IEP advice needed 3 year old

[Guest guest]

I went back to work this year as a teacher, after being home for 3

years. I put him at an in home daycare and the provider told me daily

that my son is a bad child and needs lots of spankings at home. In

January an opening came avaliable at a wonderful daycare in a church.

In February the director told me that he is developmentally behind the

other kids his age, has some behavior problems, attention problems, and

is a loner. She recommended testing through the local school system.

We did and they said he scored very likely to have autism. He also

qualified for speech and language 2 times a week. They said he could

go into the special ed class for 3 year olds, but I said no because if

his problems are social and communication then he needs to be with

typical kids. Over spring break I took him for a clinical evaluation

at Emory Autism Resource Center. She said he definately falls into the

autism spectrum. She said he needs a community teacher to go to his

preschool adn facilitate his communicaation and social skills more than

he needs one on one speech therapy. Plus the driving time takes away

from his social time which is critical for him to have. She also

recommended I take him to a neurologist. I did in April and Dr. Janace

diagnosed him with autism. SHe recommended 3 times a week of speech and

language for pragmatics and 2 times a week of OT for sensory

integration therapy.

My son is now 3 1/2 and he is very high functioning. He uses words,

lots of it is echolia & delayed echolia. His responses are unrelated

unless you are asking him simple questions like what is that? (the

answer is a noun).

May 9 is when my 1st IEP meeting is scheduled for. I spoke with the

case manager about getting a community teacher to go to his preschool.

I was told that we don't have that yet because we are behind all other

counties in our county and it will probably be offered down the road,

but not yet. I was told that there is only 1 speech therapist

avaliable and it is at 1:30pm (during nap time). Also that means that

I can't get him there. My husband and I are both teachers and we work

and can't afford to pay someone to take him. Plus we don't know anyone

that could take him. Plus that is not what the experts recommend. I

am sort of afraid to stir things up yet, as I do not have fair

dismissal and can be fired for any reason - and they do not have to

give me one from what I understand.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to approach this IEP meeting

and how to ask for what he needs without upsetting the school. If it

comes down to I am going to have to pay then should I just offer to pay

fees to have the school send a qualified therapist?

ANy suggestions would be helpful. (P.S. School employees are not

allowed to hire an advocate or they will be fired - happened to a

teacher in my county a couple years ago and he decided to keep the job,

lose the advocate and lose services for his child).

Thanks,