Angelmum
Moderator
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
ermm, thot I already commented :err:
ermm, thot I already commented :err:
Last edited:
COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndrome
- Thread starter Angelmum
- Start date
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
Bottomline is I have doubts on how much my girl can learn there as at the PTC, they just showed me pieces of work that my girl cannot do and emphasized on her inadequacies. They could not tell me how they went thru some of the works she had done/cannot do and just tell me that they cannot be with her all the time to see that she completes her work and had to go thru 'thick and thin' to put my girl in K1. While I can understand that the teachers need to tend to other children as well and cannot expect them to be with my girl all the time, it is the way they put across that makes me doubt that they truly bothered.
Was the child that u mentioned in ICCP as well? Reason for asking is that the school says we still have to continue to pay for ICCP even if we put her back to nursery otherwise it is not possible to placed her back to nursery.
Thanks for sharing with me your views. Actually if set aside academic, my girl seems normal to most people unless you interact more with her. She has no prob with daily survival skills (can even use chopsticks to take peanuts and tofu!). Some areas of weakness - not able to run fast, skip on one leg, balance herself on the balance beam. As for academic, she can speak 5-words (sometimes more words) sentences in both english and mandarin, name most alphabets, nos 1 to 20, write 1 to 5 but only able to read a few words (coincidentally only words that I taught her myself). She has cognitive problems and not able to relate things properly. While I can agree that she may feel less stressful in nursery level, I'm worried that she may not grow in terms of maturity. But I think that school emphasize too much on academics and I think she will still feel stressful at nursery level.Hi, I read your posts and I felt your pain. I am a preschool teacher and I have a child in my K2 class who has GDD. My centre accepted her when she was 6 years old in 2008. As i was her teacher then, I requested for her to be transferred to Nursery as her milestones are actually at the Nursery level whereby she required more motor development skills and social interactions rather than cognitive n academic skills and was constantly stressed when the class had proper lessons. She moved up to K1 last year and is now in my K2 class again this year and she has since improved alot in her routine skills and social skills. The children in my class were her friends since Nursery and were taking turns to help look after her. Children learn empathy as well.
Though she can't talk, she is able to use gestures/facial expressions and one syllable word to express her needs e.g. more/chou-chou(poo) etc. My goals for her were not academic but more of self-help skills. It also helps alot that her mum is very cooperative and taught her how to take care of herself and how to interact with others. She is attending lessons in MINDS school in the afternoons and is going to continue her lessons there next year when she graduate from my class this yr.
Probably talk to your child's centre principal again and find out what are the teachers' plans for her in the Nursery class. I dont't see it as "downgrade" but more of helping your child cope more effectively at her own learning pace. The teachers should not "force" your child to learn academic skills if she is not ready as it may cause stress and in turn aggravate her seizures.
If you need anyone to listen, you can always pm me.I hope everything goes well for you and your family. Sorry if I babbled too much!
Bottomline is I have doubts on how much my girl can learn there as at the PTC, they just showed me pieces of work that my girl cannot do and emphasized on her inadequacies. They could not tell me how they went thru some of the works she had done/cannot do and just tell me that they cannot be with her all the time to see that she completes her work and had to go thru 'thick and thin' to put my girl in K1. While I can understand that the teachers need to tend to other children as well and cannot expect them to be with my girl all the time, it is the way they put across that makes me doubt that they truly bothered.
Was the child that u mentioned in ICCP as well? Reason for asking is that the school says we still have to continue to pay for ICCP even if we put her back to nursery otherwise it is not possible to placed her back to nursery.
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
Eh...cos u asked me to try rainbow centre but then say that they dun have enough facilities and therapists and special schools a waste of time...:embarrassed:
SassyMummy
Member
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
Since your girl knows numbers and can speak pretty well, from my point of view she should be able to cope if she remains in K1. Tell the teachers ur concerns, after all every child in the class deserves attention from the teacher. Not every child has to complete their work. They can learn thru other means like role-play, books etc.
