Alex is at or above all developmental levels with the exception of expressive language. He is still beyond his level for receptive speech. The new tool used determined he is approximately 7 months behind on Expressive Speech so he qualifies for Speech Therapy. He has no red flags for autism.
Some strategies we were given today:
1. Do not anticipate his needs
2. Give him choices
3. Explore sign language more
4. sing songs with finger plays
5. Point to /label pictures in books
6. Use pretend play to encourage language.
We're doing all but #6 so we'll be doing some pretend play soon. We were given some additional ideas for activities on 1-5. Alex does get sign language from me but usually does not repeat the signs often so we will make a concerted effort to do more sign language with him.
His goal is obvious: to talk - we will consider that goal achieved once he learned to communicate in words to adults and peers. I want him to catch up to at least his level before he is dismissed from speech therapy. I realize that this is a participatory process and my husband and I will be with him during all speech therapy sessions and will continue the excersizes we observe during his sessions between sessions.
Services will be provided once a week on Mondays. Right now due to his attention span the SP will try for 30 minute sessions. If his attention span increases or does well with that she will try to expand the session a little longer.
We will be starting the transition to the elementary school which he should be attending in November. My husband and I prefer a speech only class as we do not want Alex going to an all ecompassing special education class. This means I will be shortening my hours for work as they only provide transportation to special ed classes. I'm fine with that.
My husband I both were in those for a short period when we were kids due to expressive speech issues and we don't have very fond memories of it. Neither of us were mentally disabled (last we checked anyway). My husbands father was murdered so he stopped talking - thats how he ended up there, and I was just speech delayed.
I don't have a problem with the label of special education, I have a problem with the likelihood that Alex will be treated the same as a child with severe mental disabilities. I fear that will do him more harm than good and I trust myself enough that I will not budge from that decision if someone paid me to. As an adult I have seen how autistic children and mentally disabled children are treated in a classroom setting and even though those kids are not mine and I don't know if that treatment is appropriate for them, it hurts to watch it because I know those kids have feelings too and I would not respond well if I saw someone treat my kid like that whether he was mentally disabled or not. Just because they're mentally disabled does not mean that they should be treated like stupid animals. I spent enough of my childhood watching that and I will not subject my child to that or letting him watch adults tie autistic kids to chairs and close them in a dark room because they're screaming. Beat them on the head with a book for throwing things or calling them names. That is not normal and I don't want him being afraid to go to school everyday like I used to be after sitting in a dark room for hours with my legs and arms tied to a chair because I wouldn't stay seated in my own chair. Maybe thats a technique to get kids to learn to sit or something but its not one I agree with because I remember sitting in that dark room crying because I didn't understand. Again, I don't know if some of the things I saw and experienced was normal but I'm not taking that chance with Alex. What I experienced and observed many times is all I know. My concerns may not provide productive feedback here and I'm sure that not all special education classes are like that but this is how I work: Once is a fluke, twice is a pattern three times is a problem and thats all I need to be convinced.
Wow.. I really went off there - sorry
I am very excited though that Alex is getting speech therapy starting next week. I really like his speech pathologist. Shes very high energy like I am, she praises him, is polite, she playes with him, shes straight forward and doesn't beat bushes so I know that if she sees something I could do better she'll tell me without worrying whether or not it will offend me. I like her :) Alex seems to like her too (Mommy! She gives me toys and she listens to me!) and I guess thats what really matters. She seems like a good fit for Alex. Actually, both ladies seem like their personalities are compatible and a perfect fit for him. They both seem like they enjoy their jobs too which makes all the difference in the world I'm sure.
I couldn't be happier
