases concentration and helps coordination.   

SIT’N SPIN - $24.99
18 months to 5.5 years old
I regret that I jumped on the SIT'N SPIN band wagon too late. I should have purchased this as soon as The Boy was diagnosed. It's a great toy for sensory seekers! Not only does the SIT'N SPIN encourage balance and coordination but it also strengthens core and hand muscles. 

Remember: when buying toys for kids with autism - try not to focus on the age. Think of where the child is developmentally. For example, even though The Boy will be 7 in January - there are many toys in that age category that are too advanced. So I look at toys that are within the 3 - 5 year old range.
    
*This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

I Sued The Department of Education and Won

I can easily recall all of my short comings and failures. But when asked of my accomplishments, I need to think.  They do not come as easily.

The stuff that I do for The Boy. I don't chalk that up to much. I don't do anything special.  I just do what needs to be done.

Then the other day I read a post by The Empress (Good Day, Regular People).  She called it "Hero Stories." She talked about one of my favorite movies and then shared a forgotten story about her son.  A day when she was his hero. 

I hadn't thought about this day in years, and it made me think of how we --how all of us out here -- have had moments of cape-wearing epicness where we toss aside our risk of injury to save another. (The Empress)

Then she asked her readers to share a time when we were heroes. 

And it reminded me of the time when I had to file for an Impartial Hearing.

If you recall, The Boy didn't have the best start to Kindergarten.  It sucked, actually.  I can say that now that he's out of that school. And he basically failed.  

When The Boy started kindergarten, there was no Occupational Therapist (OT) at the school.  Even though, the school principal and vice principal assured me there would be one.  Even though the program stated that the OT was a critical member of the team.

The Boy is a highly sensory seeking kind of kid. I never would have placed him in a school without an OT.  

By the second week of school, I was at odds with the school. They didn't like me and I didn't like them.  I asked too many questions and I had been told several times that I should "relax."  That's easy to say when it's not when it's not your kid.

I was paying out of pocket for private OT services - $150 per 60 minute session. The Boy's IEP mandate required 90 minutes per week.  

By mid October, the school was still without an OT  and I was running out of money.  So I asked the assistant principal to provide an RSA letter so that I didn't have to continue paying for services.  The assistant principal's response? "I've done all that I can do.  Call 311."

Three weeks, one meeting (with 8 people), five emails, seven phone calls and over $1,000 (amount of money spent on OT services) later - we received an RSA letter.

Fast forward to February.  The Boy's school situation was getting worse and I knew he couldn't go back for a second year. I was touring schools and scheduled a free consultation with a special education attorney.  When I told the attorney about paying out of pocket for OT services, she stated I could sue for reimbursement.

In my mind it didn't make sense to pay attorney fees for such a small claim.  So I filed for impartial hearing on my own. I filled out the forms, stated the facts and gathered my evidence.  I even wrote my opening statement for the hearing.

And on the day of the hearing, the Dept of Ed rep didn't even contest the claim. He knew the school was failing The Boy. 

And I won.  All my own* without any legal representation. (Remember, I am just a mom, I am not a: lawyer, professional advocate, special education teacher, psychologist, therapist (of any kind) or social worker.)

There is a lot of talk about special needs kids being bullied in school.  But parents have to deal with bullies too.  Department of Education bullies.  I believe The Boy's school tried to bully me.  They tried to bully me thinking I'd back down and pull him out.  The bullied me by saying I was the problem. They bullied me thinking I'd go away.  

I didn't. I fought back. I never gave up. I stood up for The Boy.  

The Boy's school failed to provide him with a Free Appropriate Public Education. I could have let it go.  I could have been happy with securing the RSA. But I couldn't. In the end, it wasn't so much about the money. It was the sheer principle.

And winning that case gave me the courage and confidence to keep fighting.  And by the end of the school year, I had no choice but to file for impartial hearing again so that I could get him out of the school.

And you know what?  I won that case too.  But that's a post for another day.

The Boy doesn't need to think I'm his hero.  He just needs to know that I believe in him enough to keep fighting like one.


*DISCLAIMER: I did consult with an attorney and Advocates for Children regarding the process. Do not take this post as legal advice. If you have an issue with your school and/or services, consult with an attorney or special education advocate immediately.

The IEP

For those of you not in the know - the IEP stands for the Individualized Education Plan.  The key word being I N D I V I D U A L I Z E D.

You see, when you have a kid with special needs, all of a sudden you become part of this team of therapists, special education teachers, social workers and psychologists.  This Special Education team that will discuss and determine the Individualized Education Plan for your child.    