Sorry but what is ICCP? I'm not sure what it is.
From what u described, ur girl is not as serious as my student. And in my opinion, the teachers should not highlight your child's failures during PTC. It is not professional as an early childhood educator. They should show u her completed work samples and pictures of her engaging in class activities and discuss the issues that they can help your girl.
Since your girl knows numbers and can speak pretty well, from my point of view she should be able to cope if she remains in K1. Tell the teachers ur concerns, after all every child in the class deserves attention from the teacher. Not every child has to complete their work. They can learn thru other means like role-play, books etc.
Sorry but what is ICCP? I'm not sure what it is.
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
ICCP - integrated childcare programme. It is meant to put children with special needs in a class with mainstream children. Their worksheets are supposed to be tailored according to their abilities but theme is same as her friends.
That's why I feel that I shd not continue with that school. Since her nursery days, I have tried asking them to let me know what was taught in class everyday so that I can go thru with her - turned down. Then ask them to let me have the theme or topics to be taught for that week/month - also turned down. They just say they cannot let us have in advance as they will always sent us the children's work end of month. How to go thru by then! My girl is not able to relate to me what she had eaten in school, let alone what was taught in school. Hence, it is difficult to know where she is weak in. Thot if they truly mean to help my girl, they could have told me what reinforcements are needed each time I picked her up from school (not that I never ask). The only time that 'shared' with me was during PTC.
ICCP - integrated childcare programme. It is meant to put children with special needs in a class with mainstream children. Their worksheets are supposed to be tailored according to their abilities but theme is same as her friends.
SassyMummy
Member
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
My centre's curriculum is integrated and parents do not have to pay extra to be in mainstream class. And we don't give out standardized worksheets to children but we give work that is catered to each and every child's needs and abilities.
Before the beginning of Term 1, the principal will talk to parents about the themes in the centre and what will be taught. I would suggest u talk to the principal again. Parents should have the right to know what is being taught in school and teachers SHOULD share readily what kind of work is given to the children. If after talking there's still no favourable results, then I think u should look for another centre.
My centre's curriculum is integrated and parents do not have to pay extra to be in mainstream class. And we don't give out standardized worksheets to children but we give work that is catered to each and every child's needs and abilities.
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
Sounds like I got shortchanged. There is no talk at the beginning of the term or sharing of the kind of work gvn to children readily. I have lost faith in that centre and am looking for one. Her cousin is going to a centre that believes in letting the child learn thru play and allow space for them to be creative. Most importantly, they allow children to learn at their own pace. For eg, if child A needs one week to master writing one letter/word, they give that time to that child. On the other hand, if another child B can accomplish three letters/words in a week, they also allow that. This is something I think would be suitable for my child. Am in the midst of talking to the school. Hope this is the place for my girl. :001_302:
SassyMummy
Member
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
All the best Jeraldink!
All the best Jeraldink!
joannelim8016
New Member
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
Hi im new to this forum. My daughter is diagonised with CP. A lot of tests has been done by her including Lumbar puture. Now the dr is suggesting to do nerotransmitter test. To further exam. So faintful to see my daughter taking all this test.
Hi im new to this forum. My daughter is diagonised with CP. A lot of tests has been done by her including Lumbar puture. Now the dr is suggesting to do nerotransmitter test. To further exam. So faintful to see my daughter taking all this test.
extremepower
Member
Re: COMMON Medical term: Autism/Global Dev Delay/Seizures/Cerebral Palsy/Down's Syndr
you wanna try kangen water? hopefully the microclustered feature can revive the cells and make her healthy.
Use this id if you want to make the purchase at enagic.com. [h=1]#1063067 - Ngu Mee Kiong[/h]
you wanna try kangen water? hopefully the microclustered feature can revive the cells and make her healthy.
