Hi Bill,

I work for the St. Louis County Special School District as a support staff person, meaning I am an assistant to the lead teacher.  I was in charge of my own classroom in general education for 17 yrs., but decided 3 years ago to take a support staff role.  I do enjoy not having all the paperwork!   Anyway, I was planning on having the director of our region, approve the CD's before I used them.  The lead teacher in our room was all for it anyway because she trusts me and she has a nephew who is on the severe part of the spectrum for autism.  

Our student, who I'll call D is not diagnosed as yet except as a child with developmental delays.  He will probably be diagnosed with ADHD.  He has emotional issues, too, but they do not like to diagnose a child so young with emotionally disturbed.   He is almost 5. 

Two weeks ago, he was so out of control we couldn't keep him in his seat.  When we put him to the floor he was squirming, kicking, feet and hands going everywhere.  I had to remove him from our language circle.   We can't restrain unless absolutely necessary and we weren't at that point.  Restraining is a huge deal and he wasn't hurting anyone so I picked him up and had to practically drag him over with my hands under his arms.  He's little for his age.  I had him in an area where he couldn't see other people or hurt himself.  He gets mad very easily and he wouldn't calm down. We got what's called a "weighted blanket" and he continued with the "out of control" behavior with me.  

I decided to try your CD's.  Carol the lead teacher agreed with me. I put the headphones on him and had him sit in a chair.  He was very open to putting the headphones on and I told him to listen to the music.  As soon as I put them on, he immediately stopped all of the above behavior!  I gave him a book just to look at the pictures.  His heart stopped pounding and his whole body became relaxed.  It was amazing to me and the other staff in the room.

Then, I had him listen to the CD under the weighted blanket.  He stayed awake, but he was peaceful.  He stayed like that for a good 15 min.  We had him get up for bathroom and snack.  We have center time after snack.  While he started his center time he went over and got the portable CD player himself and started listening to it while at a center. 

I had him use it the following day.  It helped again.  I will be starting him again with the CD's on Monday.  I also am starting one of our morning students on them.   D is in our afternoon session.  I will be gathering data for my own personal documentation along with having it for our regional director.  I want to show her the data to back the importance of these CD's. 

The thing is D is not a child with autism, but benefited from the cd's.  We have several children with autism just in our 4 classrooms within the Early Childhood Center.  There are so many more students that these cd's could benefit and my dream is to see the cd's approved by our director and offered to each classroom. 

I know I was wordy, but I thought you'd be interested in the details. 

Mary