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October 1991

 

This daily correspondence between schools she attended and us gives you a glimpse of our daily life. Most parents of typical children do not communicate on daily basis with the teachers. This gives a reader an insight to how important daily communication is for a child with autism.

Kat has attended school since she was 3 years old. These are school notes that were result of correspondence with her parents and her teachers. We have made comments at a later date reflecting back on the impact of these events. Kats School Notes Index

 

Date

Notes

Comments

1991-10-01

 

10/1 I'm not sure if the labeling worked yet. Right now I am just pointing it out to her when we put it on. Socks are labeled " toes ". No we have not practiced name or writing. Whatever you are doing it's working !

Danuta

PS Would you remember who got the allergy checklist last. I am still waiting to get it back ?D.

10/ 1

Danuta ,

I think S. is the last to have the allergy list . I'll see if she finished filling it out .

Also - do you have anyof the insurance forms , commentary relations form, parent handbooks form, etc . Even if you do not want same of these, I still need the papers indicating " no ",

Thanks !

K.

P . S . - Feel free to askher about the calendar like " What month is it ? " " What year is it ? " " What day is it ? " & " What's the date ?" & prompt her answers. She is doing well w/ this at school !

 

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1991-10-02

 

10/2 I will look for that form . I should have it . What prompts are you using with the calendar questions?Danuta

10/2 Danuta,

Here's the allergy list .

For calendar:I give Kat verbal and gesture prompts . e . g . , I ask her " What month is it ? " then point to the word & say " October " softly to her . She is then supposed to say it .

We can work on this at our visit , too !

K.

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1991-10-03

 

10/3 Hi , I'm sending in the numbers she knows at home. We got a new chart from 1 to 20. She usually says "one horse , two dogs" etc.

This morning she brought the little characters in and asked for plastic wrap. I gave her a plastic bag and she put them all in .

10 - 3

Thanks for the # cards . Kte. liked them , too .

I'm glad to hear about Kat's organization skills !

Could you send the tape & headphones to school in Kat's bag . I'd like to try tapingw/ her listening at a safe volume. I've worked w/ her w/ the tapes at school but not w/ headphones. Hopefully, she won't pull at panty hose! Since she enjoys it , I'd like to teach more to it. Is that OK w/ you ?

K.

p . s . Do you need new forms? )

 

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1991-10-04

 

10/4 Yes , I could use new forms. I can't find the others . The radio sounds great . I will send it in . Pantyhose will be tough since she loves strings in any form as soon as she gets a small batch she tries to pull it .

I took a quick look at allergy list so far it looks like majority of kids should not have the following : apples or apple juice, cheeses, chocolate, citrus products (oranges, grapefruits, or lemon), milk or any other milk products, food colorings, peanuts ,preservatives sugar , tomatos , wheat or yeast . This means that pretzels are not a good reinforcer. they contain yeast & wheat . I will keep the list in mind next time I purchase the reinforcers. I will make you a copy of the list and for all the parents to keep in mind for parties .

Alot of the children have mold & pollen sensitivity . It would be helpfull to know if their behavior changes dramatically all of a sudden if you could try to remember and write down what they were doing before.

Kat is picking out bigger and bigger toys to bring with her ,watch out!

Danuta

10/4 Danuta -

I taped the volume on the headphones and she listened to the tape at that level very contently (no crying or trying to adjust the tape) .

Thank you for organizing the snack / allergy list . Are there any non - wheat pretzel substitutes ? Many of the kids love to buy them & it's a new thing for Kat . She likes to eat the salt off them , so maybe there is a natural substitutes(? )

Have a good weekend !

 

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1991-10-07

 

10/7 Hi K.,

There are no substitutes for pretzels, I looked ! Potato chips are good and when you run out of snacks I can get carrot chips . Kat had a good weekend. In gymnastics she is demonstrating more and more abilities to observe and try to imitate what was demonstrated. If you have an extra form to fill out can you send it in , thanks

Danuta

Danuta ,

Chips were OK . How is the headset working out ? Could you get more carrot chips _ the kids love them!

K.

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1991-10-08

 

10/8 Hi K. ,

The radio is working out great. She tries to make it louder but she can't. I could not find the carrot chips , I'll have to go to the health food store . I got carrot lights & corn chips. If any of reinforcers do not work out send them back, so I'll know not to buy them again.

