Today was the first day of the formal Andrew assessment. We had a 9:30 appointment to meet with the psychology student who came to our house last week. We had dutifully completed both of the questionnaires she had given us. We have shared about a million stories. Now, it was Andrew's turn to show what he could do.
Unfortunately, he woke up crabby. His body still needs to nap 3-4 times a week, but he simply refuses. He hadn't napped all week, so his body was feeling the cumulative effect of not enough sleep. Therefore, we had a number of mini meltdowns long before we left the house. Needless to say, I was a little concerned with how he would react to a formal testing situation. He kept asking me what would happen if he wanted to see me while he was with the psychologist. I didn't know how to respond, so I kind of left it unanswered. I packed a small snack and off we went.
When we got to the center, we were taken to a sparse room with a kid-sized table, a few kid-sized chairs and a mirror. No bright pictures on the wall. No windows. I suppose that the spartan like conditions reduce distractions. Andrew stayed in the room while I went into an adjoining room with our social worker. We listened on an intercom and watched through a two-way mirror. I felt a like I was on a police drama behind that mirror.
What I witnessed was an eye-opener in so many ways. I discovered that my son is very capable of repeating simple patterns using small blocks. I discovered that, if necessary, he can sit for long periods of time, attempting boring tasks (maybe he will work in a cubicle one day). I discovered that when bored, Andrew will begin to phone in his answers and roll his eyes.
Overall, he seemed to do okay on the cognitive tasks he was asked to complete. The tester asked me if there were items that I knew he could do, but blew off. I pointed out several instance where just put no effort into his answer. She told me that she would try those specific ones again on Monday.
On Monday, I was told that the testing would be more play based, more fun. I will actually be in the room, though off to the side. I will be interested to see how that goes. If I remember correctly, this testing will more directly address Andrew's social skills.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Meltdown and Recovery in Detroit
Last night, I attended a symposium, sponsored in part by The Nation magazine, focused on the current economic crisis. The moderator, John Nichols, stated that the decision to come to Detroit was easy. FDR came here when he was campaigning against Hoover. The modern labor movement was born in Detroit. Malcom X came to Detroit and Dr. King first gave his "I Have a Dream" speech in Detroit. Finally, the collapse of the auto industry has had a devastating effect on the city and the surrounding communities.
The panel consisted of six highly regarded activists, both local and national. The local activists were Dianne Freeley, a retired UAW worker; Joann Watson, a city council member; Elena Herrada, a community organizer in the Latino community; and the legendary Grace Lee Boggs. The national voices included John Conyers, author Barbara Ehrenreich, and economist/author Robert Pollin.
John Conyers spoke first (and he stayed the whole evening). The speech was a bit rambling, but the essence spoke to the notion that President Obama is a smart man, but that not everyone around him is not, including advisers. Of course, in my mind, that begs the question why did such a smart President pick a bunch of dummies to advice him. But, I digress.
The rest of the evening saw the various panelist answering a specific question from the moderator. For example, the first question went to Robert Pollin. It was a nice, simple question - What went wrong? His answer to this question was truly an eye-opener.
According the Pollin, in the 1970s, our political system turned itself over entirely to capitalist. This is marked by two "events" The first is that "full employment" ceased being the central premise in politics. In 1972, the average, non-supervisory worker made a little over $19 an hour (adjusted to current values). By 2007, before the current crisis really took hold, that wage had fallen to $17.40 an hour. This represents about an 11 percent decrease. In the same time period, U.S. productivity rose a whopping 90 percent.
The second thing that began to happen in the 1970s was the slow dismantling of the Glass-Steagall Act which separated commercial banking and investment banking interests. The bill was full repealed in 1999 (thanks a lot Bill).
It was important to hear from Barbara Ehrenreich that her book, Nickled and Dimed, was published in 2001 (pre-9/11). Her research was done during the boom years of the 90s. That means all the low wage workers she met were not seeing any noticeable boom. That was, of course, due to the fact that housing costs were sky rocketing out of control.
City Council woman Joann Watson reminded us that corporations have never voluntarily done the right thing - including stopping child labor. Grace Lee Boggs said that we have to re-image both ourselves and our planet as we attempt to rebuild. We can no longer afford to be crass consumers, the planet can simply longer sustain that type of behavior.
There was so much good information that it's hard to piece it all together. The most important feeling I took out of this symposium was the realization that there are people out there fighting for the poor, the planet, and our future. It was good to get my hands on information about actions that are currently taking place in the city or will be soon. For example, from June 15-17, CEOs from a number of giant corporations will meet in Detroit. To counter all that unfettered greed, a People's Summit and Tent City has been organized and will take place near the ballparks. Additionally, from June 22-26, 2010, the US Social Forum will take place in Detroit. One of the goals I had set for myself at the beginning of the leave was to reconnect with the activist I was in college. These two events will give me a perfect opportunity to do just that.
