Re: 2 year old questions

[Guest guest]

Thanks Jill.

I do think he is overwhelmed. I also think he keeps getting sick there. So its

like one step forward, 2 steps back. He is going Tuesday/Thursday, so by the

time Thursday comes it is getting better, but then there is so much time over

the weekend and stuff it is almost like we were never there.

I am almost thinking of asking for in home therapy again, and signing him up for

a music class or something fun like that. We shall see.

Thanks again.

Tawnya

Re: 2 year old questions

In a message dated 2/15/2006 4:57:50 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

Barbara.T.Mellert@... writes:

Hi Tawnya - is really just 2 years old? This does sound like a lot

to me for a 2 year old - I thought preschool began when the child is is

3?

I think it depends on the kid. My were like night and day. My son was not

ready for that much that early. We did a Mom & Me playgroup at 2 and then a

3-year-old class two days a week the following year. 4-year old class was 3

days

a week. Then onto kindergarten which is a half day program around here.

My daughter however was ready for a half day program, every day, by the time

she was 2½. I had a hard time finding places that would take her into their

program, even though she was as tall as the older kids, completely potty

trained, and incredibly verbal. By 3 she had given up afternoon nap and would

have gladly started full-day kindergarten at 4, if we'd let her -- which we

didn't.

I would defer to the mommy-gut reaction on this one. Do you feel your child

is ready? Or do you feel he's overwhelmed? I really think this is completely

dependant on what the child can handle.

Best -- Jill

[Guest guest]

Thanks Jill.

I do think he is overwhelmed. I also think he keeps getting sick there. So its

like one step forward, 2 steps back. He is going Tuesday/Thursday, so by the

time Thursday comes it is getting better, but then there is so much time over

the weekend and stuff it is almost like we were never there.

I am almost thinking of asking for in home therapy again, and signing him up for

a music class or something fun like that. We shall see.

Thanks again.

Tawnya

Re: 2 year old questions

In a message dated 2/15/2006 4:57:50 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

Barbara.T.Mellert@... writes:

Hi Tawnya - is really just 2 years old? This does sound like a lot

to me for a 2 year old - I thought preschool began when the child is is

3?

I think it depends on the kid. My were like night and day. My son was not

ready for that much that early. We did a Mom & Me playgroup at 2 and then a

3-year-old class two days a week the following year. 4-year old class was 3

days

a week. Then onto kindergarten which is a half day program around here.

My daughter however was ready for a half day program, every day, by the time

she was 2½. I had a hard time finding places that would take her into their

program, even though she was as tall as the older kids, completely potty

trained, and incredibly verbal. By 3 she had given up afternoon nap and would

have gladly started full-day kindergarten at 4, if we'd let her -- which we

didn't.

I would defer to the mommy-gut reaction on this one. Do you feel your child

is ready? Or do you feel he's overwhelmed? I really think this is completely

dependant on what the child can handle.

Best -- Jill

[Guest guest]

Hi Twanya. Pre-school is a hard adjustment for many kids. I cannot

imagine a 2 year old sitting still in a circle for more than 1

minute. They are meant to be busy and exploring. My daughter, now

8 is a moderate to severe loss. She wears digital aids. We started

her in mainstream pre-school just before she turned 3. She attended

3 mornings a week. We also took her twice a week to a language rich

pre-school for PPI and/or speech delayed kids. I found a speech

therapist who would visit the preschool and work with my daughter

and the teachers. She gained invaluable listening skills and social

skills during this time. The one thing I have learned (painfully

so) along the way--trust your gut. HOH kids need language rich

environments, reassurance, guidance and building confidence. If

your son is getting more positives from you at home, try pre-school

next year. I know I second guessed everything with my

daughter...still do. She is however, happy, well adjusted and is

doing well in school. Often, we know more and do more good for our

HOH kids than we let ourselves feel we can do.

>

> I really wish I knew exactly what Ian needs!! This is the letter

I sent to his TOD today. Do you guys have any insight for me? What

did your 2 year olds do in speech/class?

>

> " I have a couple of concerns I wanted to talk to you about.

>

> We have changed therapists at JWPOSD. They are supposed to be

working on fine tuning his oral motor skills. I don't really see

that happening. I am really wondering if his speech improvements

are from JW or just from him maturing.