M. pointed out that the cookies, "animal crackers" have some of the ingredients they should not have .

You could probably use them but not to offer and in small qualities . I am sending in the list foryou to keep . I highlighted the items of most importance . Thanks for your help in controlling the kids diet .

Kat is picking out bigger and bigger items to bring to school. hope you don't mind.

Danuta

Danuta ,

About toys : it's ok w/ me if she brings in big toys . We can send them back at end of day . Try to get her to use the label " big " or " little " toy after she chooses . We're working on this at school .

I'll keep allergy list . Thanks! Do you want me to send copies to all parents asthey plan parties .

Is Kat dressing up for Halloween ? If so , what will she be? Also, 3 parents have signed up for Tues. 10/22. Is it possible for you to come another time ? Thanks for your quick response !

Another thing : Could you write directions to your house from Brndn.'s? Also - any ideas for our home visit so we can organize our 45 minutes as productively as possible ! I'll include those items on our agenda. Thanks !

K.

 

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1991-10-09

 

10/9 I'll have to write tomorrow .

10/9 Danuta ,

Thank you so much for typing up the report ! I never mind a favor! I'll send it out (checked out ok) . Kat wrote two letters of her name w / out tracing prompts ( i and e ) . I said " Write your name " and guided her hand on all letters but ' i " and "e " . I did spell orally . She is doing a super job . I'll bring work samples on Friday .

Thanks, also , for being flexible about sign - up . Would you like to come Friday 10/25 since you'll be here later for field trip? ( or is that too much school? )

10/9/91

Dear Mr . & Mrs. Highet -

I just wanted to let you know that I have given a list of goals to the office which will be called up on the computer & sent to your home office . The main goals include "to improve sensory processing ," " to improve self- help skills, " "to increase body awareness to improve better planning skills, " "to improve visual motor coordination and integration " and "to improve manipulation and dexterity skills ". Iwould be be happy to discuss them with you anytime , but I imagine the Voorhees office may want to reschedule a meeting ( ? ) .

Kat has been really responsive withme and has tried everything . We have been working on the goals listed above , and as I discussed with you , I incorporate sensory expressions along with the functional goals . Today Kat rolled and cut out play doh shapes with me (lots of tactile input there) , washed hands , helped me clean up , and we then worked on visual motor control with balls & balloons . She chose to write on the scouterboard as one of her " rewards ".

Please keep in touch , and I'll be writing you periodic notes too .

J.K., OTR

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1991-10-10

 

10/10 K.,

Kat will be picked up on Friday by Tom at 1:30 . The district had a problem arranging a bus.

allergy list: I have a copy of the list for the other parents. We are meeting again on the 14th ,I will pass it on then.

For the visit one item I would like to talk to you about is an article I read (I am sending it in ) " The Words They Can't Say ". I have purchased an electronic device that we could use for that purpose. I was hoping you could show me how we can use it at home and if you could use it at school as a communication device.

The other item would be homework. I could use suggestions on how to schedule it so that she is not to tired or frustrated.

10/25 sounds great.

Danuta

10/10

Danuta,

Glad the 25th sounds good . Sorry to hear the Bus is not picking Kat up. We are adding Home programming as an IEP deal. Transportation should be included . Perhaps the official letter will help . Other districts are picking the kids up even if they must send a special car . I read the article. I think keyboard use can be a good idea to help communicate I am concerned that B. will not open up his research to be tested & replicated ( e . g . pre & post testing ,etc) .

We can talk Friday!

K.

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1991-10-15

 

10/15 K.O. was not here today .

10/15 K. , the electronic language master I have shown you on Friday I will be returning to the store . I called the company that makes it and was informed that they are coming out with a new model in one month which will pronounce complete sentences. I thought we would wait until the new model comes out. Please let me know if you are running out of reinforcers or need new ones . Danuta

P.S. Kat is really getting good at observing someone demonstrate and trying to duplicate what she saw. For example we would stand and watch and then we'd say " Kat you doit " or " Kat's turn " and she tries to duplicate it .

PS. Kat went bowling this weekend and she realy enjoyed it !