The panel consisted of six highly regarded activists, both local and national. The local activists were Dianne Freeley, a retired UAW worker; Joann Watson, a city council member; Elena Herrada, a community organizer in the Latino community; and the legendary Grace Lee Boggs. The national voices included John Conyers, author Barbara Ehrenreich, and economist/author Robert Pollin.
John Conyers spoke first (and he stayed the whole evening). The speech was a bit rambling, but the essence spoke to the notion that President Obama is a smart man, but that not everyone around him is not, including advisers. Of course, in my mind, that begs the question why did such a smart President pick a bunch of dummies to advice him. But, I digress.
The rest of the evening saw the various panelist answering a specific question from the moderator. For example, the first question went to Robert Pollin. It was a nice, simple question - What went wrong? His answer to this question was truly an eye-opener.
According the Pollin, in the 1970s, our political system turned itself over entirely to capitalist. This is marked by two "events" The first is that "full employment" ceased being the central premise in politics. In 1972, the average, non-supervisory worker made a little over $19 an hour (adjusted to current values). By 2007, before the current crisis really took hold, that wage had fallen to $17.40 an hour. This represents about an 11 percent decrease. In the same time period, U.S. productivity rose a whopping 90 percent.
The second thing that began to happen in the 1970s was the slow dismantling of the Glass-Steagall Act which separated commercial banking and investment banking interests. The bill was full repealed in 1999 (thanks a lot Bill).
It was important to hear from Barbara Ehrenreich that her book, Nickled and Dimed, was published in 2001 (pre-9/11). Her research was done during the boom years of the 90s. That means all the low wage workers she met were not seeing any noticeable boom. That was, of course, due to the fact that housing costs were sky rocketing out of control.
City Council woman Joann Watson reminded us that corporations have never voluntarily done the right thing - including stopping child labor. Grace Lee Boggs said that we have to re-image both ourselves and our planet as we attempt to rebuild. We can no longer afford to be crass consumers, the planet can simply longer sustain that type of behavior.
There was so much good information that it's hard to piece it all together. The most important feeling I took out of this symposium was the realization that there are people out there fighting for the poor, the planet, and our future. It was good to get my hands on information about actions that are currently taking place in the city or will be soon. For example, from June 15-17, CEOs from a number of giant corporations will meet in Detroit. To counter all that unfettered greed, a People's Summit and Tent City has been organized and will take place near the ballparks. Additionally, from June 22-26, 2010, the US Social Forum will take place in Detroit. One of the goals I had set for myself at the beginning of the leave was to reconnect with the activist I was in college. These two events will give me a perfect opportunity to do just that.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
That was relatively painless
For two hours this morning, my husband and I answered questions about Andrew's various quirks, his behavior, and his growth over the last four years. This was the next step in the assessment merry-go-round. A psychology student completing her practicum came out to our house to observe Andrew in his natural habitat and to talk to us.
I have to admit that I was slightly dreading this step. I couldn't help but feel that our parenting skills were going on trial. Heck, I thought that even our marriage might work it's way into Andrew's overall evaluation. From what I can tell, my concerns were baseless.
The interview started off with allowing us to freestyle tell her our concerns about Andrew's behavior, along with anecdotal evidence to support our concerns. I started with my concerns about Andrew's social (or lack there of) skills with peers. At some point, my husband sucked some of the air out the room with a long series of anecdotes. I did a fair amount of head knodding and agreeing. Our narrative seemed to take about an hour.
The second hour was centered around a long list of questions that she asked us, which again we supported with yet more anecdotes. This poor woman now knows every detail of Andrew's short life, as I think she heard every story possible about the little guy. Of course, Andrew put on quite a show for her, from the very second she walked in the house. He immediately asked her what her favorite animal and color were - as these have been the latest in a series of obsessive questions that Andrew asks and asks and asks and asks...
Next week, Andrew and I will go into the Children First office. She explained that he will go through a series of cognitive tests, while sitting at a table. Very formal. This is to get some sort of baseline on his intellectual ability. I don't worry so much about his intellect. I'm not one of those mom's to brag that my kid was reading at 20 months, but he certainly is a bright cookie in several areas. He's great with numbers and easily counts to 100 and he seems to be trying to figure out the pattern for everything that come after 100. Based on letter sounds, he can pick out words from short texts. So, those are really positive things.
On to round two.