>

> Our schedule is as follows:

> Tuesdays:

> Speech 9:00 to 9:45

> Circle 9:45 to 9:50

> Outside (with myself and the aide) 9:50 to 10:20

> Snack 10:20 to 10:35

> Closing Circle 10:40 to 10:55.

>

> So on Tuesdays he isn't getting any real class time. They do

circle, and sing songs. It seems to me that being there in class is

almost a waste. I mean I can sing songs at home and take him to the

park and he would be getting one on one time.

>

> Thursdays are slightly different in that he has therapy from 10-

10:45 so he does get a bit of classroom time, but I am not in the

room. So he spends a good portion of the time not participating and

being upset.

>

> It is my thought that if Ian did not have any hearing loss that he

would be too immature for preschool right now. He has a hard time

with it. Couple that with the time it takes us to get to and from,

and it just seem like something he is not getting a great benefit

from. It is a GREAT school, but I just wonder if it isn't too much

for him too early on.

>

> What I am seeing in his speech therapy sessions is alot of

exposure. Which is great, but I really think he needs fine tuning.

Like when he says , he says homas.

>

> Example: Yesterday at speech they played with playdoh, asking Ian

what he wanted to make, making a smiley face and a train, asking

what is missing from the train. Then they did puzzles, matching the

dirty shirt with the clean shirt. She mixed them up on the floor

and wanted him to match them. Repeating dirty shirt, clean shirt,

dirty shirt, clean shirt. They then did playdoh and she had him

find different animal shapes. I am just not understanding where she

is going with it?! Or what it has to do with his oral motor

skills.

>

> Any insight for me? I am just wondering what to do. I am seeing

an improvement in his overall speech, but not in his pronunciation.

Which is what he needs for mainstream preschool, right? "

>

> Thanks so much!

> Tawnya

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tawnya,

I know what you mean about wanting to know what your child needs. I'm

constantly reevaluating things and always asking questions of HI (she

probably gets tired of hearing from me...lol). It's a rotten shame that

somewhere along the way the manual that was suppose to come with each child gets

lost ;o)

wasn't diagnosed until she was 2 1/2. She started receiving speech

services in home about 2 months before we discovered her loss. Those services

continues until she turned 3. easily adjusted to new situtations and new

people and probably would have been ready for preschool at 2 if it had been

offered. Once she turned three she attended five days a week for 2 1/2 hours

each day. She had three days of speech at school for 20 minutes each. She also

had the services of her HI for 3 days a week for 30 minutes each. We also

sought out a speech therapist outside of the school district since had a

large language delay and she attended that for 30 minutes each week for the

first 6 months and thereafter for two 30 minutes sessions a week. 's

issues were not from a lack of oral motor skills so most of her therapy sessions

worked on getting the language in. Yes they did work on articulation, but in a

playful way. I remember them starting with the

pronouns you, me, and I. At three, drilling away on how to pronounce

something would bore most children and then the ST would loose them. Of course

our ST and preschool teacher had the extra " blessing " of having to get to

sit and focus. At speech, they would work for 5 minutes and then would

get a smiley face. If she got 4 during the session, then she would get a treat.

In preschool one of her IEP goals was getting her to sit and attend to the

speaker during circle time for 3 minutes.

Since he is only 2, you are probably right that he just isn't ready for formal

preschool at this time. Not all children are. In fact, I'm guessing that most

kids aren't. Heck, not all three year olds are ready for it either. My son,

who is hearing, had a very hard time the first two months of preschool. Unlike

my daughter who would push me out the classroom door, would grab onto my

leg and cry that he wanted to go home. After a few weeks, that stopped. But he

still had a hard time sitting in circle and following directions. By the time

the end of October came, he had figured out the routine and was much better at

behaving. (Although there was the one day he got in trouble for " whipping " the

toys across the classroom...)

is three and a half and is also in speech (probably due to the great

speech model we live with..;o) While watching speech sessions, it looks much

more like they are playing games. The other day they played a memory game which

got him talking about the different animals on the cards. At two, I'm pretty

sure that many kids have problems with blends (Th, sm, br, etc.). Some of that

will come with age and maturity.

All that said, he doesn't need perfect or near perfect pronounciation for

mainstream classes. Kids of all ages have speech problems and not all of them

are children with hearing losses. I teach a child in my religion class who is 8

and I have a hard time understanding him. I use to worry so much about 's

speech...especially when she went to kindergarten. I thought that no one would

be able to understand her. After I started to volunteer in her class I realized

that she spoke better than half of her class. It really helped once I was able

to see her with other kids who were her age and not " labeled " .

