School log

Jacob's regular school IA was out sick today, so another IA filled in for half of his school day, while the clinical supervisor for his program did the other half.

They noted he did a great time sitting at circle time and attending to both the white board and the teacher reading a book.

During free play, he watched a peer play on the computer (said "puppy" when the computer spelled the word out!), and imitated a burp after a character on the computer burped. (ha!) His program supervisor said he played a Dr. Seuss ABC game on the computer with her. He was very independent using the program, and had great joint attention with her (joint attention is very difficult for kids with autism...it's basically anytime they try to share their experience with you. So with the computer game, maybe he'd turn to her and say the name of a character or say "crash" when someone fell down on the screen...just to share with someone else what he is seeing or feeling. This usually comes with eye contact and a smile!).

He refused most of his food today, they just got some sunflower seeds in him with a reinforcer of fruit roll up. His juice sippy was completely full when he got back, so either he didn't drink anything or he had some of whatever the class was having in a regular cup. He hadn't eaten much at home, just a pop tart and some more fruit roll, so he hasn't gotten much down today. :(

One of the concerns for today was that they had to keep prompting him to put his hands down because he was putting his fingers in his mouth. This, I am sure, was because he was missing his "woobie" (pacifier). He always wants to have something in his mouth, usually the woobie. Lately when he doesn't have the woobie he will just rub his hands around his mouth instead. This is something we need to address, maybe we can find a substitute. Gum?? I have also heard of "chew tubes" for kids who need to have something to chew on. It is way beyond time to get rid of the pacifier!!

The busdriver also noted he had a "croupy" cough in the bus on the way home. He has pretty much had a cold of some sort since October now, I imagine due to being in preschool for his first year. We'll have to see how he does tonight, maybe it's time for another trip back to the doctor...