However, the IEP meetings that I've walked into, I've always been made to feel as if I'm just there to sign the forms and be on my merry way.  And during more than one meeting, I've said - are we creating an Individualized Education Plan or a Generalized Education Plan?

Because when I've requested an additional speech session or OT at The Sensory Gym in addition to OT at school, they say "Generally, we provide...blah blah blah..."

Remember  - it's a dollar and cents game.       

Ever since The Boy's diagnosis in 2008, I've had to fight for services and fight to maintain.  And fight, I will.  Because if The Boy needs something.  You best be sure, I'm going to do my damnedest to get it.  And while I loved The Boy's progression.  I know that for every single step forward, the DOE (Dept of Education) is ready to take something away.  

I'm not a difficult person by nature.  I'm not confrontational or argumentative.  I'm a happy go lucky gal.  Super easy to get along with.  I can make friends with anyone.  But when it comes to The Boy?  And what he needs?  I will fight.  Because it's for him.  Isn't that my job?  As his mother.  

And I'm not making this IEP stuff up. It's the law.  BY LAW - The Boy is entitled to FAPE guaranteed by IDEA.  (for those of you not in the know - FAPE stands for Free and Appropriate Education and IDEA stands for Individuals with Disabilities Act).  

Okay - enough alphabet soup and back to the IEP and the point of this post. 

Lizbeth of Four Sea Stars wrote a great post, Anatomy of Classroom Desk where she  posted a photo of her son, Alex and all this stuff around his desk - to make his day easier.  And it's on his IEP. 

When I saw it, I said to myself - damn, why didn't I do any of that?  Oh well, the upside to IEPs is that they can get revised at any time.

And Lizbeth's posted prompted THIS IEP MEME.    

So, I here I go.  

My last IEP meeting was a joke...But if you're up for a laugh.  Because sometimes you just have to laugh.  You can read it here.

1. There are no tools on The Boy's IEP.  None.  I provided the school with a squishy pad to sit on.  I provide boxes of gum and squishy toys.  Do they understand why he needs these things? Do they use it?  Does it work?  I have no idea.  I've been pushed out of the loop of communication.  The Boy's OT suggested headphones to help The Boy cope but since I don't know whether or not they will use it during the day - I haven't bothered to purchase them.  The Boy's class does have a visual schedule posted but I'm not sure if he has one on his desk.

The Boy does have a BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan).  But I'm not really going there with that one and again - I'm out of the loop.   

2. The Boy receives Speech 3x30; OT 3x30 and PT 1x30.  The Boy attends a "regular" public school but is in a "specialized" class for children specifically with autism.  It's a 6:1:2.  (The Boy also has 8 hours of ABA at home.  This is not on the IEP - we pay for this privately.) 

3. Since The Boy has started kindergarten at this school, I have seen progress.  However I'm not completely convinced it's due to his school placement or services.  I'm not convinced of their effectiveness. 

The speech therapist is really nice, very enthusiastic - which is great to see.  However, she is doesn't have a background in autism - she's learning.  And The Boy's services are in a group of 3 - he needs to have at least 1 individual session.  The speech therapist recommended this too.  But since she's the only one for the entire school, she does not have room in her schedule to provide a one on one session. 

As for OT - The Boy was not provided with OT services at school for the first few months.  The school did not have an OT.  (I was paying for OT sessions privately) When I requested an RSA letter, I was initially told to call 311.  We finally have an RSA and we have a fabulous OT.  And I am certain that she is effective when working with The Boy.        

What I do find most effective is not on the IEP - is the BCBA/ABA therapists that come to our home.  We pay for this privately but it's worth the sacrifice and I'm fortunate to have really good insurance.

    

the LITTLE things are a BIG deal [#1]

I wanted to kick off my first blog post of 2012 with something special: my very own blog meme.  For more information click HERE.  Please note, you do not have to be a special needs parent to link up.  AutismWonderland is a community.  And I want to celebrate your every day wonderful moments with you.

*

The Boy runs to me, iPad clutched in both hands.  He is smiling.  It's a dimpled smile, baby teeth showing.  And his eyes are bright and blinking rapidly with excitement. I know he's done something that he wants to show me.  

But still I remind him to walk.  And then I bring him back to where he started from, asking him to walk to me.  I know he wants to run.  But he walks, one foot in front of the other, across the room to where I am.  The way he is walking, I can tell he's telling himself to walk, walk, walk; walk, walk, walk.  The Boy is still smiling.  Looking down at the iPad and then back at me.  His arms and shoulders are wiggly.

