i need some advice

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I am faced with a very difficult decision. I just attended my son's first IEP

last week. He is 4,

recently diagnosed AS. I plan to keep him in preschool for one more year. He

is currently

attending a private theraputic preschool 8-12:30 M-F. His insurance covers the

cost so

that is not an issue. This school is in a different district than his home

school, so the IEP

cannot offer placement wih services at the school he's at now. He has been there

for

almost a year and has made progress. The teachers are great. There are 2

teachers and 5

or 6 students with usually an additional adult assisting in the classroom. The

only problem

is that since it is a theraputic preschool all the other kids have developmental

issues as

well and he doesn't have any peers to model appropriate behavior and self

regulation. I

would consider Dylan to be the highest functioning child in his current class in

terms of

language and severity of symptoms. He would receive 2 hours of OT at a clinic

and 1 hour

of speech at a different school. (These services can't be incorporated into his

current

school setting because of the different districts).

The IEP team offered me a collaborative preschool (7 special ed children, 14

typically

developing children) in one class. There is a special ed teacher and a general

ed

teacher. He would get a 1:1 behaviorist (he has aggressive tendencies). He

would receive

one hour of OT in school and one at a clinic. He would receive one hour of

speech

incorporated into the classroom. (One on one with a speech therapist

facilitating his

pragmatics with peers in the classroom). The downside: it is 2 hours 20

minutes a day, 4 days a week. So about 9 hours vs. over 20 hours a week where he

is now.

Does anyone have any advice about which way I should go?

On the bright side, I know he will continue to make progress wherever he is

especially with

all the added supports.

Change in routine is obviously very difficult for him, and I have recently seen

a vast

improvement in his relationships with the other kids in his current classroom.

Since social

skills are his biggest challenge do I go with the mixed classroom so he can get

practice

learning to model appropriately but end relationships he has made at the current

school?

Or do I honor the work the teachers have done with him so far and support the

(not ideal)

peer relationships he currently has while expecting him to go into kindergarten

more

prepared?

Please, anyone with any pearls of wisdom! I need to make a decision by Friday.

Thank you so much!

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

all I can add is that my currently 9 year old was in a similar

situation. He was in a GREAT 40 hour per week program, but was so

high functioning, that eventually he was sliding backwards. The ABA

WAS GREAT, BUT WHEN he needed help eating (which he did fine at

home) with hand over hand prompting, I knew it was time to move on.

His problem was that he has Auditory Processing issues, and without

careful teaching he didnt do well. he didnt have an aide. But at

least he had peers to copy instead of the adorable, but lower

functioning ones he previously copied.

I would consider how positive the impact would be, what would happen

with less time at school, and how prepared will he be for

kindergarten , when the time comes.

Not much help?!?!?! I hope I did a little anyways!!

LMK how it turns out:)

*smiles*

B

> peer relationships he currently has while expecting him to go into

kindergarten more

> prepared?

> Please, anyone with any pearls of wisdom! I need to make a

decision by Friday.

> Thank you so much!

>

>

[Guest guest]

Is there any way his current school can offer the OT and Speech

services? Will insurance cover that? Is your child receiving these

services outside of school? If he is receiving the services and is

doing well in the current school setting, I would say keep him there.

HOWEVER, if he is not receiving OT and speech, then I would move

him. I am a firm believer in OT. Our school system doesn't even

offer it for AS kids. (Hardly anyone around here knows what AS is

to begin with!) We had to find a private OT lady. She was

absolutely fabulous. I very strongly believe in OT because it

helped change my child.

I would say get all the help you can while he is young. Early

intervention is the key. My wife and I agree that it a most

difficult decision. God bless!

Danny

>

> Hi,

> I am faced with a very difficult decision. I just attended my

son's first IEP last week. He is 4,

> recently diagnosed AS. I plan to keep him in preschool for one

more year. He is currently

> attending a private theraputic preschool 8-12:30 M-F. His

insurance covers the cost so

> that is not an issue. This school is in a different district than

his home school, so the IEP

> cannot offer placement wih services at the school he's at now. He

has been there for

> almost a year and has made progress. The teachers are great. There

are 2 teachers and 5

> or 6 students with usually an additional adult assisting in the

classroom. The only problem

> is that since it is a theraputic preschool all the other kids have

developmental issues as

> well and he doesn't have any peers to model appropriate behavior

and self regulation. I

> would consider Dylan to be the highest functioning child in his

current class in terms of

> language and severity of symptoms. He would receive 2 hours of OT

at a clinic and 1 hour

> of speech at a different school. (These services can't be

incorporated into his current

> school setting because of the different districts).