Use this id if you want to make the purchase at enagic.com. [h=1]#1063067 - Ngu Mee Kiong
[/h]
Angelmum
Moderator
Autism
Flexing his muscles for autism, Mypaper
THREE days ago, Manhunt Singapore 2014 (senior category; 30 years old and above) finalist Andrew Ang's heart swelled with joy when his eight-year-old son passed him his car keys. This may seem run-of-the-mill to most parents but, for Mr Ang, it was a clear sign that his child Alex wanted to communicate with him.
Six years ago, the boy was diagnosed with severe autism.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by impaired social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication, and by restricted and repetitive behaviour. Since then, Mr Ang, a 41-year-old businessman, has been worrying for his son. He hopes his son, the middle child of his three children, can one day lead an independent life.
His oldest child, a daughter, 10, has had open heart surgery for congenital heart disease, which is a problem with the heart's structure and function that is present at birth. Mr Ang, who is 1.73m tall and weighs 65kg, said he joined Manhunt this year to be an inspiration to his children.
His message to them: No matter how tough it gets, don't ever give up. He told The New Paper: "When Alex was diagnosed, it was very difficult for us. We had no idea what was going on, so we had to seek help. "The one-to-one therapy, which has cost us $4,000 every month for the last six years, has helped a lot." Mr Ang recalled that three days ago, he had left his house only to realise he had forgotten his car keys. So he went back to get them and Alex, who was there when he opened the door, passed the keys to him.
Said Mr Ang: "I was stunned. I didn't know that he could communicate with me. To other parents, this is such a simple thing. But to me, this means he's actually seeing some light and knows what's going on. "I hope my son can take of himself when I'm gone.
"I joined Manhunt also with the hope of raising awareness of autism, so that Singaporeans will be more tolerant of people who have it." This determination to overcome adversity comes from the fact that he grew up poor in a kampung in Jalan Ulu Sembawang where, at a young age, he had to help his parents protect their livestock from pests such as rats and snakes.
As a child, he had to feed the ducks and pigs, as well as water 300 lime and durian trees. On some days, he had only soya sauce and plain porridge for meals. His family moved out of the kampung years later and it fuelled his determination to succeed. He juggled several jobs: as a newspaper delivery boy working at the break of dawn, as a street and telesurveyor on weekdays and as a drinks and tidbits vendor on weekends. This was on top of his electrical-engineering diploma studies at Singapore Polytechnic. Said Mr Ang, who was a finalist in Manhunt Singapore 1993 but did not win: "Living in the kampung is about being open, caring and sharing. It's never about wealth or status. I'm a kampung boy."
HUNK PARADE: Mr Ang (third from right, with other finalists in the senior category) joined Manhunt this year to be an inspiration to his children, one of whom is autistic, and also to raise awareness of autism, so that Singaporeans will be more tolerant of people who have the neurodevelopmental disorder.
Living with autism
When she gave birth to her first child seven years ago, Ms Brenda Tan, 37,had no clue that the boy, Calder, would be different.
Then, there were some warning signs. At 18 months old, Calder didn't like to look at other people and he still couldn't talk. He also seemed obsessed with spinning the wheels of his toy cars.
As she had no comparison, Ms Tan didn't realise anything was amiss. It was only after a routine check-up that a paediatrician raised the red flag . Ms Tan tells The New Paper on Sunday: "The paediatrician called out his name but he didn't turn to look at her. He just continued doing his own thing.
"She also asked him where his eyes and his nose were - to get him to point. But he didn't seem to understand her."
He was then referred to the KK Women's and Children's Hospital where it was suggested Calder go into child care in the hope that social interaction with other children would improve his speech and social skills.
Ms Tan wasn't ready for the news.
"I was in a daze for a year, wondering what happened. At the same time, I read up voraciously on autism," she says.
Since then, Ms Tan has learnt to come to terms with her son's condition.
