My 4.5 year old has been in speech therapy for 1.5 years. She is now "age appropriate." She was graduated out of her special day preschool class and moved into a community preschool 3 days a week for 2.5 hrs a day. She loves it and is doing amazing at the new place. Now she just has a "tutor" one hr a day two days a week for speech on the days she doesn't do preschool. I found a great 2.5 hr a day class for my daughter to do that I know is great, in another community program. I feel she is ready and would love this and would benefit from more time with "regular'" Kids like her. It's only 3 weeks long on the 2 days she doesn't do preschool. Problem: The time conflicts with the turors time. She was wait listed for this new class for a long time, but they just called and said that they made a new class based on the number of wait-listed kids/demand. I'm afraid that if I have her do this and no speech that if she regresses or fails to progress then it'll be awful to get the help we'll need again... Because we know first hand its awful to get in even when you child is scoring very low and desperately qualifying for it! What's your advice? I don't think my daughter gets much benefit from the time with the tutor and I think she will do great with the new tots community class that we have been wait listed forever for. I'm thinking about telling the speech people that we need a three week break for undisclosed reasons but the alternative would be to drop the speech tutor or not do this new program. It's been a lot of work, time, tears, investment, and planning to get to this point where she's at now.... Totally amazing and talkative and super social. Totally "normal." What would you advise?
I'd need to know what the "new" program is to make this decision.
("Typical" is the word you're looking for here--not "normal.")
First of all, have you been in speech sessions with her for the past year and a half? Have you learned how to do the program with her? Do you do a home program with her every day on what the speech therapist did with her? Every day? Twice a day? Once a day?
You should be doing a home program with her WITHOUT FAIL. Speech therapy is not enough if it's just done by the therapist during the week. It just isn't. And yes, she will regress if you don't have some help.
The tutor is not needed if you are doing the home program. The tutor is not a speech pathologist and cannot do more with her than the therapist already did. You can fulfill this role, but you HAVE to really do it and not just put it off because your day got "too full".
My son had speech therapy and I did his home program twice a day, 7 days a week. Literally. That was in addition to two speech lessons a week. I religiously went by the therapist's written home program.
Do the new program. If you find that you are not being successful at the speech work, ask for another evaluation by the speech therapist. (NOT tutor.) At 5 years old, the measure is higher for her, and the evaluation will show if she isn't at level. And honestly, the tutor wouldn't be able to pull her up a level ANYWAY. She would have just kept her at the level for a 4 year old. So you may need a speech therapist anyway even if you didn't put her into the new program.
Please, work hard with her at home. The home program is extremely important. You can do this.
I like Mira's answer. It's a short term program. It would be like if you went on a long vacation - you wouldn't have the speech therapist with you on a vacation. And I would let them know why, as there's nothing embarrassing or wrong about doing the program. You could always ask if there are do-it-yourself exercises to work on while she's at the program. Kinda keep a toe in while she's on this short break.
I assume she will go to kinder in the fall... the school will assess her speech and must provide speech therapy if she needs it.
If you are getting free speech therapy from your local school district.. I probably wouldn't stop... you may not see the progress she is making,, but I can almost guarantee that the speech therapy is helping.
preschool is fun. good to be around other kids.. but going 3 days a week..is plenty.. she has fun.. she plays with kids..
I would stick with what you have... preschool 3 days.. speech tutor 2 days.. soon it will be kinder..
The program is only three weeks long? I don't see the problem with taking 3 weeks off - what if your family went on a long vacation. Ask the tutor what exercises you should do with DD at home for those three weeks. I can't imagine they would kick you out for missing 3 weeks.
That's great that she's doing so well!
It sounds like you know your daughter really well and understand both her needs and her potential. If this class will be great for her, then make it work.
With the speech, I'd try the following things, in the following order.
1. See if the speech therapist has another time open.
2. See if the speech therapist will give you a 3-week "vacation."
3. If none of that works, look for another speech therapist. This isn't that specialized of a specialty; even in rural areas, you can often find more than one.
I'm the mom of a child who's in many activities for typical kids (music lessons, Lego League, Tae Kwon Do) but who also gets some special-needs services. Life can sometimes be a scheduling nightmare! But no one has ever given me grief about asking to change a schedule. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but people's feelings don't get hurt around this stuff. I just had to move my son's OT around AGAIN, and now it's at this really annoying time. But the therapist didn't feel like we were "cheating" on her. She congratulated my son for taking on Tae Kwon Do and said it meant he was making great progress. In other words, it never hurts to ask!
P.S. Why would the reasons for the break need to be undisclosed? Why not just say, "There's this great short-term program, and I think she'd benefit a lot"?
Explain the issue to the speech therapist and ask them to switch time. That way she can do both.
If she is still receiving speech therapy, then obviously they feel she still needs help. But this also sounds like a great opportunity for her and the program is only 3 weeks long. I would not be too concerned about taking a 3 week break from speech. I've done it with my kids who recieve speech therapy too.
surely you can work with her as the tutor has been doing, right? i can't imagine they WON'T give you help and suggestions as to how to keep her therapy going.
khairete
S.
Based on what I understand of your post, your daughter had some very serious speech issues and she has made some large improvements. 1.5 years is a long time to be in therapy, however, any improvement is excellent!
You don't mention details of the class you found for her. All you mention is that the class is great and it is a community program.
Personally, I would share your fears, that if she doesn't do speech and regresses, then it will be awful to get the help needed again. With all of the work, time, tears, investment, and planning to get to this point, I wouldn't stop. If you remove her for fun activity, how will you get her back into speech therapy? She may repeat the fight.
There are plenty of fun drop in things to do. My daughter has a very busy schedule and she does drop in swim classes, ice skate classes, tennis classes, and drops in at the local park any time we can.
I would not stop what you are currently doing.
If you're in the public schools in the future and she needs speech, she can be reassessed and requalify.
