kindergartener can't stop touching things in class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:21:28 here - OP, We too went to Kennedy Krieger and they confirmed NO ASD, and that was good enough for me. Frankly, having that as a label only decreases our kids' options...and really puts them in a seperate category that no school wants to deal with.

We have applied to McLean, waiting to hear.

Well, if your child does not have ASD, then yes, the label would be restrictive. But if a child truly is on the spectrum, the method of intervention is entirely different and can likely not be provided in a mainstream setting. For my child with ASD (true ASD, not for the sake of a label) the diagnosis was in a way liberating because with lots of intervention he is now able to be partially mainstreamed. He wouldn't have survived in a regular classroom.

[Anonymous]

My child has an ASD and is in a mainstream classroom with no supports. I don't think you can generalize about these kids. I agree with everything else PP wrote -- it really does affect the forms of intervention and I also find it liberating to have a precise diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP. I know of Aspergers children in mainstream school and they do just fine academically. True they have social issues. But they are very obedient and rule-oriented so they do great.

[Anonymous]

PP here. That's why I said "likely" not provided. It does depend on where the child falls on the spectrum and how accomodating the school is. I was writing this to say the diagnosis can provide alternative options that wouldn't otherwise be available if the child does not have an autism diagnosis. For us it was not an option to mainstream because my child, while high functioning, has infantive autism and his need for intervention was too severe to have him in a regular setting initially. But thanks to some dedicated special ed teachers, therapists, etc. he is now able to do inclusion.

Autism cannot be generalized, the needs are very different for every individual child, I agree with you on that.

[Anonymous]

Since it sounds like he is Sensory Seeking, try the little vibrating circle cushion that he can sit on and receive stimulation to his core. does that sound weird? - it wasn't meant to

Also, there are some really wonderful schools that have started recently to work with kids like this. I don't know where you're located but:

Shire School, falls church
Newton School, Sterling VA
Auburn School, Herndon and Bethesda?
Diener (Deiner?) school in Potomac

These schools have developed programs for bright kids who need to move, touch, settle, focus, and feel good about themselves!

Hope this helps

[Anonymous]

Isn't the woman who started the Newton school a mother of an autistic child? The school has only 8 children per class. Sounds like quite a bit of support for children with simply mild conditions.