Our early intervention
If you’ve been visiting here a while you know that this summer a few doctors started raising concerns that Oscar might be autistic. As a result, I did a lot of reading and talking with therapists and tried to get a referral to Early Start. The good people at Early Start, however, did not want to even talk with us once they found out that Oscar had been internationally adopted. I don’t think this was because of racial prejudice, but instead their thoughts were that we should “wait and see” whether his developmental challenges were simply related to his institutionalization and whether he would “grow out of them.” They told me I should wait until he was three years old before I started worrying about his delays (at this time Oscar was practically mute – he had said mama, but he stopped saying it and seemingly lost all desire to communicate – he didn’t even babble anymore).
I was, of course, frustrated by this. Early Start is a program that prides itself on the fact that it has been scientifically proven that early intervention can have a life-altering impact on delays. What bothers me is that there can be physiological complications that arise when a child has been institutionalized. Complications that, while not as visible as a physical challenge, are just as significant. And, from what I’ve been told by his doctors, are not something that a child simply grows out of. Yes, the connections in his brain that did not develop over the first seven months of his life will start to be made, but it’s not as if that happens all at once. It’s also not clear that they’ll all be made eventually. What I find interesting is all the research being done now to see whether (and to what extent) the failure to make these connections early on leads to things like autism and ADHD.
Anyway, when it was clear to me that I was going to have to fight to even get an assessment of Oscar’s developmental status (which I’m still trying to obtain), a few friends starting giving me ideas on how to possibly help him myself. We’re doing something called “Floortime”, which is helpful, I think, but by far the best thing we’ve done is getting everyone in the house involved in sign language. Oscar started off slowly, and I wasn’t entirely convinced that it was going to help. Wow, was I wrong. He’s been able to pick up about half a dozen signs (eat, more, banana, milk, dog, bird, cracker), and can even put two together (eat banana). The most significant change, though, is how he interacts with me and the nanny now. He is far more attentive. He now mimics us, which we could never get him to do previously, and he also interacts with the dogs much more. The coolest part to me is how he practices the signs. At night he’ll pop up in the bed and make a sign and then lie back down. Watching him learn is fascinating.
Perhaps it’s not all attributable to sign language, but there’s no doubt in my mind that at least part of it is. I do think, though, that he now has a desire to communicate with us that he might not have had before. He’s pointing and jabbering away now, when he did neither of these things just a few months ago (even though all the other kids his age (and younger) were doing so). I’m still not giving up hope that we can get help from the professionals, but I’m not as terrified anymore that I’m failing him by not getting him help to communicate.
ps – I know there are families waiting to adopt children from the same orphanage where Oscar spent his first months who read this blog. I don’t mean to alarm you that your child might have the same sort of issues that Oscar has. I’m in contact with many, many parents with kids from the orphanage, and only a few seem to have issues – most are doing incredibly well.
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Hey I thought of you the other day. We were taking a foster care class and they did say that sometimes children that have been neglected will show signs of autisim. I just thought that I would pass that on to you. Good luck hopefully you see some improvement so you can ease your mind a little.
Take care
Michelle
Hi, I have been a blog lurker for a while now and this post has made me come out of the shadows. I am a physical therapist who works in early intervention. It is ridiculous (and unlawful) that they will not come evaluate him. I evaluate internationally adopted children all the time. You should keep the pressure on them and have Oscar’s pediatrician call them as well. That is complete BS!
Ridiculous- it infuriates me that they will not evaluate him. Keep on them. There is absolutely no reason a child who is adopted internationally should have to wait for evaluation. As Daphne said, it is unlawful.
I am glad you are doing floortime. Have you done any reading on AVB? In my EC teaching, we have a communication classroom that uses signing along with applied verbal behavior techniques. I have seen huge strides in these kiddos. I like it more than ABA, but that’s just my opinion…just giving you some more ideas (I am sure you have read lots though).
Thank you all for your thoughts. I certainly hope whatever is going on with Oscar is just some sort of response to the neglect he experienced at first.
I’m still pushing for an assessment – by law, I agree that they are required to see him, so I know eventually I’ll get him in. I’m just worried that they’ve already decided his fate. I’ll keep pushing, though.
Kelli, you know, honestly, I’m overwhelmed by all of the different interventions out there. I had NO idea. I have a hard time figuring out which of the many toys in Target to choose for the kid for fun – I have no clue which one I’m supposed to use to help him get his little brain to work! I’m looking into AVB now, as well, though.
Floor time definitely can help, as long as you are consistent with it. AVB is awesome. I basically do that with my daughter without even thinking about it (hey, I’m an educator, it does come easier for me). What is great for your son is that he is wanting to communicate with you now because he feels he CAN, and YOU have “given” him this tool, so to speak, by introducing sign language, so pat yourself on the back hard. The “waiting until he is three is the biggest cop out on the books…” This happened to my sister, and she had to practically accuse them of neglect before they finally saw her son!!! The big thing is not to try and do too much at once and overwhelm your son…introduce those interventions bit by bit (seeing as no one wants to help you, grr!) and you will get there. I’m sending you many hugs.
Floor time definitely can help, as long as you are consistent with it. AVB is awesome. I basically do that with my daughter without even thinking about it (hey, I’m an educator, it does come easier for me). What is great for your son is that he is wanting to communicate with you now because he feels he CAN, and YOU have “given” him this tool, so to speak, by introducing sign language, so pat yourself on the back hard. The “waiting until he is three is the biggest cop out on the books…” This happened to my sister, and she had to practically accuse them of neglect before they finally saw her son!!! The big thing is not to try and do too much at once and overwhelm your son…introduce those interventions bit by bit (seeing as no one wants to help you, grr!) and you will get there. I’m sending you many hugs.
Keep fighting, get that little guy tested. Sooner is always better for intervention and can directly impact the degree of success. Frankly, go hire a private professional to get it done if necessary. By the way, my nephew had language issues, not autism, more of a lost connection between the brain and speech. He was very non-verbal, disengaged, seemingly autistic, but turns out not autistic. The fact that Oscar is interacting, jabbering, signing and more engaged means what you’re doing is working and more help, therapy from professionals as well as continuing to work with him daily, could make all the difference now to mitigate even completely alleviate by school age anyway, his delays. I’m sorry if I’m stating the obvious, but from experience I know this is one of those time it pays for you to be as agressive as possible in helping him now.