I have to admit that I was slightly dreading this step. I couldn't help but feel that our parenting skills were going on trial. Heck, I thought that even our marriage might work it's way into Andrew's overall evaluation. From what I can tell, my concerns were baseless.
The interview started off with allowing us to freestyle tell her our concerns about Andrew's behavior, along with anecdotal evidence to support our concerns. I started with my concerns about Andrew's social (or lack there of) skills with peers. At some point, my husband sucked some of the air out the room with a long series of anecdotes. I did a fair amount of head knodding and agreeing. Our narrative seemed to take about an hour.
The second hour was centered around a long list of questions that she asked us, which again we supported with yet more anecdotes. This poor woman now knows every detail of Andrew's short life, as I think she heard every story possible about the little guy. Of course, Andrew put on quite a show for her, from the very second she walked in the house. He immediately asked her what her favorite animal and color were - as these have been the latest in a series of obsessive questions that Andrew asks and asks and asks and asks...
Next week, Andrew and I will go into the Children First office. She explained that he will go through a series of cognitive tests, while sitting at a table. Very formal. This is to get some sort of baseline on his intellectual ability. I don't worry so much about his intellect. I'm not one of those mom's to brag that my kid was reading at 20 months, but he certainly is a bright cookie in several areas. He's great with numbers and easily counts to 100 and he seems to be trying to figure out the pattern for everything that come after 100. Based on letter sounds, he can pick out words from short texts. So, those are really positive things.
On to round two.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Best Concerts
FM has requested a topic from me. I am a very kind person, so I am going to kindly oblige my friend. Here are the Top 5 concerts I have ever attended.
1. The Clash (1983-ish): This was my first concert and it took place at the beautiful Fox Theatre. We were in row three and I remember very distinctly that I was wearing my leather motorcycle jacket. I also remember the boys sitting behind us. They were wearing varsity jackets and were completely stoned out of their minds. They couldn't even sit up properly to watch the show. Joe Strummer was amazing, tearing through each punk classic with passion. My ears rang for a weak after the show.
2. Glenn Tilbrook and the Fluffers (3/27/2009): There were so many personal magical moments in this evening, I am not sure where to start. The meet and greet gave me a chance to get my geek on. Then Glenn call ME on stage. After the show, I had the opportunity to hang out with Glenn. Plus, his stage persona here was so different than the one he projects on stage with Squeeze. He was buoyant and chatty, a side I had never seen and I have seen Squeeze in concert six times.
3. Rent: La Boeheme set to rock music, this musical shook me to my core the first time I saw it. I cried the first time the cast sang "Seasons of Love" and then I couldn't stop weeping when Angel died. I just love this musical.
4. The Violent Femmes (1986-ish): This show occurred well past their heyday. But, if all a band has is that magical debut record that everyone of my generation has, that's enough for a show. Everyone in the audience could sing every single song, which made for a joyous atmosphere.
5. They Might Be Giants (2005): We went to this concert just before we went to China. The show took place in the Majestic, which is not air conditioned. Enormous fans were place around the perimeter to the seatless audience section. The crowd was a family crowd because the band had just release a kids CD (Robot Parade - it's great). We all looked miserable due to the heat, until the band came out. By the end of the evening, the audience had formed a conga line and the band had screamed "thank you to the lady in glasses" and pointed at me.
* Bonus - All Squeeze shows except the 2008 show. Chris Difford looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Other than show, they have been awesome everytime I have seen them.
1. The Clash (1983-ish): This was my first concert and it took place at the beautiful Fox Theatre. We were in row three and I remember very distinctly that I was wearing my leather motorcycle jacket. I also remember the boys sitting behind us. They were wearing varsity jackets and were completely stoned out of their minds. They couldn't even sit up properly to watch the show. Joe Strummer was amazing, tearing through each punk classic with passion. My ears rang for a weak after the show.
2. Glenn Tilbrook and the Fluffers (3/27/2009): There were so many personal magical moments in this evening, I am not sure where to start. The meet and greet gave me a chance to get my geek on. Then Glenn call ME on stage. After the show, I had the opportunity to hang out with Glenn. Plus, his stage persona here was so different than the one he projects on stage with Squeeze. He was buoyant and chatty, a side I had never seen and I have seen Squeeze in concert six times.
3. Rent: La Boeheme set to rock music, this musical shook me to my core the first time I saw it. I cried the first time the cast sang "Seasons of Love" and then I couldn't stop weeping when Angel died. I just love this musical.
4. The Violent Femmes (1986-ish): This show occurred well past their heyday. But, if all a band has is that magical debut record that everyone of my generation has, that's enough for a show. Everyone in the audience could sing every single song, which made for a joyous atmosphere.
