Autistic children like Yang Yang are not isolated cases. They have a nice name called "Children of the Stars". In addition, there are special children with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other diseases. What they should do before school is a problem for their parents.
Kindergarten with "weak heart"
Before the age of 3, Yang Yang was raised by her grandmother. At the age of 3, he went to a private kindergarten. At that time, he began to have obvious symptoms of autism. Yang Yang can't express himself. He just expressed his emotions by crying loudly. When he is emotional, he will beat his head with his hand. "He can't play with other children, and sometimes he bites other children." The teacher gently reminded Cheng Zheng that he needed to take the children to the hospital.
Yang Yang was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. When he saw the result, Cheng Zheng didn't realize what it meant. "I didn't know anything at the time. It was strange and I didn't know its seriousness." After coming out of the hospital, Cheng Zheng began a three-month biological treatment for Yang Yang.
Biological therapy has little effect, "at most, it is auxiliary and needs rehabilitation intervention." Cheng Zheng sent Yang Yang to a professional organization to intervene. Fortunately, after more than three months of intervention, Yang Yang has gradually been able to control his emotions. "My figure is still very good." Cheng Zheng said.
At this point, the problem facing Cheng is: How should children return to kindergarten? He chose to tell the director and the teacher the truth honestly. "If you don't accept it, I'll change it."
In the communication between Cheng Zheng and kindergarten, most teachers will think that this is an "easy-going" parent, and this effect depends on Cheng Zheng's empathy. "From their point of view, this is understandable." He said, "They should also consider the whole kindergarten and other parents."
Cheng Zheng's bookcase is full of books related to autism.
Finally, Cheng Zheng found a public kindergarten willing to accept Yang Yang. There are more than 30 students in Yang Yang's class, and three teachers are in charge. Although they know that Yang Yang is special, most teachers don't know how to help him. "As long as there is no security problem."
Cheng Zheng's evaluation of this is: "The heart is weak." At one time, after school, Yang Yang would spit from time to time, and the teachers could do nothing about it, so they had to ask Cheng Zheng for help. After observation, he found that this was Yang Yang's refusal. "If you don't know the real reason behind his behavior, you can't solve the problem fundamentally."
School supplies and toys for Yang Yang.
When he first joined the parent exchange group, Cheng's goal was to adjust his mentality. "The most important thing is the mentality of parents. How can you think about the future if you can't accept it yourself? " In the group, he watched some parents "take off their hats" (that is, after some training, their children could not meet the diagnostic criteria of autism or autism spectrum disorder), and some parents were still struggling, while Cheng was choosing to look directly at his children's situation objectively.
"I will prepare for the worst and do my best." Any progress in Yang Yang is a surprise to him. "I still have to make a plan for the future." Cheng Zheng and his wife discussed every step of the future plan and talked about the future. Even though the "worst plan" has been made, my father's face still shows a trace of confusion.
The high cost of institutional intervention
Although the integration process of kindergartens is still bumpy, it is not easy for families with special children to send their children to ordinary kindergartens.
"Go back and wait for the news." I don't know how many times Lu Ling has heard such an answer. "There was no news later." Lu Ling's grandson Xiaoxi was born as white and lively as other newborns.
The turning point appeared at the full moon, and Xiaoxi began not to eat breast milk. "Other children are fat in vain. He seems to have no meat." The photos in Lu Ling's mobile phone recorded the thin appearance of the stream. Xiaoxi was diagnosed with systemic lipodystrophy. "The doctor said that it was caused by recessive inheritance, and only the muscles were long without fat."
The bad news is not over yet. At the age of one, Xiaoxi began to learn to speak. "He will call dad", which is no different from other children, which makes Lu Ling very pleased. However, one year later, Xiaoxi, who is 2 years old 10 months old, still only calls her father. "His intelligence is only one year old." The doctor's words came as a bolt from the blue.
Xiaoxi was judged as a third-degree mental retardation, and going to the toilet was once a problem because he could not express it. "I didn't understand it at first, and I was often angry with him." Lu Ling choked up, so she sent the stream to a rehabilitation institution for intervention.
According to the adjusted Measures for Rehabilitation and Relief Services for Disabled Children in Shenzhen, the maximum subsidy standard for first-and second-class disabled children and disabled children under 3 years old is 50,000 yuan per person per year; The maximum subsidy standard for children with disabilities of Grade III and IV is 40,000 yuan per person per year.
Xiaoxi's family can get a subsidy of 40 thousand yuan, but in the face of expensive intervention costs, they can only choose to attend classes three days a week. "The general subsidy is only enough for the rehabilitation expenses of families with special children for three to five months." Zhang Fengqiong, secretary general of Shenzhen Family Care Association for the Mentally Retarded, said.
Even so, Lu Ling can't completely let go, "just like accompanying students." Lu Ling accompanied the children to class, and after class, she also took the stream to the toilet.
