Teaching Jeremiah, A Journey into the Mind of an Asperger's Child

Jul. 1, 2008

Children's Medical Services

Well, today was the day I had been waiting for...the day I'd hoped would result in me finding out what learning disabilities or struggles Jeremiah has in addition to his Asperger's. Jeremiah is not your typical Asperger's child. He is not exceptionally bright in any one area and does not have above average language - communication skills. Socially, he's all Asperger's, but intellectually, there's something else going on. He doesn't retain information easily or without excessive repetition and he doesn't process information easily. For example, he cannot follow through on directions that involve more than two steps...if that many at times.

Anyway, we got to Jeremiah's appointment and were taken right back into a really big room with lots of toys, books, and play centers. Jeremiah immediately went to play with some cars he saw and I was introduced to a neurologist. I was a little confused at this point because Jeremiah had already seen a neurologist and been through those tests. I gave her the results of his MRI and EEG, as well as Jerry's psychiatric, social work, and psychological evaluations and exams.

The doctor asked what my concerns were and I told her a little of what I'd experienced with Jerry and then she took Jerry in the hall to "evaluate" him. She asked him to skip and demonstrated what that looked like and he just bounced up and down as he walked down the hall. She asked him to run and he did and asked him to hop on one foot, which he struggled with doing. She asked him to remember the words shoe, banana, and pencil. Periodically in her assessment of Jerry she would ask him what the three words were she'd given him. Once he remembered two of them and more often he only remembered one, and not without clues or prompting.

When they came back into the office, the neurologist asked Jeremiah if he went to school. He said yes. She asked me what schooling he'd had. I told her he completed kindergarten this past year and attended speech therapy three times a week. She asked if he passed kindergarten. I told her yes, though he still needed work on his readiness skills and told her that we would be re-visiting many of the skills from kindergarten again this next year.

The doctor then drew an "A" on a sheet of paper and asked Jeremiah what the letter was. She over-exaggerated the line in the middle however by about 1/2" on either side of the "A". Jerry had no clue what the letter was. Then she made a "B" and asked him what it was. Jerry said "B" (the sound not the letter, as that's how I teach him). She asked Jerry to write his name then and he drew a backwards "J".

Then the doctor put a pencil, pen, and crayon in front of Jeremiah and asked him which one was the pencil. He pointed to the crayon and she looked at me. I repeated the question to Jerry, in proper English, as the doctor's accent was very thick (German I think). This time he picked up the pencil. The doctor asked him what color it was and I repeated the question, but Jeremiah doesn't answer questions asked like that. "Wh" questions are difficult for him. I rephrased the question to, "Is the pencil blue or yellow Jeremiah?" "Yellow", he said. Whew!! I was sweating now!

Then came the question. "Where does Jeremiah go to school?" "I home school him." She asked me then what made me think that home schooling Jeremiah was the best thing for him and how I came to make the decision to home school him in the first place. I told her that I home schooled my other three children and that we evaluated our local school's EELP (early exceptional learning program) classroom for Jeremiah, but that I felt that I was equipped to teach him just as well.....and then she cut me off with a nod of her head and a wave of her hand as she stood and told me to hang out while she sought counsel from the psychologist on staff.

Now Jeremiah and I were alone in the room, playing with cars, the kitchen center, and finding pictures in an "I Spy" book. I knew I was being watched, as I could hear the voices on the other side of the wall...the one the two-way mirror was on. After about ten minutes, the neurologist and psychologist re-entered the room and I was introduced. The psychologist introduced herself to Jeremiah and told him she'd been watching him play.

Then came the questions. "Has Jeremiah been tested by a "real" teacher to see how he is doing? Did he or didn't he pass kindergarten? What was the name of the test the tester used? What was the tester's name? Does Jeremiah get tested periodically? Has your home schooling of Jeremiah been evaluated?" I felt like a deer in the headlights. Suddenly, I wanted to just cry and leave the room, but then my defenses kicked in. I told them he was evaluated. I didn't know what test was used, but he did progress from where he'd been. I told them the teacher who tested Jerry was county certified. Then I told them that Jerry had progressed immensely since beginning on medications back in December.

A new line of questioning..."What medications is he on? What were his symptoms that prompted you to get him evaluated for medications?" I couldn't get out of there fast enough at this point. They said they'd call me with an appointment to have "their" evaluators test Jeremiah's status as a child who's finished kindergarten. They told me they doubted his diagnosis of Asperger's and believed there to be another explanation for Jeremiah's learning disabilities, but that they would talk to me further after completing their assessments of him. The two doctors kept looking at each other, nodding, smirking, and seeming to pass very conspicuous facial expressions back and forth as they questioned me.

I left the office and called John first and then Kim, my two voices of reason. Poor John just felt bad for not having gone with me and Kim encouraged me in my home schooling of Jeremiah and advised that I not return for the assessment. Good advice that I have decided to take. I have also called HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) just to let them know about the appointment and the way it seemed to be headed in case anything more comes of it, especially after I tell them I will no longer need their services for Jeremiah.

It was really quite frustrating now that I look back on it. These two "professionals" only saw Jeremiah for about an hour, and didn't even spend that hour assessing him as much as grilling me. Before Jeremiah started his medications, he didn't recognize his own name in print. Now he not only recognizes it, but can write a "J" (albeit backwards). Before December, Jeremiah could not recognize any colors. Now he knows nine of them. He knew no alphabet letters and now can tell you the sounds of two of them. He can trace his name and dot to dots without venturing too far from his points. He colors in the lines fairly well and can look you in the eyes of he focuses. He doesn't melt down into rages or tears anymore when he's wrong and his speech has improved immensely. Most people can actually understand him now and aren't always looking to John or I for an interpretation. I am so proud of him and he has come so far.

It may be baby steps to some people, but for those of us who have known Jeremiah since the beginning of all of this, he has scaled mountains. I was encouraged by another home school mom and the lady in charge of the Largo home school fair that I am going to be a vendor and speaker at in August. Her son just graduated high school last year and he didn't learn to read until he was fourteen! Baby steps, but steps nonetheless. Thank you to all of you who support and encourage me daily. I need it! Earlier today I doubted my decision to home school Jeremiah. I felt inadequate and as though I were doing him a disservice, but that was earlier. Those are lies from the enemy and I know that I am teaching and raising Jeremiah just the way God desires for me to.