> The IEP team offered me a collaborative preschool (7 special ed

children, 14 typically

> developing children) in one class. There is a special ed teacher

and a general ed

> teacher. He would get a 1:1 behaviorist (he has aggressive

tendencies). He would receive

> one hour of OT in school and one at a clinic. He would receive one

hour of speech

> incorporated into the classroom. (One on one with a speech

therapist facilitating his

> pragmatics with peers in the classroom). The downside: it is 2

hours 20

> minutes a day, 4 days a week. So about 9 hours vs. over 20 hours a

week where he is now.

> Does anyone have any advice about which way I should go?

> On the bright side, I know he will continue to make progress

wherever he is especially with

> all the added supports.

> Change in routine is obviously very difficult for him, and I have

recently seen a vast

> improvement in his relationships with the other kids in his

current classroom. Since social

> skills are his biggest challenge do I go with the mixed classroom

so he can get practice

> learning to model appropriately but end relationships he has made

at the current school?

> Or do I honor the work the teachers have done with him so far and

support the (not ideal)

> peer relationships he currently has while expecting him to go into

kindergarten more

> prepared?

> Please, anyone with any pearls of wisdom! I need to make a

decision by Friday.

> Thank you so much!

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I know you've had other responses to this, but I wanted to respond before

reading the others.

Assuming all other thing equal (and we know they're not really), I'd place him

in the school district that you intend sending him to school in. The transition

will be smoother, the IEP will be in place, you'll have a transition meeting,

probably next spring, and the teachers and school psychologist can assist in the

best placement after seeing how he does in the mixed classroom. That wouldn't

be in place for you from the developmental preschool that he's at now.

Or, another alternative I've seen is having them at the one preschool and then

switching them over to the other in the afternoon. For my one friend, it worked

well because she worked and needed him in day care anyway. Her DS thrived. For

my DS, that would have been a whole lot of transition.

love2jewels <love2jewels@...> wrote:

Hi,

I am faced with a very difficult decision. I just attended my son's first IEP

last week. He is 4,

recently diagnosed AS. I plan to keep him in preschool for one more year. He is

currently

attending a private theraputic preschool 8-12:30 M-F. His insurance covers the

cost so

that is not an issue. This school is in a different district than his home

school, so the IEP

cannot offer placement wih services at the school he's at now. He has been there

for

almost a year and has made progress. The teachers are great. There are 2

teachers and 5

or 6 students with usually an additional adult assisting in the classroom. The

only problem

is that since it is a theraputic preschool all the other kids have developmental

issues as

well and he doesn't have any peers to model appropriate behavior and self

regulation. I

would consider Dylan to be the highest functioning child in his current class in

terms of

language and severity of symptoms. He would receive 2 hours of OT at a clinic

and 1 hour

of speech at a different school. (These services can't be incorporated into his

current

school setting because of the different districts).

The IEP team offered me a collaborative preschool (7 special ed children, 14

typically

developing children) in one class. There is a special ed teacher and a general

ed

teacher. He would get a 1:1 behaviorist (he has aggressive tendencies). He would

receive

one hour of OT in school and one at a clinic. He would receive one hour of

speech

incorporated into the classroom. (One on one with a speech therapist

facilitating his

pragmatics with peers in the classroom). The downside: it is 2 hours 20

minutes a day, 4 days a week. So about 9 hours vs. over 20 hours a week where he

is now.

Does anyone have any advice about which way I should go?

On the bright side, I know he will continue to make progress wherever he is

especially with

all the added supports.

Change in routine is obviously very difficult for him, and I have recently seen

a vast

improvement in his relationships with the other kids in his current classroom.

Since social

skills are his biggest challenge do I go with the mixed classroom so he can get

practice

learning to model appropriately but end relationships he has made at the current

school?

Or do I honor the work the teachers have done with him so far and support the

(not ideal)

peer relationships he currently has while expecting him to go into kindergarten

more

prepared?

Please, anyone with any pearls of wisdom! I need to make a decision by Friday.

Thank you so much!

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Can you keep your son where he is and just get services from the other school?

Evne if you have to transporty him. Meaning, go to the school with services

first then transfew to the other school?

Just a thought.

