School Based Services (SBS)

I received a consent form in the mail listing the services Dane receives from the school district.  It said that the school district has been accessing Medicaid reimbursement for medically related services provided for Dane.  The WI Medicaid School Bases Services Benefit offers a way for my local school district to receive federal funds to help pay for IEP special education programs and related services in the IEP.  SBS allows the school district to bill Medicaid with no cost to families.

This program has been available to school districts in WI since 1995 and changes have occurred over that time.  The most recent is that the WI Dept. of Public Instruction notified WI schools of a change in federal law obligating school districts to obtain parent consent prior to accessing Medicaid SBS benefits.  Prior to the change, parents gave consent to the school district to bill Medicaid when parents signed up for the WI Medicaid Assistance Program.  The school system now needs to ask parents directly for written consent.  In this process the school needs to ask for my consent directly but will not result in denial or limitation of community based services provided outside the school district.

I had to cancel the case worker observation for Dane because he had his therapy.  The observation will also be his annual ISP were we tell her how he is acting or if anything new is going on.  Tuesdays are such a rush getting home from work and getting Dane out of school 20 minutes early to make it to his therapy appointments 40 minutes from home.  I have been making it a routine to get McDonalds drive through because he is hungry after school.  I usually waited until after his therapy to get him something to eat but it's fast and its food.  I try not to buy the Happy Meals but when I do get the kids one it really makes them happy.  For Halloween they got a happy meal bucket they can use for trick or treating.  That would have been nice to know they can get something they will actually use.  Allyson calls it her Easter basket.  I keep correcting her but it's funny to hear her call it that.

Lining Things Up

Dane seems to be making a couple friends.  His Occupational Therapist asked my wife if his therapists for his autism services can give a detailed list of what they are working on with him.  I will have to bring that up when I take him in Tuesday after school.  She also recommended having a IEP meeting set up sooner than previously set.  That is to get on the same page of how he is responding at home and what his therapists are currently working on with him.

I went to Grandpa's house to finally bring back the kids power wheels.  This will probably be one of the last warmest weeks of the year. 

My wife bought a couple solar lights to use on our walkway.  I set them up the other night.  One was somewhat charged and lit.  The other did not come on.  Dane went outside trying to get the one to light up.  He wouldn't stop until I told him that we would have to put it in the sun to charge up the battery.  Then he was like, "Battery's dead?"  I said "Yeah."

Tonight I thought the kids could play outside being such a nice day and all.  Dane took all the solar lights and lined them up on the walkway.  He has been lining up matchbox cars and saucer lids since he was very little.  I thought this may be a nice change to our house and let him do it.  In a couple months all the outside landscaping things need to get put away.  It is funny and weird how strait and organized he puts things.  If one thing goes out of order he goes crazy until it is replaced.  It sets off his routine when something is out of place.  I would be able to move the lights back but I would have to tell him several times that I am putting them back.  I would also have to show him which light will go where or he may go into a meltdown.

Danes collection of pin wheels has decreased by 3 also.  He had about 10 lined up outside our back door.  No matter how ugly and worn they were he had to have them in place.  I took the bad ones and told them they were junk and we should throw them out.  He was fine with that but I think that he thinks that we will replace them.  Maybe I will or not..I dunno.

Spinning sandbox toys, pinwheels and matchbox cars have been Dane ultimate favorites for toys.  I'd like to get him involved in video games but he shows no interest.  I put the PS1 in his room tonight.  He showed interest for about 2 minutes and wanted to go outside.  Allyson came in and started to play Spyro and Crash Bandicoot.  I went to check on Dane and he was spinning his pin wheels on the back step.  Maybe tomorrow he will show more interest because it's in his room.


Both kids are finally starting to sleep in their own beds all night.  Allyson has a little tv in her room and that gives me time to get Dane settled into bed.  Dane has his guinea pig, Wubbzy, in his room.  He has a nite light and a lamp also.  He is staring to show that he is scared of the dark.  He used to stay wide awake and not tell us hes scared.  I ask him if he wants his lamp on or if the nite light is good enough.  Sometimes he will say to leave the door open also.  The little space heater has helped keep him in his room at night also.  The calming white noise and soft heat puts him into a deeper sleep.  I am starting to think he sleep walks. 

Paying Attention in Class

My son used to always have a matchbox car with him when he went to school. It helped him focus and pay attention during class. While the teacher was doing her scheduled class, Dane would take out his matchbox car and spin the wheels.

We had a discussion about this at Danes Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting . His teacher said that having the little car was no trouble in class as long as he is paying attention and not playing with it.

To make sure he was paying attention and not spacing off was she would kneel down after she had her classroom talk and ask him what she was talking about. At this age he's learning mostly colors, numbers and letters in early education. He would tell her the letter she was talking about. Even though he wasn't watching her, he was listening intently. Spinning the wheels is his way of focusing on her words.

During nap-time, Dane would lay down and take out his car and spin the wheels while the other children napped. His mind is so over active that it is hard for him to relax and close his eyes.

From matchbox cars to pennies.  Dane needs exactly 3 pennies in his pocket before he goes to school. He doesn't take them out of his pocket like the matchbox car. Every so often he takes his hand and pats his pocket to hear them clink against each other. He still doesn't make much eye contact with his teacher but he is still focusing by patting his pocket. In time I am guessing he will get sick of the pennies and advert to something else.

An autistic child receives information differently then the normal mind. By looking like their not paying attention and listening to you, they are, in a different way. My son doesn't always understand what were saying to him. Showing him pictures and speaking slow has helped him understand better. As his brain grows I think he will be able to process information faster and not always need several explanations to explain something.