This is not the long-term strategy of rehabilitation institutions. "The training content is more mechanized, which is a set situation." In July last year, Lu Ling accidentally learned that Xiaoxi could go to the Shenzhen Early Intervention Center for Special Children (hereinafter referred to as the Early Intervention Center).
Morning Sports Center is a comprehensive public welfare organization directly under Shenzhen Disabled Persons' Federation. Its predecessor was "Shenzhen hearing and speech rehabilitation Center for Deaf Children", 1992, which was established in July. Lu Ling sent her children to the morning shift center. Because she doesn't charge any fees, it is similar to full-time classes, and the burden on her family is much lighter.
There are 8 students in Xiaoxi's class. "The early education cadre center has 24 degrees, which are divided into three classes: large, medium and small, and receive special children aged 3 to 7 in the city." Mr. Li, director of the Early Education Center, said: "The purpose of teaching is to promote children's early integration into society."
According to Teacher Li, the main courses offered by the Early Education Cadre Center include collective teaching and individual teaching, and one-on-one teaching method is adopted to strengthen the cognitive and verbal abilities of special children.
In addition, the Morning Sports Cadre Center has also carried out a "parent-child training" course. "Only relying on institutions can't achieve the purpose of intervention, but parents should also understand what their children are doing." Every two weeks, the morning shift center will ask parents to participate in the class.
In this regard, Lu Ling feels the same way. She recalled the scene of dancing square dance with Xiaoxi and said with a smile: "I held him singing and dancing, and he was very happy." Seeing other children running, Xiaoxi will follow. "He was really excited." Lu Ling said.
Preschool education is in short supply.
"In Shenzhen, preschool education for special children is in short supply," Zhang Fengqiong said. In this case, preschool special children generally have three places to go, one is rehabilitation institutions, the other is integration into ordinary kindergartens, and the third is to enter preschool classes or private institutions run by special schools.
According to Tu Tu's mother Na Wei, Tu Tu is the luckiest one. "He has a good institutional atmosphere now." Although at the end of 20 19, when Tu Tu was diagnosed with high-functioning autism, Na Wei suddenly felt "like being hit by a stick". Previously, due to the slow development of Tu Tu language, Na Wei also used the scale to test Tu Tu. However, her tests and Tu Tu's close interaction with her family reassured her.
Hyperfunctional autism is a kind of marginalized autism. Before the diagnosis, Tu Tu attended an inclusive kindergarten with more than 30 students in one class. If it wasn't noticed that it was difficult for Tu Tu to establish a relationship with other children, Na Wei always thought that Tu Tu, like other children, "would not have conflicts with the teacher, and he was conscious of eating and sleeping."
In the video sent by the kindergarten teacher, Na Wei noticed that Tu Tu was playing alone. "His father asked the other children why you didn't play with Tu Tu. The other children replied: Because Tu Tu knows nothing, we can't play together." Tu Tu's father was very upset when he heard the answer.
After Tu Tu was diagnosed, Na Wei, like all parents, went through the stage of denial. But soon she pulled herself together again. "The sooner you intervene, the better." While learning relevant knowledge, Na Wei is also looking for feasible intervention methods for Tu Tu. Finally, she chose to intervene at home and quit her original job.
"I still have to change the kindergarten." Considering the actual situation in Tu Tu, Na Wei decided to find a "small class" kindergarten for Tu Tu. After many twists and turns, Na Wei found this private institution with less than 20 students in one class. Although I don't have a kindergarten education, the tolerance of teachers and other parents makes the atmosphere here very harmonious. In addition to painting, this institution also accommodates many physically disabled children and Down syndrome.
Na Wei is very satisfied with this. "Tu Tu has made great progress now. Although he can't express himself well, he will tell us about his study. " In the photos sent by the teacher, you can see that Tu Tu is very happy.
What makes Na Wei most happy is that this institution is not strict with children. "He doesn't want to have breakfast at nine o'clock in the morning, and the teacher will allow him to eat at home before going." The teacher won't force Tu Tu to do the handicraft class that he doesn't like. "Education is based on children's interests." Na Wei said.
Although Tu Tu has made remarkable progress in integration and has friends to play with, only Na Wei knows, "These children prefer to play with us rather than Tu Tu." At first, Na Wei specially decorated the living room at home as a game room, with many books and toys. "All the children in the yard like to come to our house to play."
However, the effect of Na Wei's eagerness to establish relations with Tu Tu is not remarkable, and Tu Tu still enjoys a state of going it alone. With the deepening of understanding of autism, Na Wei has now chosen to let nature take its course, "to ensure that he has a good mental state, which is the first."
Going to higher school: an unavoidable hidden worry
Tu Tu's pre-school life seems to be very smooth, but for Na Wei, the issue of further education is an unavoidable hurdle. "Do you want to be honest with the school teacher?" This is a question that she is still thinking about.
