What do you all think??

June 8, 2002

Hi All,

it's been a while since I posted, but I read everyday.

My son is exactly 3 1/2 years old.

He has apraxia/dyspraxia (depending on who you ask, lol).

Anyway, with the help of therapies and biomedical help, he has come a long

long way.

Last year at this time, he was nonverbal. He now speaks in up to 10-word

sentences. Is understandable probably 85% of the time, doing very well,

although some probs. with asking questions and some mild articulation probs,

and socially shy around other kids.

ANYWAY, I am in a very small school district, and although he is on an IEP

for speech therapy and OT, they do not have any preschool program

whatsoever, for either typical or devel. delayed kids. So I have been

planning and looking elsewhere since he was a year and a half old.

He has been accepted into a program, by the nearest University, it is called

a Language Preschool and it is on the campus. It is staffed by a Director,

Early childhood educator, graduate students from the speech therapy program,

and a speech-language pathologist.

The program is M-F, 8:30 to 11:30 each day.

On M,W,F there are 2 grad students, the teacher, the speech path., and the

director staffing the class, which is only 9 children total.

On T,Th, it is everyone besides the grad students, so that is 3

professionals to 9 children.

It seems like an awesome student/teacher ratio, and it is all language

based. Half the class is typical children without speech problems and the

rest of the children are language impaired. The typical kids are there as

models.

My son has received in the past 2 years extensive 1-on-1 therapy through the

school system, and privately that we have personally paid for out-of-pocket,

averaging about 7 hours per week of 1-on-1 therapy, not including the

enormous amount of hours we, his family, have put into bringing the things

he has learned into his everyday home life. He is also potty trained, and

has been for 3 months now.

I am very excited about this program. They will have small group language

sessions everyday, with a circle-time, outside play, snack, book reading,

and they really encourage the kids to socialize and speak to each other,

looking for situations that naturally occur to enhance the children's

interactions with one another.

Does this sound like a good program? These will not be JUST

apraxic/dyspraxic kids. They will be typical kids and others with various

speech probs. I feel at this stage of my son's progress, he is ready to use

his skills in a small group situation, and we will also continue to pay for

his private in-home therapy as well (4-6 hours per week).

Does this sound like anything your kids have been to? My other, older son is

fairly typical and so had attended typical preschool program where there is

one teacher to 15 kids.

I just don't think my dyspraxic son would flourish there, and I don't think

it would enrich his expanding vocabulary situation. He does need

encouragement to speak to other children his age, and I just don't think

they would focus on him enough in a typical preschool.

My area is extremely limited. Like I said, no public school preschool

program at all, several private preschools/daycares that I just don't think

would fit him. Too many kids, only 1-2 adults etc.

It will be a 30 minute drive for us to the Language Preschool, but I don't

mind that.

Any feedback is welcome.

Thanks for listening.

June 8, 2002

SOunds like a great program. Have you observed it? Does he still have

an IEP? Is the district still helping with his private therapies

and/or the cost of the program?

Sounds like the best of both worlds. Good models and good student

teacher ratios.

COngratulations on your sons progress!

denise

Mom to 4 this month

--- In @y..., " Randall Cary " <RANDALLWADE@p...>

wrote:

> Hi All,

> it's been a while since I posted, but I read everyday.

> My son is exactly 3 1/2 years old.

> He has apraxia/dyspraxia (depending on who you ask, lol).

> Anyway, with the help of therapies and biomedical help, he has come

a long

> long way.

> Last year at this time, he was nonverbal. He now speaks in up to 10-

word

> sentences. Is understandable probably 85% of the time, doing very

well,

> although some probs. with asking questions and some mild

articulation probs,

> and socially shy around other kids.

> ANYWAY, I am in a very small school district, and although he is on

an IEP

> for speech therapy and OT, they do not have any preschool program

> whatsoever, for either typical or devel. delayed kids. So I have

been

> planning and looking elsewhere since he was a year and a half old.