5. They Might Be Giants (2005): We went to this concert just before we went to China. The show took place in the Majestic, which is not air conditioned. Enormous fans were place around the perimeter to the seatless audience section. The crowd was a family crowd because the band had just release a kids CD (Robot Parade - it's great). We all looked miserable due to the heat, until the band came out. By the end of the evening, the audience had formed a conga line and the band had screamed "thank you to the lady in glasses" and pointed at me.
* Bonus - All Squeeze shows except the 2008 show. Chris Difford looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Other than show, they have been awesome everytime I have seen them.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Time Travel
This is a game that I play frequently. It usually happens when friends and I are cooking an elaborate meal and consuming too much wine (as if there is such a quantity). I'm usually the one who starts it. It starts with the question: If you could travel to any time to see any musical act, who would it be? I'll give you my top five.
1. David Bowie on the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars tour. Debauchery on stage - I'm there.
2. The Beatles at Shea Stadium. I want to be a part of history.
3. The Smiths, any time. On the day of my high school graduation party, the Smiths were performing in town (I can't remember the venue). I begged my mother to let me go, but nooooooo. Those relatives had come to see me. Sigh, it appears that I might have to bring this up with my therapist.
4. Lollapalooza #1. What was I thinking? Pearl Jam? Siouxie and the Banshees? The Red Hot Chili Peppers? I can't believe I didn't go.
5. Woodstock. I promise that I would not have taken the brown acid.
Which performers would you travel back in time to see?
1. David Bowie on the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars tour. Debauchery on stage - I'm there.
2. The Beatles at Shea Stadium. I want to be a part of history.
3. The Smiths, any time. On the day of my high school graduation party, the Smiths were performing in town (I can't remember the venue). I begged my mother to let me go, but nooooooo. Those relatives had come to see me. Sigh, it appears that I might have to bring this up with my therapist.
4. Lollapalooza #1. What was I thinking? Pearl Jam? Siouxie and the Banshees? The Red Hot Chili Peppers? I can't believe I didn't go.
5. Woodstock. I promise that I would not have taken the brown acid.
Which performers would you travel back in time to see?
Thursday, May 7, 2009
27 tests
No, that's not how many tests I'm giving my students between now and the end of the school year. I'm on leave - remember? That number represents the number of medical tests Andrew will undergo while we begin the assessment process.
The first thing our social worker wanted us to do was to take Andrew to the pediatrician to see if she wanted to test Andrew for any possible medical conditions that could explain his behavior. So, I took Andrew yesterday. The pediatrician is thoroughly competent, if somewhat distant. She took copious notes about his language and asked me dozens of questions about his appetite and his interactions with peers. Yesterday was even the first day she had ever joked with me, laughing after he stepped off the scale. He currently weighs 37 pounds. Three more pounds and he can switch to a booster seat in the car. I joked that it was time to fill him up on cake and ice cream and she chimed in with "Ah, the summer diet."
As we walked out the door, she handed me three sheets of papers with tests that she wants to run on Andrew. He has to have 24 different blood tests, two urine tests, and one MRI. She wants to check his chromosomes, his metabolic something-or other, and his brain. Our social worker told us that the psychiatrist was glad to hear the name of our pediatrician because she is so thorough.
I went this morning to a small lab near my gym. It isn't as busy as many of the other labs in town and it's walking distance to a bakery. I wanted to know how many vials of blood would be taken and how long all of these tests would take. I wanted to have a strategy going into this; I don't want to overwhelm Andrew with too much on one day. Unfortunately, the technician told me that there would several tests she couldn't run and that the only place to do them was the hospital. Also, it appears that Andrew will have to fast for eight hours before one of the tests.
The hospital is only 3 blocks from our house - so that's a plus. A serious negative is that I'm sure it will be packed, unlike the little lab I visited today. I think I'll find the lab tomorrow and the just pick a day next week to go. I suspect I might make cookies before we go to the lab. I don't know who'll need them more, Andrew or me.
The first thing our social worker wanted us to do was to take Andrew to the pediatrician to see if she wanted to test Andrew for any possible medical conditions that could explain his behavior. So, I took Andrew yesterday. The pediatrician is thoroughly competent, if somewhat distant. She took copious notes about his language and asked me dozens of questions about his appetite and his interactions with peers. Yesterday was even the first day she had ever joked with me, laughing after he stepped off the scale. He currently weighs 37 pounds. Three more pounds and he can switch to a booster seat in the car. I joked that it was time to fill him up on cake and ice cream and she chimed in with "Ah, the summer diet."
