34yrs

female

Speaks English

I have several years of experience in various settings caring for special needs children. Many times these children went undiagnosed because they had not reached school age, so the parents couldn't really see what I saw. However, I have worked with several children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, ADD/ADHD, OCD, fetal alcohol syndrome, fine motor dysgraphia, downs syndrome, and others conditions. The most severe child I ever cared for was a 3-year-old boy with autism. He was not potty trained, had no verbal skills and would not speak, was able to communicate with some sign language, had tantrums often, and could not conform to a classroom schedule. At the time of this care he was a in a preschool class where I was the assistant teacher which made it very difficult to give him the attention he needed. He did get a little better over those few months as far as staying calm vs. lashing out and getting very upset and he began to trust a little better. Overall, he taught me a lot more about patients and communication without words. I am currently a baby sitter for a special needs elementary school educator and volunteer in her class on occasion. She has helped me to become a baby sitter for one of her autistic students who is 5 1/2-years old and is high-functioning. I am very interested in learning more about how the gifted mind works and new techniques for helping children with developmental disorders. I also have experience with preemies, multiples, various medical conditions including cystic fibrosis, severe allergies, and more. I am CPR, AED, and First Aid trained and certified. I am also a trained postpartum doula.