So, what after turning 3

July_2009

DS is on ASD and has been receiving EI therparies from about 21 months (ABA, OT) and private speech. But once he turns 3 in July, we have decisions to make. He is currently being evaluated by the school district for their pre-school disabled program. I want opinions from you ladies about what would be the best course of action.

His therapists suggest continuing him in outpatient services for ABA and Speech even if he gets pre-school program (currently everyone thinks he will only get 1/2 day at preschool).  

1. take the 1/2 day pre-school and then send him to a regular day care (his therapists think he is doing so well in regular day care setting and we also think he is improving by leaps and bounds in the day care). But since his current day care is out of town, we have to move him to an in-town day care for him to be bussed from pre-school. Do you think kids on ASD will adjust to changes that drastic and continue to improve without regressing? I know we don't have a crystal ball, but what are your experiences?

2.  Skip pre-school altogether and get out patient services and keep him in his current day care? Some of his EI therapists are willing to continue after 3 at an agreed hourly price on weekends(This could get expensive very soon).

Your thoughts? 

duchess0727

I'm guessing there is no full day option in your district?  We pushed - but luckily didn't have to push too hard - for the full day for our daughter and got it.  Otherwise, we would have had the same issue and I'm not sure how she would have done with a new daycare but I definitely would have wanted her to have more than 1/2 day because she needs to be around other kids for her development.  She did great in a typical daycare, and it was also in a different district.  But I would say that the school-based program is good - in our district it's actually ABA focused and language-based both of which benefit my daughter so although she thrived in a typical daycare, the school program is a lot better for her behavior and development.  My daughter has developmental issues, not ASD, but the behavioral focus helps her as well.  Plus the ratio in her class is 1:2 now (1:3 max) with a max of 8 kids and at daycare it's 1:6 with a max of 24 kids so she gets a lot more personal attention at school. 

July_2009

duchess0727:

I'm guessing there is no full day option in your district?  We pushed - but luckily didn't have to push too hard - for the full day for our daughter and got it.  Otherwise, we would have had the same issue and I'm not sure how she would have done with a new daycare but I definitely would have wanted her to have more than 1/2 day because she needs to be around other kids for her development.  She did great in a typical daycare, and it was also in a different district.  But I would say that the school-based program is good - in our district it's actually ABA focused and language-based both of which benefit my daughter so although she thrived in a typical daycare, the school program is a lot better for her behavior and development.  My daughter has developmental issues, not ASD, but the behavioral focus helps her as well.  Plus the ratio in her class is 1:2 now (1:3 max) with a max of 8 kids and at daycare it's 1:6 with a max of 24 kids so she gets a lot more personal attention at school. 

Thanks for your input duchess0727. The school district has a full time program as well. But everyone we talk to including the school district is leading us to believe that only 1/2 day is appropriate for my son's issues. What did you guys have to do to push for a full-day program? 

Even the F/T program is from 8:30-2:30 pm I believe, which means he will still need to be bused to a day care regardless. Both of us work F/T and only pick him at 6:30pm. I guess we have to move him to an in-district day care for this to work! So many changes sneaking up on us pretty soon. Hope DS takes them well. 

JenGK

We ended up hiring a nanny to watch our son in the afternoon.  We couldn't make the daycare work otherwise -- our old center was in another jurisdiction, and we did not find a similar place with openings in town.  It worked out well for us, as we have my younger son home all day.  For people who just do afternoons, I know they had to pay more on an hourly basis to get someone who only wanted to work those hours.

LydiaE2

The 1/2 day program may be because that is what your district offers for preschool for an appropriate placement.  My son is in a blended 1/2 day program and all of the blended programs are 1/2 day, full day preschool is tuition based and is not blended in my district.

I do not work, so day care is not an issue for me, but a center based daycare might not wind up working out in the three's room if your son has a self help delay or behavioral issues.  My son was expelled from his private preschool this fall due to his self help skills delay (was not completely independent with potting), a sensory issue that prevented him from sitting during circle time and eating meals, and behavioral issues that caused too many accident reports.  A lot of other mothers I know with special needs children wound up in similar situations (kids kicked out of day care, even day cares that were previously handling the special needs just fine).  Many day cares have much increased expectations of 3's than 2's, potty training, other independence related tasks (open cup drinking, complete dressing independence), better behavior (no hitting, no/very rare tantrums, listening to directions).  The increase in expectations has a much to do with the fact that a typical 3 year old is very independent, generally follows directions and is just much better at just about every thing than a 2 year old as there is less staff for the 3's.  In my state the ratio of adults to 3 year olds in a day care setting is much less than adults to 2 year olds and for kids who need more help, their issues become much more obvious.  Personally I would change to a nanny so that busing is not an issue and to avoid issues with day care.