> He has been accepted into a program, by the nearest University, it

is called

> a Language Preschool and it is on the campus. It is staffed by a

Director,

> Early childhood educator, graduate students from the speech therapy

program,

> and a speech-language pathologist.

> The program is M-F, 8:30 to 11:30 each day.

> On M,W,F there are 2 grad students, the teacher, the speech path.,

and the

> director staffing the class, which is only 9 children total.

> On T,Th, it is everyone besides the grad students, so that is 3

> professionals to 9 children.

> It seems like an awesome student/teacher ratio, and it is all

language

> based. Half the class is typical children without speech problems

and the

> rest of the children are language impaired. The typical kids are

there as

> models.

> My son has received in the past 2 years extensive 1-on-1 therapy

through the

> school system, and privately that we have personally paid for out-

of-pocket,

> averaging about 7 hours per week of 1-on-1 therapy, not including

the

> enormous amount of hours we, his family, have put into bringing the

things

> he has learned into his everyday home life. He is also potty

trained, and

> has been for 3 months now.

> I am very excited about this program. They will have small group

language

> sessions everyday, with a circle-time, outside play, snack, book

reading,

> and they really encourage the kids to socialize and speak to each

other,

> looking for situations that naturally occur to enhance the

children's

> interactions with one another.

> Does this sound like a good program? These will not be JUST

> apraxic/dyspraxic kids. They will be typical kids and others with

various

> speech probs. I feel at this stage of my son's progress, he is

ready to use

> his skills in a small group situation, and we will also continue to

pay for

> his private in-home therapy as well (4-6 hours per week).

> Does this sound like anything your kids have been to? My other,

older son is

> fairly typical and so had attended typical preschool program where

there is

> one teacher to 15 kids.

> I just don't think my dyspraxic son would flourish there, and I

don't think

> it would enrich his expanding vocabulary situation. He does need

> encouragement to speak to other children his age, and I just don't

think

> they would focus on him enough in a typical preschool.

> My area is extremely limited. Like I said, no public school

preschool

> program at all, several private preschools/daycares that I just

don't think

> would fit him. Too many kids, only 1-2 adults etc.

> It will be a 30 minute drive for us to the Language Preschool, but

I don't

> mind that.

> Any feedback is welcome.

>

> Thanks for listening.

>

June 8, 2002

<<Does this sound like a good program?>>

Hi !

I think it sounds like a great program! You kow your child best and

since you don't have a special programs preschool in your area, it

sounds like you are doing the next best thing! I think it is very

important for our apraxic kids to be around typical language peers!

It gives them a chance to " stretch their wings " , if you will, with

their words! With such a low student to teacher ratio, I am sure your

child will be getting lots of attention and direction! Again, sounds

super to me!!

Vivian in Hot ole Phoenix!

Mom to DJ (5.1, moderate verbal apraxia, and that's it.)

June 8, 2002

Hi ,

We have an appointment on in 2nd week of July to visit the class

with my son and watch (son gets to participate, we get to watch).

They have a two-way mirror so I can also observe my son in

there too!! Way cool.

Maybe my post was confusing. My school district has NOT helped

with any of his private therapy, I never asked them to.

He is on an IEP and receives speech therapy twice a week

at school for thirty minutes each. OT ended in May when school ended.

He is to start summer services for ST at the school in a few weeks.

I am not going to ask them to pay the cost of his preschool.

I know some will disagree with me on this, but if he were a " normal "

child, I would have to pay for his preschool anyway, so I am not

wanting to rock the boat so early in his education, by asking our

school district to pay for his preschool. It will be hard for us

to pay for all of this, but we manage.

Anyway, thanks for your post.

We are excited about it all.

Best wishes to you and your family.

> > Hi All,

> > it's been a while since I posted, but I read everyday.

> > My son is exactly 3 1/2 years old.

> > He has apraxia/dyspraxia (depending on who you ask, lol).

> > Anyway, with the help of therapies and biomedical help, he has

come

> a long

> > long way.