Bringing up Calder has been "very interesting, if challenging," says Ms Tan. For example, he used to be a stickler for routines.
She explains: "He was very rigid. He wanted the same route to the school. We could not change the route at all.
"He wanted the same patterns - after kaya bread, he had to have a serving of bread with jam too."
If the routine was broken, he would have a meltdown. He would run wildly in big circles or run off while crying loudly. It would be very hard to calm him down, she says.
"It was very frustrating because it didn't make sense to follow such rigid sequences. It was also very stressful because he was very stubborn," she adds. Now, Calder is no longer so rigid about routines. That progress will hopefully continue at the Eden School for children with autism. He joined the school, which is in Bukit Batok, in January this year.
Ms Tan says he "delights" in disappearing acts. Recently he went missing when she was about to take him to the supermarket.
Ms Tan says: "When I was locking up the door, he ran down the stairs. As I had a trolley, I could not chase after him fast enough.
"By the time I came down, I couldn't see or hear him any more. "I ran down 14 floors, listening for sounds that he makes. I couldn't find him, so I called out his name and then I went back up the 14 floors of stairs.
"He came back, laughing. He's totally fearless."
Ms Tan is concerned he doesn't realise how dangerous the world, and in particular, traffic can be. She says: "I told my husband that we should have some GPS system to track him down. "My autistic boy made me realise my own vulnerability. There is so little I can do to help him and his autism will never go away." Ms Tan's advice to other parents with autistic children: "Take it one step at a time. That way, you will feel less overwhelmed."
To promote a better understanding of the condition, she has written a book, Come into my world: 31 stories of Autism in Singapore. It's a collection of true stories shared by Singaporean parents of autistic children. She says: "I have come to realise that at the end of the day, what is most important is that the child knows he or she is dearly loved. So surround your child with your love."
Debunking autism myths
Autism sufferers, especially children, can be stigmatised and discriminated against as a result of the disorder. Ms Frances Yeo, principal psychologist at The Child Development Centre, helps to debunk some myths about autism.
Myth: Autism is a psychiatric or mental illness.
It isn't. Autism is a neurodevelopmental (or brain development) disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate, form relationships and interact with the demands of the environment.
When stressed out or placed in situations without the necessary skills, people with autism may display unusual behaviour, flapping their hands or spinning.
Myth: It is a phase that children will 'grow out' of.
There is no cure for autism. It is a lifelong disorder.
But research supports the notion that outcomes improve significantly when children receive structured intervention at the earliest possible age.
Myth: Autism is due to bad parenting.
Parents should not feel guilty if their child develops autism - it is a developmental disability that results from a neurological disorder affecting the functioning of the brain.
Myth: Autism is caused by gluten and casein in the child's diet, or by childhood vaccinations.
There is no scientific evidence yet that proves autism is caused by either.
Myth: Autistic children cannot talk.
Autism symptoms vary widely between children and no two children are alike.
Some children have intact language skills while others may not talk at all.
Myth: Autistic children all have intellectual disability.
Not all children with autism have intellectual disability. Autistic children can have normal to high intelligence. Some may develop very advanced reading levels at a very young age.
Myth: All autistic children display the same behaviour.
Autism covers a wide spectrum. Some children are sensitive to loud sounds and may cover their ears while some may engage in hand-flapping. Also, not all children with autism tiptoe - one of the warning signs in toddlers. Some make no eye contact while others may briefly glance at others.
Diagnosed with autism at birth, but driven to succeed
Mustafa Syed Ahmad was born prematurely, leaving him with mild autism."He was so small at birth, only 900g," said his mother, Madam Siti Aifah Fadanie, 68, her voice cracking. "When he was young, everyone said he was stupid and would never pass his PSLE or N levels. But I never believed that."
Now, Mustafa has started working as a guest service officer at the five-star Crowne Plaza Hotel in Changi Airport. He impressed the hotel during an internship in his final semester at Republic Polytechnic (RP). He graduated with a Diploma in Hotel and Hospitality Management on May 21, 2014.