 

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1991-10-16

 

10/16 K. was out again today .

 

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1991-10-17

 

10/17 K. was out again .

 

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1991-10-21

 

K. , I am enclosing the new schedule Kat has been on since last Thursday ! It's working great ! The first day it was a little tough because all the photo's were gone, but since then she adjusted fine. She remembers the schedule from before, when the pictures were there , and she loves putting the stickers on the circles.

She cane name the shapes if I draw them : heart , star , square , rectangle , circle , diamond . Are you teaching her others or other concepts ?

I will stop in to drop the camera off to show you how to operate it .

Danuta

 

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1991-10-22

 

10/22 Hi , I will pickup the camera at 10:30 AM.

Danuta

10/22 We used up the film by 10:30, then got your phone message . If you want pictures of K. with the children you need to send more film .

 

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1991-10-23

 

10/23 Sorry about mix - up . I will stop by around 10 AM and bring new film .

Danuta

10/23

Thanks for , the film - and your kind words !

We are OK on snacks for now .

I love her new schedule !

We are trying to help her combine adjective now (color, shape, size ) . She still has difficulty recognizing the category if asked verbally . We won't introduce new stuff until we master this!

K.

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1991-10-24

 

10/24 Hi , the pictures turned out great . K., would you mind finding out tom Estr. if we need to get an approval for the microwave & refrigerator ?

Thanks,

Danuta

 

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1991-10-28

 

10/28

Danuta,

Hope these captrims are ok . I eliminated # 13 , 18 due to substitute any questions, feel free to ask / call school. I asked Kat where she was going today (she had left her desk ) . She said to " Play " - the first I heard that one !

K.

P. S. Kat painted her pumpkin today. She made a face on it - just like you taught her!

 

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1991-10-29

 

10/29 Thank you for the photo's .

Danuta

10/29

Glad the pictures are ok . Thanks for the new snacks . The kids love the chips , but the carrot puffs are less preferred . ( They do like carrot chips , through ). Kat is reading her shape cards w/ 83% accuracy ( 5 out of 6 ) !

K.

 

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1991-10-30

 

10/30

1. Did you get a chance to look into the microwave and refrigerator?

2. Halloween party ? Can they were costumes to school or should I send it in separate?

3. Could I send the camera in to have you take some pictures ? Kat is going as a bride /princess .

Kat had a lot of first last night ,too . When Bridget was doing her math homework she sat with her curiously to see what she was doing and kept looking at all the numbers with great interest .

She noticed the word list from school on the table she read : horse , a , car , yellow, see &ball? and kept skimming down further when I pointed to box she spelled it out and took out the box & " I " " want " " movie " cards . Arranged them in a sentence and asked for a movie . The movie she watched was Videosmarts letters . At night during her chart routine she kept pointing to vowels separate & consonants spearate and kept singing that song. I could send in the video if you'd like.

Danuta

10/30 Danuta

1. Estr. got OK for Micro. & refridg . We will just have to mount them away from children .

2. Send costume (we have OT in am). She can change after lunch . Do send the camera . You can come for parade if you like . Can we photograph others, too?

3. Send video on Fri since we have the party Thurs. It sounds fun!

Glad Kat is doing so well she really is becoming much more interested in her environments !

K.

Hi , I am sending the video in today so I will not forget it . keep it until you get a chance to view it . Kat has a watch .

I will try and get microwave and refrigerator by Monday . Please photo other kids as well . Tom will come to the parade so he can help out with pictures.

Kat had a low grade fever last night . But she seems fine this morning . please keep an eye on her . I am sending in 6 flash lights for the kids as treats . If they hold the gray button it blinks and makes music that changes with time . Thanks

Danuta

Have fun !

Kat was very happy all day ( no signs of illness ) . She really seemed excited about Halloween! Thanks for the flashlights . They carried them in the parade!

Got the video - thanks, again !

Love that costume!

K.

Danuta

I passed out notes for parents . I have not hooked micro up yet. I'm waiting for refrige. so it will be out of reach of the kids . Kat scored 100% on First Words Computer test ( animals) ! She's doing great !

K.

K.,

The refrigerator need good cleaning. I will try & get it in today or tomorrow .

thanks , Danuta

 

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