> > Last year at this time, he was nonverbal. He now speaks in up to

10-

> word

> > sentences. Is understandable probably 85% of the time, doing very

> well,

> > although some probs. with asking questions and some mild

> articulation probs,

> > and socially shy around other kids.

> > ANYWAY, I am in a very small school district, and although he is

on

> an IEP

> > for speech therapy and OT, they do not have any preschool program

> > whatsoever, for either typical or devel. delayed kids. So I have

> been

> > planning and looking elsewhere since he was a year and a half old.

> > He has been accepted into a program, by the nearest University,

it

> is called

> > a Language Preschool and it is on the campus. It is staffed by a

> Director,

> > Early childhood educator, graduate students from the speech

therapy

> program,

> > and a speech-language pathologist.

> > The program is M-F, 8:30 to 11:30 each day.

> > On M,W,F there are 2 grad students, the teacher, the speech

path.,

> and the

> > director staffing the class, which is only 9 children total.

> > On T,Th, it is everyone besides the grad students, so that is 3

> > professionals to 9 children.

> > It seems like an awesome student/teacher ratio, and it is all

> language

> > based. Half the class is typical children without speech problems

> and the

> > rest of the children are language impaired. The typical kids are

> there as

> > models.

> > My son has received in the past 2 years extensive 1-on-1 therapy

> through the

> > school system, and privately that we have personally paid for out-

> of-pocket,

> > averaging about 7 hours per week of 1-on-1 therapy, not including

> the

> > enormous amount of hours we, his family, have put into bringing

the

> things

> > he has learned into his everyday home life. He is also potty

> trained, and

> > has been for 3 months now.

> > I am very excited about this program. They will have small group

> language

> > sessions everyday, with a circle-time, outside play, snack, book

> reading,

> > and they really encourage the kids to socialize and speak to each

> other,

> > looking for situations that naturally occur to enhance the

> children's

> > interactions with one another.

> > Does this sound like a good program? These will not be JUST

> > apraxic/dyspraxic kids. They will be typical kids and others with

> various

> > speech probs. I feel at this stage of my son's progress, he is

> ready to use

> > his skills in a small group situation, and we will also continue

to

> pay for

> > his private in-home therapy as well (4-6 hours per week).

> > Does this sound like anything your kids have been to? My other,

> older son is

> > fairly typical and so had attended typical preschool program

where

> there is

> > one teacher to 15 kids.

> > I just don't think my dyspraxic son would flourish there, and I

> don't think

> > it would enrich his expanding vocabulary situation. He does need

> > encouragement to speak to other children his age, and I just

don't

> think

> > they would focus on him enough in a typical preschool.

> > My area is extremely limited. Like I said, no public school

> preschool

> > program at all, several private preschools/daycares that I just

> don't think

> > would fit him. Too many kids, only 1-2 adults etc.

> > It will be a 30 minute drive for us to the Language Preschool,

but

> I don't

> > mind that.

> > Any feedback is welcome.

> >

> > Thanks for listening.

> >

June 8, 2002

Thanks for your vote of confidence Vivian.

Best wishes to you and your family.

> <<Does this sound like a good program?>>

>

> Hi !

>

> I think it sounds like a great program! You kow your child best and

> since you don't have a special programs preschool in your area, it

> sounds like you are doing the next best thing! I think it is very

> important for our apraxic kids to be around typical language peers!

> It gives them a chance to " stretch their wings " , if you will, with

> their words! With such a low student to teacher ratio, I am sure

your

> child will be getting lots of attention and direction! Again,

sounds

> super to me!!

>

> Vivian in Hot ole Phoenix!

> Mom to DJ (5.1, moderate verbal apraxia, and that's it.)

June 9, 2002

Hello

Sounds great, I want to live where you do. I am faced with putting my just

turned 4 year old in a public school communication disorder classroom. It is

from 11:20 - 1:50. Right at nap time, yuk! We have been trying to give up naps

for the past 2 weeks since we found out about the time. Well, that is not going

so good. He either falls asleep right when we are about to eat dinner or is

just terrible from about 4:00 PM until bedtime. The class is entirely children