Stressed over autistic child
Helping autistics grow
Study shows autism risk is half genetic, half environmental
Flexing his muscles for autism, Mypaper
THREE days ago, Manhunt Singapore 2014 (senior category; 30 years old and above) finalist Andrew Ang's heart swelled with joy when his eight-year-old son passed him his car keys. This may seem run-of-the-mill to most parents but, for Mr Ang, it was a clear sign that his child Alex wanted to communicate with him.
Six years ago, the boy was diagnosed with severe autism.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by impaired social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication, and by restricted and repetitive behaviour. Since then, Mr Ang, a 41-year-old businessman, has been worrying for his son. He hopes his son, the middle child of his three children, can one day lead an independent life.
His oldest child, a daughter, 10, has had open heart surgery for congenital heart disease, which is a problem with the heart's structure and function that is present at birth. Mr Ang, who is 1.73m tall and weighs 65kg, said he joined Manhunt this year to be an inspiration to his children.
His message to them: No matter how tough it gets, don't ever give up. He told The New Paper: "When Alex was diagnosed, it was very difficult for us. We had no idea what was going on, so we had to seek help. "The one-to-one therapy, which has cost us $4,000 every month for the last six years, has helped a lot." Mr Ang recalled that three days ago, he had left his house only to realise he had forgotten his car keys. So he went back to get them and Alex, who was there when he opened the door, passed the keys to him.
Said Mr Ang: "I was stunned. I didn't know that he could communicate with me. To other parents, this is such a simple thing. But to me, this means he's actually seeing some light and knows what's going on. "I hope my son can take of himself when I'm gone.
"I joined Manhunt also with the hope of raising awareness of autism, so that Singaporeans will be more tolerant of people who have it." This determination to overcome adversity comes from the fact that he grew up poor in a kampung in Jalan Ulu Sembawang where, at a young age, he had to help his parents protect their livestock from pests such as rats and snakes.
As a child, he had to feed the ducks and pigs, as well as water 300 lime and durian trees. On some days, he had only soya sauce and plain porridge for meals. His family moved out of the kampung years later and it fuelled his determination to succeed. He juggled several jobs: as a newspaper delivery boy working at the break of dawn, as a street and telesurveyor on weekdays and as a drinks and tidbits vendor on weekends. This was on top of his electrical-engineering diploma studies at Singapore Polytechnic. Said Mr Ang, who was a finalist in Manhunt Singapore 1993 but did not win: "Living in the kampung is about being open, caring and sharing. It's never about wealth or status. I'm a kampung boy."
Living with autism
When she gave birth to her first child seven years ago, Ms Brenda Tan, 37,had no clue that the boy, Calder, would be different.
Then, there were some warning signs. At 18 months old, Calder didn't like to look at other people and he still couldn't talk. He also seemed obsessed with spinning the wheels of his toy cars.
As she had no comparison, Ms Tan didn't realise anything was amiss. It was only after a routine check-up that a paediatrician raised the red flag . Ms Tan tells The New Paper on Sunday: "The paediatrician called out his name but he didn't turn to look at her. He just continued doing his own thing.
"She also asked him where his eyes and his nose were - to get him to point. But he didn't seem to understand her."
He was then referred to the KK Women's and Children's Hospital where it was suggested Calder go into child care in the hope that social interaction with other children would improve his speech and social skills.
Ms Tan wasn't ready for the news.
"I was in a daze for a year, wondering what happened. At the same time, I read up voraciously on autism," she says.
Since then, Ms Tan has learnt to come to terms with her son's condition.
Bringing up Calder has been "very interesting, if challenging," says Ms Tan. For example, he used to be a stickler for routines.
She explains: "He was very rigid. He wanted the same route to the school. We could not change the route at all.
