Alex
His Progress While In A
Growing Minds Autism Program
Alex* began the Growing Minds program at age six, with a diagnosis of autism.
His Background
His Program
His Development in the following areas:
Social
Language
Academic & Cognitive
Motor
Statement From Alex's Mother
Alex was diagnosed with autism at age 3 1/2. His mother began a Son-Rise program at home when Alex was four and ran this program for two years, working one-to one with Alex for twenty-five to thirty hours per week. Alex experienced significant benefits from this program. He increased eye contact and became more social. He began speaking and developed the ability to use 800 words. Occasionally, he would speak in short sentences or ask questions. He was toilet trained. At the end of this period, his mother reported his mental age to be 3 ½ years.
However, his growth had hit a plateau. Alex had grown used to having constant control over other people and would have intense tantrums whenever his wishes were not quickly met. He was inflexible and unwilling to cooperate in games or take direction from others. He frequently appeared distressed and whined or yelled loudly when his wants were not met. He sometimes slapped people and he generally refused to cooperate with requests. This behavior substantially impaired his ability to continue learning and had high potential to cause difficulties for Alex in settings where he did not have complete control of the activity, such as primary school.
Alex’s family choose the Growing Minds Comprehensive Program in order to learn how to motivate Alex to learn new things and to try new experiences, to learn how to negotiate with him and to find ways to challenge him. The family participated in an initial five-day program in Florida and then in a six-month distance follow-up program. During this time, strategies were developed for negotiating with Alex and for motivating him to participate in instructional activities, balanced with interactive play times. Curriculum goals and methods were designed and the family was trained in the use of all methods.
Prior to coming to Florida, Alex had begun attending a regular kindergarten for two mornings per week. After returning home, this time was increased to four mornings (the full program for children Alex’s age). Alex participated in the Growing Minds program at home for one morning and five afternoons per week. As he had demonstrated signs of auditory sensitivities, he received Auditory Integration Training, using the Tomates method. He also began a casein-and gluten-free diet.
After nine months of this program, Alex increased to full-time school attendance (in a regular classroom without an aide). This decision to go to school full-time was requested by Alex himself. The home program was then reduced to after-school hours. Currently, Alex participates in a regular classroom without an aide. His teachers consider him to be at or above the appropriate academic level for his age. His formal sessions in the playroom were recently ended at Alex’s request, so that he could have more time to play with his friends.
After ten months of the Growing Minds program, Alex developed in the following new ways:
Alex's eye contact is substantially improved.
He is gentler and more physically affectionate. He now appears to enjoy physical touch and cuddling with his parents. He exchanges hugs and kisses with parents.
Alex's tantrums are now rare occurrences. He remains calm in disappointing situations. He controls his temper better and verbalizes his feelings in an appropriate manner.
He attends a regular classroom full-time. In class, he is cooperative, attentive and engaged, with excellent classroom behavior. He cooperates well, even with less preferred activities. He takes direction and follows complex instructions.
He is popular with his classmates. He is often invited to visit and play with his classmates. On these occasions, he is gentle and well-behaved, and negotiates well with his peers. He has many friends at school and has decided to invite the entire class to his upcoming birthday party.
He is more independent from his mother. He wants to do things on his own, such as brushing his teeth, eating breakfast, going to school and choosing which friend he will invite to play.
He invites friends to his house by dialing and initiating the telephone conversation.
He cooperates with bathing and dressing and does portions of these actions independently.
He has increased his repertoire of social conversation. He gives appropriate greetings and farewells, and he has some repertoire of social conversation. He says "thank you" and "please" when appropriate.
He plays group games following the rules. He conforms to group decisions and adjusts his behavior to fit the rules and routines of different situations.
Alex eats most food in a tidy manner and asks to leave the table when he is finished.
Alex has substantially increased his participation in conversations and discussions.
He identifies words that rhyme.
He locates left and right.
He uses the past tense correctly.
Alex uses sentences that express logical relations between concepts.
He uses compound sentences with more than one main clause.
He states the characteristics and attributes of an object or a place.
Alex answers questions about a story and describes the parts of a live event, movie or TV show.