As we walked out the door, she handed me three sheets of papers with tests that she wants to run on Andrew. He has to have 24 different blood tests, two urine tests, and one MRI. She wants to check his chromosomes, his metabolic something-or other, and his brain. Our social worker told us that the psychiatrist was glad to hear the name of our pediatrician because she is so thorough.
I went this morning to a small lab near my gym. It isn't as busy as many of the other labs in town and it's walking distance to a bakery. I wanted to know how many vials of blood would be taken and how long all of these tests would take. I wanted to have a strategy going into this; I don't want to overwhelm Andrew with too much on one day. Unfortunately, the technician told me that there would several tests she couldn't run and that the only place to do them was the hospital. Also, it appears that Andrew will have to fast for eight hours before one of the tests.
The hospital is only 3 blocks from our house - so that's a plus. A serious negative is that I'm sure it will be packed, unlike the little lab I visited today. I think I'll find the lab tomorrow and the just pick a day next week to go. I suspect I might make cookies before we go to the lab. I don't know who'll need them more, Andrew or me.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Mother's Day
Shhh...I have a confession to make. I'm just not that hip on Hallmark holidays. Valentine's, Sweetest Day, you name it, I don't really celebrate it. This creates a small dilemma. This coming Sunday is, of course, Mother's Day. The papers are loaded with jewelry ads, chocolate ads, even small kitchen appliance ads. None of it is particularly appealing to me. Don't get me wrong, I like flowers and chocolate. I'm not that big on bling and if anyone ever buys me a small kitchen appliance as a gift - I hope he likes the guest room.
What I want more than anything on Sunday is a day on my own - perhaps to wander the Detroit Institute of Arts. I'd have a chance to actually look at artwork without worrying that small hands are trying to reach through the canvas. Maybe I'd even take my notebook and try to do some writing.
Of course, I'd also settle for a night where I could go dancing at a loud, dark bar. I've been wanting to do this for months. I don't know why. Logically, I understand that those dancing days are long gone. I haven't been dancing in 10 years. I miss it. That would be a great gift.
A blender, on the other hand, would suck.
What I want more than anything on Sunday is a day on my own - perhaps to wander the Detroit Institute of Arts. I'd have a chance to actually look at artwork without worrying that small hands are trying to reach through the canvas. Maybe I'd even take my notebook and try to do some writing.
Of course, I'd also settle for a night where I could go dancing at a loud, dark bar. I've been wanting to do this for months. I don't know why. Logically, I understand that those dancing days are long gone. I haven't been dancing in 10 years. I miss it. That would be a great gift.
A blender, on the other hand, would suck.
Monday, May 4, 2009
The Assessment Merry-Go-Round
When we decided to seek assessment for Andrew, we were told that we were on a waiting list and that the assessment would start some time in the fall. Well, it turns out that Children First hired a few more psychiatrists in order to clear up the backlog. We will now know by the end of May if Andrew does indeed fall in the autism spectrum.
The start of the assessment program means that we will have a plethora of activities to complete. The first was to compile a list of red-flag behaviors that we have observed over the three and a half years Andrew has been home with us. We were given this task on Thursday afternoon and it's due late Monday afternoon. We chose to break the list into language concerns and social concerns and as I have mentioned before, these concerns are pretty extensive. The biggest lately is the repetitive nature of his language. Everyday he asks the same questions, dozens of times, even though he knows the answers. I have spent the year listening to his classmates and they simply have more varied speech than he does.
The second task was to make an appointment with the doctor to determine if there are any medical (i.e hearing) issues that could be the cause for the red flag behaviors. We'll go to the doctor on Wednesday morning to determine all of that.
We meet with the social worker on his case later this afternoon. I know that she observed him in his class today, so we'll get some feedback about that. I'll keep everyone up to date as we move through this process.
The start of the assessment program means that we will have a plethora of activities to complete. The first was to compile a list of red-flag behaviors that we have observed over the three and a half years Andrew has been home with us. We were given this task on Thursday afternoon and it's due late Monday afternoon. We chose to break the list into language concerns and social concerns and as I have mentioned before, these concerns are pretty extensive. The biggest lately is the repetitive nature of his language. Everyday he asks the same questions, dozens of times, even though he knows the answers. I have spent the year listening to his classmates and they simply have more varied speech than he does.
The second task was to make an appointment with the doctor to determine if there are any medical (i.e hearing) issues that could be the cause for the red flag behaviors. We'll go to the doctor on Wednesday morning to determine all of that.
We meet with the social worker on his case later this afternoon. I know that she observed him in his class today, so we'll get some feedback about that. I'll keep everyone up to date as we move through this process.
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