Using a respite home occasionally

Things have been tough as usual. Andy was having half days at school, but that is over now. I've been trying to get Andy into ABA, but it isn't looking very promising. The company advertises weekend and evening hours, but I've been trying to get Andy in there for two months now. They are telling me they hope to have him being seen by the three month mark. Summer is here, and Andy needs some structured activities to do. Otherwise, he gets bored, and has meltdowns.

We found out about a respite home a few years ago, from one of Andy's social workers. I was reluctant to give it a chance. I was worried about how Andy would do there, and didn't want to have him stay overnight somewhere. Recently, I've had a change of heart.

We called them to get started, and to just check it out. The first step was taking Andy in to eat lunch there, so they could meet him and see his demeanor. He did okay. He was a bit whiney there, and we played music for him to help him calm down. A couple weeks later, the next step was for them to pick him up from school in a handicapped van, and take him to the home to spend the night. In the morning, they returned him to school. This was a trial to see how he would do. They said he was okay to begin spending some additional nights there. We signed up for additional dates for respite time.

Andy will probably only go there 3-4 times a year, as there are lots of other families that use these services for vacations without their impaired child. Sometimes, he only needs to go there for 24 hours. This is enough time for us to drive to a hotel and check in there, and pick him up the next day. It has been an awesome resource for us to be able to spend time with our other children. It provides relief, but at the same time, we worry about Andy when he is there. I call to check on him, and usually feel better when I find that he is doing well. I also feel better when I pick Andy up, and he is happy and doing fine.