Speech/OT At Public School

Hi N.,
Last year my son was three and was in a horrible Early Childhood program in our district. He started right after EI when he turned 3. I just want to comment that it sounds like your son is receiving pull out minutes just for speech and OT? That's wonderful compared to what our son was getting last year. The school only offered "blended" style therapy where the children had varying degrees of issues and disabilities. So the class was taught to the lowest common denominator. OT and speech were proviced in group activities so each child's individual issues were never addressed one on one at school. We tried so many meetings and suggestions with the teacher and the school but my son was very unhappy last year. In fact our first semester teacher from Fall last year quit because of the classroom situation if that gives you any indication of the environment. I think your little guy is going through a transition period. If maybe you mention to the therapists he's having a bit of trouble adjusting, they should be able to work with him to bring him around a little quicker. It's just nice to hear a program with speech & OT where the child gets to meet the therpist one on one instead of what my son had experience. I understand having a sad child. I couldn't go through another school year of him being sad. Especially since he is more verbal now and expresses his emotions. We have him in a private preschool where he still gets speech but it's one on one and we pay for private OT and speech as well. Much better situation. We couldn't even get a voucher to a better district so now we're paying out of pocket for everything. You are so blessed to have what sounds to be a great EC program for him. Good Luck! Judy

can you meet with the staff on an off day or have a phone interview?

If he is going to everything else with no problem & just having difficulty in this class, then I would talk to him about it. Say "Mrs. ??? seems really nice, do you like her?" and take the conversation with her. If he says he doesn't like her ask him why. If he says that he doesn't know that he just doesn't like her, then see if you can switch therapists. I don't want to be an alarmist, but something may be happening that he's not comfortable with. It could be as little as her being impatient with him when he's not doing certain tasks or it could be something else. Often parents misread cues that their kids give them and fail to pick up on slight hints that the children try to give. Hopefully, it is just a little separation anxiety, but it wouldn't hurt to dig a little deeper and make sure that that is all it is.

Good luck!

My alarm bells are going off also about this. Nothing bad, but maybe he's not clicking with the teacher. Is it the same teacher each time or a different one? If they switch off, maybe the uncertainty is making him uncomfortable? Is he maybe expecting things to be like they were with his previous OT therapy, and the difference is throwing him?

I would definitely talk with the teachers, maybe not about the unhappiness, but to specifically ask what they do during activities and how your son seems to respond. That may give you a clue on something that's making him uncomfortable. Talk to your son too, as others have suggested. He may just need an adjustment period, or he may do better with a different teacher if one is available.

I agree w/Valerie D...it never hurts to dig a little deeper to find out why he's so uncomfortable with this one activity, while all the others he seems ok with. Can you or your husband attend once or twice with him or have the babysitter make some observations for you? Hopefully it's only a temporary resistance, but it could be really helpful to find out what is bugging him.
Here's an idea: try practicing the drop-off with your son at home like a role-play. Say to him "lets try pretending that we're going to your (OT class-whatever you call it with him). Let's pretend Mommy is going to drop you off." (make it like a play - have one of his stuffed animals be the teacher and practice getting ready for the school and greeting the teacher (aka stuffed animal). You could get the babysitter to help with the role play, too, as she's the one who does the drop off. That might be another way to find out when he starts to get uncomfortable, and then you could rehearse solutions (like "if this happens, next time I want you to (do/say whatever)."

Hope this isn't confusing...just an idea.

If he loves all his other classes and is apphrehensive about the speech class, I would stand outside the door and listen to how the teacher is toward him. Just because you teach at the school doesn't mean everything is good.

As a parent of the IEP process for many years, I can assure you everything is not perfect. (You can also request another speech teacher if you do find a problem. I know they can arrange it).

Do yourself a favor, if you have not already, and educate yourself on the whole special ed process and your specific rights. Unless you are a special ed teacher, this is not part of your formal training. As a parent, I have found if you are not prepared with the facts, you get walked on.

C. T.

I agree with the posters who say you need to find out what's up. Let the OT and teacher know your concerns, be frank about them, and ask for their observations and guidance on how to better engage him.

Good luck!

Have you checked into having him evaluated by your school district so that he can go to a preschool full-time? My son had speech issues and went to deLacey (in District 300) five days a week for a half day of preschool when he was 3. And he was bused there - I, too, work so had no way to get him to and from a school even once a week!

My son is pretty shy and he loved the school. It was a set routine, during which time he got his speech therapy.

Last year, when he was 4, our town opened a new elementary school with a preschool program so my son was bused to that school and got his speech therapy. He still gets it this year in kindergarten at that same elementary school.

I would really recommend that you call your district's admin office and ask if there's any sort of program for that. Since you're going through the school, he may already have been evaluated. Then you could just ask whether there's a preschool program for him - he'd get an IEP (IL education plan).

Hope this helps! When I first realized he had speech problems, I didn't know what to do.

Hi N.,
Sometimes children will be excited about something new for a short time and then a new emotion takes over. Just this year in my daughter's first grade class, a boy eagerly came to school for the first few days. After that he cried for 2 weeks before school all the way up to where is mom dropped him off outside of the classroom. He is now happy about school.

I think it will take him some time and then he'll be okay. He is young and around new teachers and a new surrounding. I think if his teachers would say and do something like "this" it might ease the adjusting period.........

She could give him one of her stuffed animals and say... "This is my special friend. His name is Happy. He likes to be held while he listens to children say their speech words. He really is good at helping boys and girls feel happy." Then if he calms down a bit.... the teacher could continue and say ..."Why I think Happy is making you feel better already! Oh that's so good. Oh, Happy likes it when you come to school to see him."

Does the teacher have you do any work with him at home? My son is a first grader who is in Speech and we do assignments and games related to his sounds at home together. He also gets a sticker everyday he tries his best while in speech. When the sticker chart is full, he gets to go in the speech therapist's special treasure chest.

Well... hang in there. I know it's rough on us moms, when our children are sad.
J.

My son is almost 8 and goes to OT. Its hard. Kids are smart and they know not everyone goes- its time away from someone or play. I dont believe there is a fixer for it. Sometimes our kids are going to feel sad, mad etc... we parents have those feelings to- so I just suggest let him have it. listen to him. For so long I would try to tell my son, dont feel that way or thats not true etc... now I just tell him WOW! Look how far you have come! etc.. praise. If he complains I listen and when he tells me he doesnt like it I just reply, I know. if he asks for more info then I give him more information. etc.. Good luck!

It's great that you're being sensitive to your child's needs! Maybe a conversation with the teacher would help--let her know he is feeling resistant and maybe she will have insight into why. (Maybe there is one exercise he doesn't like which colors his whole perception of the session). She could tweak something until he becomes more comfortable. Also, is there any way to observe without him knowing it? Good luck!