Module #2

When I heard of autism disorder I was very interested in learning more about what autism really was. I have a 17-year-old nephew who's a senior in high school who was diagnosed with autism when he was 10 months old. Nolan came to live with us straight from the hospital. He was my mother's biological grandson, whose mother was addicted to drugs. Along with being diagnosed with Autism, he is deaf. In one ear he would only hear 30% and the other he could only hear about 10%.

According to the text,  Autism is a developmental disorder significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction (pg 155).  We notice there was something wrong with Nolan early on because he couldn't sit or roll over. Nolan wasn't able to walk until he was 3 years old. Nor was he able to speak.  He had a team of specialists who met with him 3 times a week to get him acclimated to standing, walking and talking.  Inside of the text Intervention at an early age is important for children with autism.  (Pg155)

Communication with nolen was very difficult because he would use eye contact to convey what it was he wanted us to understand. Sometimes we were able to grasp what he was saying and other times we were not, which would make Nolan upset.  According to the text, communication has few language skills and most of the students are nonverbal (Pg 155).  As Nolan grew in age and he developed a sense of hearing with hearing aids, sound also would bother him.  When he started school at preschool level he was in a contained classroom with other students who had hearing problems, and autism disorder. It was a big adjustment. He didn't like having a different route daily, and he wouldn't want to stay in the classroom.  It was very important for us to have his teachers develop an intervention that would support him in his learning so that he wouldn't fall behind.

Now that he is a senior in high school he is what we call main stream classroom, he is no longer in a contained classroom nor does he have a 1 on 1. We are grateful for the early diagnos and interventions that place to make sure that he was successful. Nolan is applying to colleges out of state(  All are deaf schools). We couldn't feel more blessed about his progress. 

Comments

  1. JennyEdBlogNovember 24, 2018 at 5:15 PM

    What an encouraging journey Nolan and your whole family are on! What a blessing that Nolan had the support of a loving family and an education system that was able to properly support him. Author, Woolfolk also discusses the importance of early intervention concerning eye contact and odd-seeming mannerisms (pg155). These were both behaviors you observed at home and were addressed with positive results. We have a good family friend who has an 18 year old son diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. This young man also had a lot of support form home and in school. He is away at his first semester of college this fall. I think how much more difficult either of these young men's education would have been if they had been moving around between homes or schools.

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    Replies
    1. UnknownNovember 25, 2018 at 2:38 PM

      Thanks Jenny! It was not easy but it was so amazing to see him grow over the years. I so proud of Nolan and am sure the family members of the young man you know is just as proud!!

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  2. Kimberly MuellerNovember 26, 2018 at 7:29 PM

    Norma,
    I am sure watching Nolan grow and develop over the years has been both difficult and rewarding. I am sure this will also help you in your classroom with students with similar disabilities. It is wonderful to hear how far he has come with the love and support of you and your family. I want to support and care for my students.
    In observation at Prarie Junior High School in Alsip, I saw first hand some of the difficulties the teacher faced with a child who had a behavioral disorder. Although this is much different from Autism, I can see how it can be difficult. Page 147 I found the approaches of how to deal with students with emotional and behavioral difficulties useful. Something else I will take into consideration is like your nephew who is deaf and Autistic, students could suffer from multiple disabilities. Students can suffer from many health problems including speech disorders. I feel as educators we truly need to be aware of our students background, and any special needs they require. IEPs and 504 plans need to be taken seriously to ensure we meet each child's individual needs. This sounds tough but, necessary.
    There are also students who are gifted and talented. Woolfolk said teachers should make special efforts to support students who are gifted, have learning disabilities and students who are living in poverty. There are so many unique needs each student has. My goal is to learn my student's needs and backgrounds in order to teach them accordingly.

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