Update on Keke from the preschool. Could the head teacher impede his development?

Tweet

I have written before about Keke, my Autistic friend. He is about 29-months-old, and I believe his "early" diagnosis to be correct. But, as I have mentioned in previous posts, I have made some pretty great strides with him, and he is now opening up to playing with other children. Over the time I have worked with him (only a month or so) he has a) spoken his first words, including sheep, duck, no, and several numbers; b) made deep eye-contact with me when I sing to him; c) demonstrated an ability to name numbers when he sees them; d) started engaging in what psychologists call "parallel play" with his peers; e) formed an attachment with me, as evidenced by him seeking me out when he needs help self-regulating; f) learned to wash his own hands; g) started smiling and making eye-contact (with her) when he sees his mother coming to pick him up...and so on. Over the past couple of days we have had two "behavior specialists" working with Keke. They seem to be using mostly "reinforcement theory" (behaviorism) to work with him, and I think they are doing a decent job. My only objection would be that they are hovering over him so closely, they are inhibiting his ability to explore his environment and form attachments with other children. Today, Michelle, my difficult "Head Teacher" told us in a "staff meeting" that we should not approach Keke or initiate interaction with him. We should let the "behavior specialists" do their jobs. Fortunately for me, she added that it was OK to interact with the child if he approached us. Today, when he was "dis-regulated" (essentially having a melt-down), I was lucky that it was "snack time." The specialists didn't know what to do. I have been charged with taking Keke in to wash his hands for snack, so I said to the specialists, "Sometimes he regulates when he goes in to wash his hands. He knows the routine." He put his arms up to me, and I picked him up, took him in, and together we washed our hands. He likes warm water. He calmed down when I picked him up, and calmed down further as we were washing our hands together. I said things like "You and I both like warm water," and helped him adjust the water temperature. His melt-down was over. Later in the morning he was able to find me, playing with other kids, and simply plopped down in my lap. I sang to him, and he grunted along, watching my eyes and my lips (I pulled down my mask for a few seconds) as I sang. Still later, I was able to play with him and the numbered concentric cups that he loves. Again, he casually looked at the cups, said the numbers on them, and then dropped them to the floor. I have a bunch of questions here. I am NOT an expert in autism. My work as a kid psychologist is based largely on attachment theory (Mary D. Salter Ainsworth) and modeling (Albert Bandura). Can different approaches work together? Will the behavior therapists come to give Keke more latitude to explore his environment? Will my difficult head teacher yell at my for interacting with Keke, as I was asked to do by the preschool's Director? Tune in for future episodes . This IS reality, not a Reality Show.