As Dylan gets closer to his 3rd birthday I am getting a little nervous. Dylan currently receives 30 hours a week of in home therapy services through Regional Center, and all of these services are provided at no cost to us. In two weeks I will be attending his IEP meeting for school. After Dylan's birthday on Feb. 20th he will no longer receive therapy through the Regional Center it will all be turned over to the school district. The therapy provided by the school district is not like the kind he has now, it is much less or so I have been told. I know that I have blogged about this before but now that the reality is setting in that my baby will be turning three next month I am kind of scared. To be perfectly honest I am afraid to send him to school. What if he cries? What if they don't know what he needs or wants? What if another child hurts him? He is still such a baby and I am just not sure what to do, not sure what the right thing for Dylan is. The problem with not sending him to school after he turns three is that then he would no longer receive services. The school district only provides the therapy at the schools. I have checked into outside therapy services that we would have to pay for mostly out of pocket because of course the best therapy center is outside of our insurance network therefore we would have to meet the higher deductible, blah, blah, blah... You know how it goes. I am taking a tour of two local schools with special needs preschool programs in early February so I am sure once I see a classroom and the children that he would be with it will help me make my decision. I guess part of me wishes that he could go to the same preschool that Hailey went to two days a week and that it would all work out fine. But maybe I am being unrealistic.
If anyone out there has any words of wisdom for me it would be greatly appreciated.
My handsome man showing of his new haircut thanks to Auntie Kerri.
Kissy face
Dylan's new trick is standing against the wall. We still need to work on helping him figure out how to get back down.
Pretty girl
Cutie pie
Dyl listening to sister's princess music and loving it might I add.
I am not sure how it works in CA, but in NJ, if the public school cannot provide the needed services, then the district must provide an out-of-district placement. Kaylee just turned 2, but I already know that just looking at her seizures, g-tube, and hearing loss, she will not be appropriately cared for/in in the public school setting. Perhaps you could look into facilities better geared to kids with medical needs; from what I understand, therapy is MUCH more readily given and is provided on a daily basis. Good luck with this decision ~ I look forward to hearing about what you learn about the school options and what you decide. xo
ReplyDeleteKristy, I think that those tours of the schools you are taking in February will be great! I'm thinking that when you see the classroom, see how awesome the teachers can be, you might feel that school is the best place for Dylan. Denise's DT kept saying that at certain age kids don't want to learn so much from us, but from their peers, so that's why school is great for them.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with everything!
Definitely visit the schools, talk to the teachers, talk to the parents whose children attend that school. Know exactly what services you want and make sure you make an appointment to talk to the teacher to ask how she handles the issues that you are most concerned about. You are his advocate so armed yourself with knowledge before you go to that IEP. If you aren't happy with the schools they tell you to visit ask for other schools to visit. You also want someone who is going to help him academically, socially, etc. you don't want a program that just does 1 thing.
ReplyDeleteAlso call Wendy. She will give you ideas. Let me know if I can help.