He participates in singing songs with a group. He sings and does actions with songs.
Academic and Cognitive Development
Alex is now participating in a regular classroom without special support. His academic abilities are at or above the appropriate grade level for his age.
Alex is using a visual schedule.He knows the meaning of words like morning, afternoon, evening, night, yesterday, today, tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday, etc. He relates "today", "tomorrow" and "yesterday" to days of the week.
He reads numerals on a clock face and associates time with routine activity.
He makes judgments about time and speed. He can judge longest time period and the shortest, which object is going fastest, slowest, etc.He correctly selects items based on category (class) and function.
He uses tactile terms to describe properties of items, such as hard, soft, rough, smooth, round.
He compares items by appearance, based on size, color, designs, and parts.
He attends to computer tasks without supervision.
He tells a suitable ending to a simple story.
He names capital and lower case letters when shown printed letters.
He says the sound a letter makes when shown the letter.
He reads simple three-letter words when they are paired with pictures and identifies look-alike words correctly.
He blends letter sounds to say the word as a unit.
He prints own first name without a model.
He identifies and counts quantities up to six.
He identifies number symbols of 1-5.
He counts out loud to 20.
He draws a recognizable face with eyes, nose and mouth.
He completes at least one sit-up.
When swimming, he puts his face in the water. He recovers to a standing position from front and back floats.
He draws a square, a diagonal line and a zigzag line following models.
He completes a picture of a stick person.
He traces the shape of his own hand.
He folds paper three times.
He spreads paste on one side of paper and turns over to stick it to another paper.
He strings small beads reproducing color and shape sequence and patterns.
In October '98, Alex was diagnosed as autistic. After two years of the Son-Rise program at home, our Alex was doing better than ever. He was TALKING, PLAYING, having a sparkle in his eyes and a lot of mischief, a will of his own. We had great times together in the playroom, and a wonderful team of volunteers.
By the end of those two years, however, our program was stalling, staying on a plateau. I felt it was time for a new direction, without really knowing how to go about it.
As Alex was going to school, and we had a certain agenda we wanted to follow, we felt our best choice was Growing Minds. We wanted to have the freedom to ask questions about different methods, like ABA or TEACCH, to see what that could bring us.
Our week in January, 2001 with Steven, Kaitryn and Stefanie made a whole difference for us. We received all the know-how to get away from our plateau, starting the first day!
Having followed Alex so much, he was becoming a little prince, and we had to install a two-way communication, asking for some more participation from Alex, for some give and take.
Steven and Stefanie taught us how to go about that, by negotiating in a very respectful way, and at the same time asking for respect in return, respect for ourselves and for the deals we agreed upon. After Kaitryn's sessions I had a new clarity of purpose and found new ways of handling everyday challenges.
They also taught us how to introduce more precise teaching. By the end of the week, I really felt I could tackle this new part of our program! I had been coached in the playroom, I received feedback on my way of giving feedback, and our week was full of changes and challenges. Yet, we still had time to celebrate Alex's 6th birthday!
We came away from Jupiter with heaps of new projects, ideas and enthusiasm and we continued straight away at home. Now, 6 months later, we look back on Alex's progress, which was followed closely by Steven and Kaitryn through the 6 month-distance program. We are so surprised by everything he has learned. He has more general knowledge on animals, countries, geography, professions, he knows the letters and reads a few simple words, he counts to 20, he is more polite and softer in approaching people. He can play very well now with his peers, on a give-and-take basis!
Along with school, we will continue our program, to help Alex to become even more confident and willing to learn. Our confidence and enthusiasm for his future are endless!
Our Minds Grew, and are still Growing, and I hope yours will too!
Update, 2011
Alex, now 16, recently graduated from secondary school with good grades. He speaks two languages fluently and does not require special accommodations due to his history of autism. He enjoys friendships with his peers and a typical social life. His parents describe him as social, gregarious and willing to take on new challenges.
*The name of this boy has been changed to protect his identity.
15096 115th Avenue North, Jupiter, Florida 33478
Phone: 561-748-9697 Fax: 561-748-6543
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