Go with your gut. It's not going to hurt him if he's not in preschool as long

as you are providing him access to a language rich environment. And I'm

guessing if you are doing day care in your home and do any type of activities

with the kids, he's going to get that. Of course that's my opinion.

Debbie, mom to , 6, moderate SNHL and , 3, hearing

Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were

and ask why not. G.B Shaw

---------------------------------

Yahoo! Autos. Looking for a sweet ride? Get pricing, reviews, & more on new and

used cars.

[Guest guest]

>

> " Do you guys have any insight for me? What did your 2 year olds do

in speech/class?

Any insight for me? I am just wondering what to do. I am seeing an

improvement in his overall speech, but not in his pronunciation.

Which is what he needs for mainstream preschool, right? "

Thanks so much!

Tawnya

Hi Tawnya – Just to let you know what we are doing .

just turned 2 this month. He receives speech through Early

Intervention once a week for 1 hour. He also goes to a BOCES infant

center program (since he's 9 months old) once a week for an hour.

At the BOCES center, he is the only child in the classroom. He has a

TOD for a half hour, and a speech therapist for a half hour. They

basically let him do/play with what ever he wants. (I stopped

sitting in on his sessions about a month ago – he was distracted with

me there, and now he interacts more with his teachers.)

When I come back to pick him up, the teachers let me know how his

session went and usually hand me a project they worked on. Last

week, it was a bunch of little hearts glued onto a big heart – and

now he recognized hearts all over the place. A couple of weeks ago

he made a snowman, and all he kept talking about were circles. He is

learning his colors, numbers and shapes and he is really picking it

up quick.

In the fall, I plan to send him to BOCES for a toddler group session

2 days a week for about an hour and a half. There are usually about

5 kids in the group with both a TOD and Speech Therapist.

's EI therapist put into her goals at the last IFSP that she

wants to work on his pronunciation, but told me after the fact, that

he is too little to do much work. She just wanted to have something

to fall back on should they want to pull out of the program,

which didn't happen.

Good luck with whatever you choose, I hope it works out for you.

FYI – as Jill explained in an earlier e-mail BOCES is a state-funded

county-based program that provides all sorts of supports for all

kinds of people. They run high school programs where kids go for half

day apprenticeship programs to learn skills like carpentry,

automotive/engine repair, cosmetology, and more. Some counties have

alternative schools for kids with emotional or discipline issues.

They also provide the

TODs for our local Early Intervention programs. They also help

special needs kids transition into adult support programs.

BOCES is a very broad ranging entity, a county-centered educational

organization that provides services that individual schools would

have a hard time providing at a reasonable cost. (Thanks Jill!)

- mom of

Miri -7 - hearing

Abigail - 4 1/2 - hearing

- 2 - mild/moderate SNHL

[Guest guest]

>

> " Do you guys have any insight for me? What did your 2 year olds do

in speech/class?

Any insight for me? I am just wondering what to do. I am seeing an

improvement in his overall speech, but not in his pronunciation.

Which is what he needs for mainstream preschool, right? "

Thanks so much!

Tawnya

Hi Tawnya – Just to let you know what we are doing .

just turned 2 this month. He receives speech through Early

Intervention once a week for 1 hour. He also goes to a BOCES infant

center program (since he's 9 months old) once a week for an hour.

At the BOCES center, he is the only child in the classroom. He has a

TOD for a half hour, and a speech therapist for a half hour. They

basically let him do/play with what ever he wants. (I stopped

sitting in on his sessions about a month ago – he was distracted with

me there, and now he interacts more with his teachers.)

When I come back to pick him up, the teachers let me know how his

session went and usually hand me a project they worked on. Last

week, it was a bunch of little hearts glued onto a big heart – and

now he recognized hearts all over the place. A couple of weeks ago

he made a snowman, and all he kept talking about were circles. He is

learning his colors, numbers and shapes and he is really picking it

up quick.

In the fall, I plan to send him to BOCES for a toddler group session

2 days a week for about an hour and a half. There are usually about

5 kids in the group with both a TOD and Speech Therapist.

's EI therapist put into her goals at the last IFSP that she

wants to work on his pronunciation, but told me after the fact, that

he is too little to do much work. She just wanted to have something

to fall back on should they want to pull out of the program,

which didn't happen.

Good luck with whatever you choose, I hope it works out for you.

