Preschool services for your child with ASD?

nomadica

We just had our eligibility meeting with the school for DS (PDD-NOS).  DS's main issues are social/functional communication and play skills. He qualified for the inclusion preschool, 5 days a week, mornings (8:30-11:30am). He will spend the first half of the morning with the inclusion class, as that time is relatively structured and he struggles more with free play time. The second half he will have pull-out services, to include ABA and speech (2x per week), with both individual and small-group instruction.

To my mind, it could not have gone better. I'm surprised at how easy the whole process was- not that I was expecting a fight, per se... I guess I just didn't know what to expect. I'm curious what your child with ASD is getting in preschool? Where/are you happy with the services?

MirandaHobbes

Ours is very similar!! He goes to his public ASD preschool class every day for about 3 hours. Twice a week he is pulled out for ST and OT. Every day he spends time with a typical pre-K class. For him, it's actually the opposite, he's only there for "play" time. He has an assignment every day, he has to play with a different toy and different friend. He fills out a little chart every day saying what he did. The rest of the time he is with his small group instruction. We're pleased with where he's at, especially since the other half of the day he's in his private inclusion classroom with pullouts for private therapy. It can be hard to keep up with all of therapists and classrooms he visits in a day (and sending out christmas gifts was ridiculous this year!) but that's a good problem to have!

nomadica

-auntie-:

Sounds like a great program for his needs right now.

Thanks, Auntie- your opinion means a lot.

nomadica

MirandaHobbes:

Ours is very similar!! He goes to his public ASD preschool class every day for about 3 hours. Twice a week he is pulled out for ST and OT. Every day he spends time with a typical pre-K class. For him, it's actually the opposite, he's only there for "play" time. He has an assignment every day, he has to play with a different toy and different friend. He fills out a little chart every day saying what he did. The rest of the time he is with his small group instruction. We're pleased with where he's at, especially since the other half of the day he's in his private inclusion classroom with pullouts for private therapy. It can be hard to keep up with all of therapists and classrooms he visits in a day (and sending out christmas gifts was ridiculous this year!) but that's a good problem to have!

Good to know! My son also struggles with playing with different toys and he really only likes playing with one other child in his daycare, so he'll have some of those goals/assignments. We're also going to privately keep the ABA therapist he's had for the past year and a half to do probably 3 sessions/week in the late afternoons, as well. You're right, it's a lot but I do feel blessed that we have been so fortunate to get these services!

DJB2010

Hooray! What a relief and great thing for our kids! We have ours next month and I'm anxious yet very excited. Thanks so much for sharing the positive story!

pastalady

DD just started preschool a few weeks ago. She goes twice a week with an aide. Two other days/week her aide comes to the house to work with her. Her SP and OT come about 3 x month to the home, and 3x to the school. WE have had some issues with the school but her aide and therapists are great.

Next year we will most likely transition to a 5 morning s a week SN junior kindergarten.