Coping with Autism

We're having some serious issues with Peter's latest stimming technique. Opening and closing doors repeatedly has gotten not only extremely annoying but also distracting for Peter. He's not focusing as well as he was--he would rather open and close a door. If you can get him to focus, he's using more complete sentences and giving more information when he does speak. It's getting him to focus that's causing the biggest problem. I feel like I did when he became obsessive over the computer. Problem is I could turn the computer off-- I can't take all the doors off their hinges! Argh!!

Yesterday, I met with Peter's teacher, the autism teacher for the school he will attend for kindergarten, a kindergarten teacher for the school he is currently in, his school speech therapist and the county special education coordinator. The meeting was to determine where Peter will attend kindergarten and under what conditions. Peter was with us and very politely sat at the table drinking water with the adults while his brother played with the toys in the classroom. Everyone was so impressed and I think this swayed the county special education coordinator to recommend that he be mainstreamed. I really didn't have a reasonable objection other than I am nervous about how he will do. Of course, Peter's behavior at the meeting wasn't the sole basis for her decision. She asked me dozens of questions and she asked questions of Michelle (his teacher) and Aline (Peter's speech therapist through the school) about his behavior in school, how he handles classroom activities,...