"Look Mommy."  He shoves the iPad in my face, almost too close for me to see.  It's just a blur of colors.  And I have to hold it out.

The Boy stands in front of me.  Still smiling.  Body still twitching and wiggling.  He's waiting for me to say it. 

"Wow!  This is great!  Good Job."  I hold up my hand, and The Boy slaps me five.

What's the big deal about this picture?  Not only did The Boy color within the lines but he was proud to show me that he did a good job. 

The Boy has been doing a lot of coloring and drawing lately.  He wants to do it.  He will sit still and focus and really concentrate to stay in the lines.  Some days are harder than others.  But he's getting so much better.   Every day, with every he gets so much better.

And there was a time, not so long ago, when The Boy couldn't hold a crayon at all.  And I had to sit with him, my hand over his.  He used to cry and switch hands.  Because he lacked the hand strength to hold a crayon or pencil for more than a few minutes.  And when he learned to hold the crayon, he was looking everywhere else except the piece of paper.

Handwriting and coloring is still difficult for The Boy.  We still struggle through our homework.  But his interest is improving.  He asks to color and write and erase.  He wants to cut out pictures he's colored and loves to show off his work.   And he feels good when I praise him.  And when he feels good, I feel good. 

But the best thing and biggest deal about this picture is that it shows how hard he tries.

What Autism Insurance Reform Means To Us

In case you haven't heard, Governor Cuomo signed the one of nation’s strongest autism insurance reform measures into law. 

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

It's about time.  Because autism ain't cheap.  And for a family like ours, it is a huge relief.  HUGE.  

Ever since September, we've been paying for Occupational Therapy for The Boy.  When The Boy was in CPSE and the DOE was paying for it, we had 2 hours of OT at the Sensory Gym.  Now that we're paying for it, we can only manage 1 hour a week. 

The going rate for an hour at a Sensory Gym = $175/hour.  That's $1,400 so far.  

We've also started with a private homebased ABA therapist.  I haven't even gotten that bill yet.  I'm trying not to think about it right now.  

Did I mention we want to start the theraputic listening?  Yeah, that's about $300 to start.

I don't think I've felt the financial burden until most recently.  Up until now, we've been able to manage.  I mean, last year was tough for us financially but we squeaked by.  But at some point, money runs out.

That's where we are. 

I hate that the phone rings constantly.  I hate that I have to check the caller ID before picking up because I'm hiding from some collection agency.  (I hate hiding the phone from The Boy because he's just discovered the "talk" button and likes to answer the phone when it rings.)  But it's for a $1000 medical bill that I just can't pay, not right now. Should I pay $1000 for the baby I lost when that money could help The Boy? And I really hate that it's a decision I have to make.

For the last few weeks, I've been thinking: how are we going to continue paying for the Sensory Gym and the ABA therapist?

Will it come down to other decisions like - Do I cut the cable?  To afford one more session of OT.  Do I only pay half of the Con Ed?

Should The Husband or me get a part time job? 

Do I drop out of graduate school?  After this semester, I'll be 4 classes away from an MFA degree.  I could teach part time.  But is it fair to take money and time away from The Boy?  I have a few more weeks until spring registration to decide.    

In order to pay out of pocket for services that The Boy needs, these are the sacrifices I am willing to make.  

And there's a small  huge part of me that's embarrassed by all of this.  Because The Husband and I both have good okay jobs.   Yet we still struggle financially.  And I shouldn't feel ashamed because I know, we are not the only parents out there making these kind of decisions.  It still doesn't feel good, admitting that we are living paycheck to paycheck.  But it's the reality of our world.  This is part of the journey.    

So...back to the Autism Insurance Reform Bill.   It's important.  It's necessary.  And it just may make our lives a little bit easier.  And maybe, hopefully, these decisions will not have to be made. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Summary of 2011 Autism Insurance Reform Bill in New York:
S.5845 - Sponsored by Senator Charles J. Fuschillo (R-Nassau)
A.8512 - Sponsored by Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle (D-Monroe)

The bill would:

• Require private health insurance companies to provide coverage for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders including:
  