"He wanted the same patterns - after kaya bread, he had to have a serving of bread with jam too."
If the routine was broken, he would have a meltdown. He would run wildly in big circles or run off while crying loudly. It would be very hard to calm him down, she says.
"It was very frustrating because it didn't make sense to follow such rigid sequences. It was also very stressful because he was very stubborn," she adds. Now, Calder is no longer so rigid about routines. That progress will hopefully continue at the Eden School for children with autism. He joined the school, which is in Bukit Batok, in January this year.
Ms Tan says he "delights" in disappearing acts. Recently he went missing when she was about to take him to the supermarket.
Ms Tan says: "When I was locking up the door, he ran down the stairs. As I had a trolley, I could not chase after him fast enough.
"By the time I came down, I couldn't see or hear him any more. "I ran down 14 floors, listening for sounds that he makes. I couldn't find him, so I called out his name and then I went back up the 14 floors of stairs.
"He came back, laughing. He's totally fearless."
Ms Tan is concerned he doesn't realise how dangerous the world, and in particular, traffic can be. She says: "I told my husband that we should have some GPS system to track him down. "My autistic boy made me realise my own vulnerability. There is so little I can do to help him and his autism will never go away." Ms Tan's advice to other parents with autistic children: "Take it one step at a time. That way, you will feel less overwhelmed."
To promote a better understanding of the condition, she has written a book, Come into my world: 31 stories of Autism in Singapore. It's a collection of true stories shared by Singaporean parents of autistic children. She says: "I have come to realise that at the end of the day, what is most important is that the child knows he or she is dearly loved. So surround your child with your love."
Debunking autism myths
Autism sufferers, especially children, can be stigmatised and discriminated against as a result of the disorder. Ms Frances Yeo, principal psychologist at The Child Development Centre, helps to debunk some myths about autism.
Myth: Autism is a psychiatric or mental illness.
It isn't. Autism is a neurodevelopmental (or brain development) disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate, form relationships and interact with the demands of the environment.
When stressed out or placed in situations without the necessary skills, people with autism may display unusual behaviour, flapping their hands or spinning.
Myth: It is a phase that children will 'grow out' of.
There is no cure for autism. It is a lifelong disorder.
But research supports the notion that outcomes improve significantly when children receive structured intervention at the earliest possible age.
Myth: Autism is due to bad parenting.
Parents should not feel guilty if their child develops autism - it is a developmental disability that results from a neurological disorder affecting the functioning of the brain.
Myth: Autism is caused by gluten and casein in the child's diet, or by childhood vaccinations.
There is no scientific evidence yet that proves autism is caused by either.
Myth: Autistic children cannot talk.
Autism symptoms vary widely between children and no two children are alike.
Some children have intact language skills while others may not talk at all.
Myth: Autistic children all have intellectual disability.
Not all children with autism have intellectual disability. Autistic children can have normal to high intelligence. Some may develop very advanced reading levels at a very young age.
Myth: All autistic children display the same behaviour.
Autism covers a wide spectrum. Some children are sensitive to loud sounds and may cover their ears while some may engage in hand-flapping. Also, not all children with autism tiptoe - one of the warning signs in toddlers. Some make no eye contact while others may briefly glance at others.
Diagnosed with autism at birth, but driven to succeed
Mustafa Syed Ahmad was born prematurely, leaving him with mild autism."He was so small at birth, only 900g," said his mother, Madam Siti Aifah Fadanie, 68, her voice cracking. "When he was young, everyone said he was stupid and would never pass his PSLE or N levels. But I never believed that."
Now, Mustafa has started working as a guest service officer at the five-star Crowne Plaza Hotel in Changi Airport. He impressed the hotel during an internship in his final semester at Republic Polytechnic (RP). He graduated with a Diploma in Hotel and Hospitality Management on May 21, 2014.
Stressed over autistic child
Helping autistics grow
Study shows autism risk is half genetic, half environmental
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