Leanne

love2jewels <love2jewels@...> wrote:

Hi,

I am faced with a very difficult decision. I just attended my son's first IEP

last week. He is 4,

recently diagnosed AS. I plan to keep him in preschool for one more year. He is

currently

attending a private theraputic preschool 8-12:30 M-F. His insurance covers the

cost so

that is not an issue. This school is in a different district than his home

school, so the IEP

cannot offer placement wih services at the school he's at now. He has been there

for

almost a year and has made progress. The teachers are great. There are 2

teachers and 5

or 6 students with usually an additional adult assisting in the classroom. The

only problem

is that since it is a theraputic preschool all the other kids have developmental

issues as

well and he doesn't have any peers to model appropriate behavior and self

regulation. I

would consider Dylan to be the highest functioning child in his current class in

terms of

language and severity of symptoms. He would receive 2 hours of OT at a clinic

and 1 hour

of speech at a different school. (These services can't be incorporated into his

current

school setting because of the different districts).

The IEP team offered me a collaborative preschool (7 special ed children, 14

typically

developing children) in one class. There is a special ed teacher and a general

ed

teacher. He would get a 1:1 behaviorist (he has aggressive tendencies). He would

receive

one hour of OT in school and one at a clinic. He would receive one hour of

speech

incorporated into the classroom. (One on one with a speech therapist

facilitating his

pragmatics with peers in the classroom). The downside: it is 2 hours 20

minutes a day, 4 days a week. So about 9 hours vs. over 20 hours a week where he

is now.

Does anyone have any advice about which way I should go?

On the bright side, I know he will continue to make progress wherever he is

especially with

all the added supports.

Change in routine is obviously very difficult for him, and I have recently seen

a vast

improvement in his relationships with the other kids in his current classroom.

Since social

skills are his biggest challenge do I go with the mixed classroom so he can get

practice

learning to model appropriately but end relationships he has made at the current

school?

Or do I honor the work the teachers have done with him so far and support the

(not ideal)

peer relationships he currently has while expecting him to go into kindergarten

more

prepared?

Please, anyone with any pearls of wisdom! I need to make a decision by Friday.

Thank you so much!

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

just jumping in real quick. Don't know if this would apply to your situation but maybe this would be helpful for other events 'amusements parks' or places that have long lines. most places - when you show documentation that your child has a medical Dx of autism, they will allow the child to go in the handicap entrance which is usually the exit. so the child won't have to stand on the long lines. you will need to go to the handicap booth, or where you pay to get in. (they can direct you where to go). What they do is put a plastic bracelet on your son's arm and anyone that is with him (parent, aid) will be able to stay with him.

What if you were to speak to someone at the place where you are going and explain your son's situation. or call before you go to find out if there is anything they can do.

hope this helps.

Rose

From: MacAllister <smacalli@...> Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2009 6:58:55 PMSubject: Re: ( ) I need some advice

I think if your husband is planning on going, there shouldn't be a problem. If s starts to meltdown, your husband can take him aside and do something else or maybe rub his back or squeeze his shoulders while they're standing in line to help? That always has helped my son when he's waiting on something. Maybe your husband can walk around w/ your son solo instead of following the group around if it becomes too much and he can monitor the lines and choose the shortest ones? I would still let him go.

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: Vickie Boehnlein <banelineverizon (DOT) net> Sent: Wednesday, May 6, 2009 4:22:57 PMSubject: ( ) I need some advice

Hello all,I need some input. My ds is in 4th grade and is scheduled to go on a field trip this month. It is a Outdoor Expo in which the kids will visit various "camps" where they will learn about activities and participate in hands on lessons. This will cover things like fishing and hunting. They will have oportunities to try archery and riflery. It sounds very interesting and I think in many ways s would really like it. The teachers are concerned because the "camps" can be busy and there can be wait times of up to an hour for some activities. The activities would involve listinging to instructions and following procedures. This would be very difficult for s as these are weak areas for him. My DH was planning on attending with him. The teachers have set a fairly high list of behaviors that s must follow if he wants to go on the field trip (in my opinion he will not be able to meet their requirements - I don't know if

that is the plan or they just want him to work on the behaviors that will be a problem on the field trip).So, my questions:1. What does the law say about field trips? Can they ban him based on behavior that is related to his disablitly? Can we require accomodations for a field trip? He has an IEP.2. Aside from the legal issues would you want your child to go on a field trip that would be interesting to the child but that has the potential to turn into a very big mess?I am just really sad about this because I understand the teachers concerns but I hate for him to miss out on every "cool" opertunity that comes along also. Maybe this is just another one of those "losses" that I have to accept. I don't know.Vickie