FoggyRock General Forum

In January this year, our special ed teacher took 6 weeks off for maternity leave. Her substitute didn't have any experience with working in a special ed classroom! What was the principle thinking?

Transitions are often difficult for Autistic kids, and our little one was having trouble adjusting to a different teacher who did things differently. She reverted to wetting her pants. One day she went through the pants she was wearing, the spare set in her backpack, and the sub called me to bring her home and change her and then bring her back to school. Well that was NUTS. I took some clean clothes to put on her in the restroom so she could go back to class.

When I walked into the reception room, the sub was talking to our little one about how she wouldn't get to go to first grade next year if she was still wetting her pants. Sheesh, she had just gotten to the point where she was pretty much potty trained before the sub took over - so I explained to the sub that Nove'Mber has been diagnosed with Autism and that most Autistic or Asperger's children take much, much longer to be successful in getting themselves to the potty - and that it was part of her IEP for the teacher and the para's to help her and remind her to go and try. Her attitude was still that a child who is entering first grade shouldn't be having accidents. Grrrrr!

I came home and talked with her mom, and we called the school to schedule an emergency meeting with everyone who is involved with our child. Needless to say, the help with reminders about going to the bathroom got left in the IEP for next year. She has been doing very well lately, but she has her off days, and transitioning from summer with no school to a different teacher, a different classroom, and different classmates for first grade may knock her back a step or two. She'll get back on track in no time, as long as some know-it-all with no experience with special needs kids doesn't try to make her feel bad and guilty about an occasional accident.

I just want to Thank you. I have been a para for 6 years now. I have had the pleasure of working with 4 very different Autistic children. Without the support of the parents, I wouldn't have the knowledge I have now. Trust me, I don't know everything and I never will know everything but I try my hardest to do whatever possible to see success.


This site is wonderful and I hope to use it as a resource in the near future.

Keep being those FABULOUS parents!! You are truly amazing people and I support you more than you know.

They never will learn to listen. The best we can do as parents is be the continual buzzing in their ears.