  • behavioral health treatment (such as applied behavior analysis)
  • pharmacy care (if the policy covers other prescription drugs)
  • psychiatric care
  • psychological care
  • therapeutic care, including non-restorative therapy (if the policy covers therapeutic care for other conditions)
  • any other medical care provided by a licensed health care provider
• Impose no age caps, and impose no visit caps that apply solely to ASD
• Provide coverage for applied behavior analysis to $45,000 a year; that limit will increase annually based on increases in the medical consumer price index
• Allow deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, care management, utilization review, external appeals, and use of provider networks only in the same manner as a policy applies to coverage of other conditions
• Not affect any obligation to provide services to an individual under an individualized family service plan, an individualized education program (IEP), or an individualized services plan. The purpose of this bill is to require insurance coverage for services provided outside of an educational setting for services prescribed by a physician or psychologist
• Prohibit an insurance company from terminating coverage or refusing to renew, adjust, amend, issue, or execute a policy solely because the individual has been diagnosed or received treatment for autism spectrum disorders
• Take effect one year after signed into law
• Apply only to state-regulated insurance plans; it does not apply to self-funded insurance plans which are regulated by the federal government under ERISA law

I'll Walk To The Sensory Gym If Needed

On Friday night, I was almost tempted to cancel our session at the Sensory Gym.  I was tired and privately paying for therapy is starting to catch up with us.  But then I found The Boy in the bathtub, fully dressed with half a bottle of Johnson's soap poured all over him.  So yeah, cancelling was no longer an option. 

Since The Husband had class, I had to take The Boy on my own.  Which means not 1, not 2 but 3 buses to get there.   When The Boy and I left in the morning it was raining,  a little light drizzle but I decided to run back upstairs to get an umbrella.  The result: missing the 1st of our 3 buses.

Someone once told me that sensory gym doesn't do anything academically for The Boy, it just makes him a more well rounded person.  NOT TRUE!  The Boy is so much more focused.  So if it takes 3 buses in the rain, sleet or snow to get there - I go.  I'll walk if I have to - because I know that an hour in the gym makes a huge difference.  See for yourself ~

The Boy in the swing, engaged in listening therapy

 

In another swing, getting a little massage.  Notice the dim lights.  With the music.

After 15 minutes of the swinging and a brush massage (I watch with envy, wish someone would give me a brush message to help me relax).  It's time for the rock wall.

"To infinity and beyond!"

After doing this a few times, The Boy is ready to write.  

The Boy with the OT - drawing a boat

The OT's boat is on top.  The Boy copy of a boat.  His is right under.  GOOD JOB!

When we left the sensory gym - it was snowing.  And I was happy The Husband was picking us up. 

View from the car. The Boy told me it was "Christmas time!"

After the sensory gym, we have lunch at our favorite neighborhood restaurant where The Boy loves the Horchata. 

Just another day in our city!  

What's a Sunday like in your City?  Unknown Mami wants to know!  Go on over to Sundays In My City.              

Walking Up The Down Escalator

Summer 2011

Last night while doing homework with The Boy, I watched as he struggled coloring within the lines. Writing his name.  Tracing the letters.  His hand shook as he gripped the crayon.  The crayon that I broke in half to help with his grip.  (note to self: DO NOT break crayons in front of The Boy. It leads to 5 minutes of "We have to fix it.  We need scotch tape.") The Boy needed a bit of redirection and every so often I needed to put my hand over his.



Fall 2011



I stare at the scrawl of his six letter name and I'm glad he doesn't have to write out his last. As much as The Boy loves spelling and letters and building words with his blocks - writing is an exhausting task.  It's not laziness, it's hard.  Physically and mentally exhausting.  It requires hand strength he doesn't quite have. Motor planning and concentration.

For me it requires a lot of redirection.  And even more patience. 

Why does The Boy have difficulty concentrating to write his own name, but has the patience to spell out If you give a moose a muffin?  It's a question, I know he cannot answer.  At least not now. 

There was a time when The Boy couldn't point his finger. 
There was a time when The Boy couldn't jump.
There was a time when The Boy couldn't speak.

The Boy does all of these things now.  So I have to remind myself not to worry too much about his handwriting or the coloring within the lines.    

When I got off the D train at Columbus Circle this morning, I glanced over at the escalators.
The up escalator was too crowded, The down escalator, empty.  I was almost tempted to run up the down escalator, instead I ran up the subway steps.   

I don't know why, but at that moment I thought of The Boy and his learning process.  Some children can just get by as easily as standing on the escalator.  Others, have to work at it by running up the stairs.  Learning for The Boy, is like walking up the down escalator.  It's difficult, there are moments when you feel like you're just never moving forward. Getting to the top will take much longer, but it can be done. 

The Boy never stops moving.  Eventually he'll make it to the top.  And every day he's one step closer to getting there.