Ok I posted a few days ago about all the private therapy the boys are getting and that the only hours they have open is during school hours, and since the boys are 4 and in pre-k and the schools hours are 8-2 5 days a week and that has been too much in the past, that I would send them Mon, Wed, Thurs and friday and pick them up right before lunch. They wouldn't go to school at all on Tues, they have ABA in the morning and Speech and OT in the afternoon, then Wed at 1:00 they have speech/OT. The ABA also wants to see them on Fridays, not sure what times yet. Well I went to visit the school today, talked to Nikolas' teacher and the speech path for the class was in there, and she told the teacher that I do have that option since they are only 4 and they don't HAVE to go to school, but when they are 6 that will no longer be an option, they have to be in school and lots of parents get mad about it but it is the law. Ok fine I understand that. So we go up to the talk to the principal and she was not happy about it at all. First she says how long will it take them to adjust, a week?? Well I don't mind sending them all day once they adjust and provided they aren't worn out by it (they have been in the past and it has caused behavior problems) but they still have all this other therapy so I am still going to have to pick them up early at least on Wed and maybe on Friday too, I don't know the ABA's Friday schedule yet. and that picking them up mid day was disruptive. Well I can understand that if someone has to bring them up which is what she mentioned, I will go to the classroom and pick them up. I do not have a problem with that, I understand the aide can't always leave the room. The teacher did tell her that the speech path said I did have this option since the boys are prek and she did seem to relax after that about it. Talking to the teacher on the way out she said not to worry about it, she's a good principal but she is new to all the special ed/ASD stuff and is not use to all this therapy. She is concerned about her paperwork stuff and the laws she has to follow. This is only the second year the classroom has been in this school, she was always in a different school before but they wanted to spread these classrooms out around the city. I am such a people pleaser though but I can't please the therapists and the school, they can't be in 2 places at the same time. And I am thinking the ABA and the private therapy is more important. Now granted this is probably the best school they have gone to yet, and looks like they will actually get the speech they has always been in their IEP but they never actually got, but at the same time isn't half days enough for preschoolers? She wanted to know if this is in their IEP, it isn't. Should I get it put in there? Is that really necessary at this age? Am I doing the right thing here?
If you are worried about getting speech I think you will get better results with ABA therapy~IMHO..we had the school give Sarah speech last year and it was bare minimum of 15 min/2x a week..hardly worthwhile!
Make sure if you do get speech that the person doing it is knowlegable on autism:)
I think the mix you have planned is perfect..if they give you a big fuss you can always do more ABA at home and just put them in some structured activities like soccer, gymnastics, art or music..they are so young and this is a great opportunity to teach them so much:)
Go for it and dont worry about pleasing everyone..your the mama bear now and your boys come first:)
Best of luck!
Thanks Shelley. that is exactly what I'll do. I think the ABA should come first and if they have a problem with it I will pull them out. The YMCA has all kinds of programs for special needs kids and they will still be getting the private OT and speech along with the ABA, they just have such a great time there. I have never been impressed with school speech, although since it is an ASD program through the school the school speech does seem a little better. But I don't see how a large group can be comparable to one on one. I will hold my ground on this one.