 I would not skip preschool.  My son loves his preschool and is learning a lot (much more than he learned in private preschool).  My son's disabilities do not prevent him from learning normal preschool things (pre-reading skills, letters, numbers, simple math), but he sometimes does need extra help to stay on task or if a task is difficult for him.  The teachers know of his issues and help him and work with him so that he is able to accomplish the task. My son is included in all typical school activities (something that was not happening at his private preschool), he goes on field trips, attends assemblies, and with various accommodations does all of the typical activities in his class.  Since my son is in a blended class, it is a small class (less than 20 students), a special ed teacher, a general ed teacher, a special ed aide, and for a portion of the year a student teacher.  The therapies my son receives while in class are much different than his outside therapies, they are focussed on school skills.  OT focuses much less on sensory issues on a lot more on fine motor and self help skills.  ST is closer to his outside therapies, but since it is an inclusion service, they work on his speech delays in the context of what is happening in class at that time. 

If possible, I would determine if your insurance will cover outside therapies.  We are very fortunate and all of my son's therapies are currently covered.  This allows my son to get 3 to 4 hours of therapy each week outside of his school based therapies.  All of these therapies happen in a clinic.  This is probably the main reason why I would use a nanny, there is no way my son could get his outside therapies if he was also in day care. 

MrsBalletStar05

We are a year out from this....my plan so far is to take the 1/2 day pre-school.  I have no idea what else we will do, additional therapies, ect.  This probably doesn't help you at all!  :-P  I don't believe we have full-day options.  I think this will be the simplest and easiest transition for him since he is with me all day now. 

houndbaby

My ds started 1/2 day preschool with the school district in Feb., it was wonderful, he loved it so much and we saw so many good changes in him. I worried about the transition from the EI class to preschool but ds handled it better than I did! We do not have any additional services for ds right now, I wish we could do private speech therapy over the summer but we just can't afford it with DH being laid off right now. Depending on when DH gets a new job and what health insurance coverage is, we may start doing private speech in addition to what we get through the school because as ds talks more and more it's becoming quite clear that he does have some apraxia.

July_2009

Thanks ladies!! Your input is so valuable for our family. It seems like preschool program is working well for most of our kids. I guess my choice is clear now. I will update how things go for us when we get there. I still have to figure out where to send him everyday after preschool. Oh, the joys of working.

And also I have to push for insurance coverage for private sessions..provided some even work late in the evenings. If not, it is a moot point. Crossing fingers we can find sessions late in the day. Thanks again for your input. 

duchess0727

July_2009:

duchess0727:

I'm guessing there is no full day option in your district?  We pushed - but luckily didn't have to push too hard - for the full day for our daughter and got it.  Otherwise, we would have had the same issue and I'm not sure how she would have done with a new daycare but I definitely would have wanted her to have more than 1/2 day because she needs to be around other kids for her development.  She did great in a typical daycare, and it was also in a different district.  But I would say that the school-based program is good - in our district it's actually ABA focused and language-based both of which benefit my daughter so although she thrived in a typical daycare, the school program is a lot better for her behavior and development.  My daughter has developmental issues, not ASD, but the behavioral focus helps her as well.  Plus the ratio in her class is 1:2 now (1:3 max) with a max of 8 kids and at daycare it's 1:6 with a max of 24 kids so she gets a lot more personal attention at school. 

Thanks for your input duchess0727. The school district has a full time program as well. But everyone we talk to including the school district is leading us to believe that only 1/2 day is appropriate for my son's issues. What did you guys have to do to push for a full-day program? 

Even the F/T program is from 8:30-2:30 pm I believe, which means he will still need to be bused to a day care regardless. Both of us work F/T and only pick him at 6:30pm. I guess we have to move him to an in-district day care for this to work! So many changes sneaking up on us pretty soon. Hope DS takes them well. 

It can't hurt to see a psychologist and talk to your EI and speech providers to give their opinion on the benefits of a full day program.  Since he will be getting OT, ABA and speech regularly, depending on how much time he will be out of the class, you can emphasize that he also needs the benefits of the time in class in order to really apply what they are working on, as well as have the opportunity to participate in the preschool program.   If you really think he will benefit from a full day, then make it clear to the child study team that is what you want and you plan to fight for it.  There is no nap in the full day program, so we couldn't send our daughter to another daycare - she needs a nap and wouldn't get it because naptime is after lunch.  So we hired a babysitter (luckily a teacher from our current daycare who gets off work at 2:30) who gets her off the bus at 2:50 and puts her down for a nap and then watches her until we get home between 6 and 6:30.