There is only one year left for Na Wei to think. Five-and-a-half-year-old Tu Tu will enter the primary school class next year, but Na Wei has many concerns: "Can children sit still in the classroom for 40 minutes? Can you keep up with your grades? Can other children accept him? "
"Now I just hope he can make faster progress." Na Wei will make every effort to prepare for Tu Tu's further study this year.
The same problem exists in Yang Yang and Xiaoxi. For Xiao Xi, who just turned 5, further studies is still a topic that needs attention. "It depends on his intellectual development." If his intelligence is good, Lu Ling is more willing to let Xiaoxi study in ordinary primary schools. "The integrated education in primary schools in Shenzhen is relatively mature." If the intelligence situation is not satisfactory, Xiaoxi will be sent to a special school.
Speaking of the intelligence of Xiaoxi, Lu Ling prefers to believe that children have excellent memories. "He knows everything from 1 to 9, and he will remember anything that makes him laugh in a few days." Lu Ling talked about the learning situation of Xiaoxi. "He basically knows the words posted on the wall in the classroom, and he is still a model for learning in the class."
"He is just in a bad mood now because he has moved." For autistic children, the impact of environmental changes on their emotions is obvious, which is the most worrying issue for Lu Ling.
Like Lu Ling, Cheng Zheng is more worried about Yang Yang's mood and making friends. "Primary schools are not as casual as kindergartens, and they will pay more attention to their studies." His anxiety stems from Yang Yang's performance. "He is not interested in people, only immersed in his own world."
At the age of one, Yang Yang showed a different state from his peers. He often sits by the window and repeats the single action of pushing and pulling the window, even if he grabs his hand, "sitting for hours at a time." Yang Yang also has his own areas of focus. He can recite many ancient poems. Once he gets into it, he will ignore everything outside. However, at that time, the pair of Yang Yang had a special liking for "special" and didn't realize the problems behind it.
Yang Yang is studying.
In order to integrate Yang Yang into society, Cheng Zheng will train his expression and communication skills at home on weekdays. "Let him say whatever he wants." In the interview, Yang Yang will clearly express: "I don't want to eat cherry tomatoes." For Cheng Zheng, his son's progress has been very obvious, but he is still not sure whether to pursue further studies. "I really can't fit in, so I took him back to my hometown in the countryside, and the learning atmosphere was more relaxed. I don't insist. " He said.
Yang Yang is at home on his desk.
Try to appreciate the different colors of children.
"When I saw people looking at these children with strange eyes in public, I was very distressed at that moment." Huanhuan, a teacher at the Happy Childhood Children's Museum, said. Happy childhood children's house is a private institution that can accept special children. Because the space is small and there is no kindergarten qualification, this institution has launched a training class similar to "home school", focusing on natural aesthetic education and art courses. There are three classes in the whole institution, with a total of more than 40 people. Among the children they accept, there are ordinary children and special children with autism, Down syndrome or cognitive impairment.
In 2007, Huanhuan was moved by the words of the person in charge of this institution and resolutely joined it. At that time, some parents looked at the special children in the institution and asked the person in charge: "Will it affect our children if you accept these children?" The person in charge just smiled and said, "In my eyes, they are just as cute and need love. If you think it will affect your children, you have the right to choose another school, but we will not reject these children because of your opinion. "
"In addition to special intervention, these children need to integrate into the group of ordinary children." Huanhuan said that although she faced many questions at first, some people said that she was "bold as an artist", she would still be happy whenever she saw the children making a little progress.
Special children's works of art
In Huanhuan's memory, a mother who had a child with Down syndrome once said that she never dared to take her child downstairs because she was afraid of being looked at by strangers. However, with more communication with other children, the mother of the child has learned to accept it calmly, and the child is becoming more and more lively.
In this regard, Zhang Fengqiong believes that it is necessary for special children to learn and grow up in a normal environment in order to improve their social adaptability and quality of life. "Parents want their children to integrate into society as much as possible, but the ability to integrate into society is not acquired when they are ready, but to keep their children as consistent as possible with their peers, whether at home or at school."
In her view, the early social integration of special children can not be separated from the support of kindergartens. However, in most kindergartens, the most commonly heard words are: "I won't take care of these children." However, Zhang Fengqiong believes: "In the face of these children, we should try to change the educational concept, adjust the teaching methods and evaluation methods of grades, and try to appreciate the different colors of children. We will also find that we can actually help special children."
Regarding the integration support of preschool special children, Mr. Li also made a suggestion: "Special children's education can be used as a routine assessment for kindergarten teachers. Whether it is safety management or professional knowledge, it will help promote integrated education in kindergartens. " In addition, he believes that it is also a feasible exploration direction for shadow teachers to enter kindergartens to provide services.
Handmade Works of Special Children in Happy Childhood Museum
"The process of bringing children must be very hard, but the parents of the children are also very helpless." Huanhuan said that the key to accepting and helping this group is to have a basic understanding of them. "It is unfair to see their' special' only one-sidedly."