FYI – as Jill explained in an earlier e-mail BOCES is a state-funded

county-based program that provides all sorts of supports for all

kinds of people. They run high school programs where kids go for half

day apprenticeship programs to learn skills like carpentry,

automotive/engine repair, cosmetology, and more. Some counties have

alternative schools for kids with emotional or discipline issues.

They also provide the

TODs for our local Early Intervention programs. They also help

special needs kids transition into adult support programs.

BOCES is a very broad ranging entity, a county-centered educational

organization that provides services that individual schools would

have a hard time providing at a reasonable cost. (Thanks Jill!)

- mom of

Miri -7 - hearing

Abigail - 4 1/2 - hearing

- 2 - mild/moderate SNHL

[Guest guest]

>

> " Do you guys have any insight for me? What did your 2 year olds do

in speech/class?

Any insight for me? I am just wondering what to do. I am seeing an

improvement in his overall speech, but not in his pronunciation.

Which is what he needs for mainstream preschool, right? "

Thanks so much!

Tawnya

Hi Tawnya – Just to let you know what we are doing .

just turned 2 this month. He receives speech through Early

Intervention once a week for 1 hour. He also goes to a BOCES infant

center program (since he's 9 months old) once a week for an hour.

At the BOCES center, he is the only child in the classroom. He has a

TOD for a half hour, and a speech therapist for a half hour. They

basically let him do/play with what ever he wants. (I stopped

sitting in on his sessions about a month ago – he was distracted with

me there, and now he interacts more with his teachers.)

When I come back to pick him up, the teachers let me know how his

session went and usually hand me a project they worked on. Last

week, it was a bunch of little hearts glued onto a big heart – and

now he recognized hearts all over the place. A couple of weeks ago

he made a snowman, and all he kept talking about were circles. He is

learning his colors, numbers and shapes and he is really picking it

up quick.

In the fall, I plan to send him to BOCES for a toddler group session

2 days a week for about an hour and a half. There are usually about

5 kids in the group with both a TOD and Speech Therapist.

's EI therapist put into her goals at the last IFSP that she

wants to work on his pronunciation, but told me after the fact, that

he is too little to do much work. She just wanted to have something

to fall back on should they want to pull out of the program,

which didn't happen.

Good luck with whatever you choose, I hope it works out for you.

FYI – as Jill explained in an earlier e-mail BOCES is a state-funded

county-based program that provides all sorts of supports for all

kinds of people. They run high school programs where kids go for half

day apprenticeship programs to learn skills like carpentry,

automotive/engine repair, cosmetology, and more. Some counties have

alternative schools for kids with emotional or discipline issues.

They also provide the

TODs for our local Early Intervention programs. They also help

special needs kids transition into adult support programs.

BOCES is a very broad ranging entity, a county-centered educational

organization that provides services that individual schools would

have a hard time providing at a reasonable cost. (Thanks Jill!)

- mom of

Miri -7 - hearing

Abigail - 4 1/2 - hearing

- 2 - mild/moderate SNHL

[Guest guest]

<<Any insight for me? I am just wondering what to do. I am seeing an

improvement in his overall speech, but not in his pronunciation. Which is what

he needs for mainstream preschool, right? " >>

Ask someone from the school to observe with you and explain what is being done

and why (Maybe ask Janet. She knows me and Neal too). Neal was not two at his

program at CCHAT (sister school to JWPOSD), but he was just barely three when he

started. He was and still is immature for his age. He did a lot of complaining

and spent a decent amount of time in time-out. Still, he learned and progressed

amazingly. Also, I learned and progressed with him. We drove 50 miles each

way for 3 years to CCHAT. Many times I wondered if it was worth it, but now

looking back I can say that it was. Neal is mainstreamed in Kindergarten and in

the " high " group for both math and reading. That doesn't automatically mean

that it's the best for Ian, but knowing how the program works, I would assume

that everything is being done with a good reason and that Ian will continue to

progress and eventually get to the clearer speech that you're waiting for. Neal

had some oral motor issues in the beginning and did exercises daily at home and

at school for them, but it's been a while, so I'm not a good source on whether

Ian's therapy is right for that particular area of concern (As an aside, my kid

who couldn't blow a bubble to save his life back then has recently taught

himself to whistle. I wouldn't have thought that possible at one point in

time!). If I were you, I would just be honest with the staff at the school and

ask " why " about things. They probably even have checklists of things for you

to watch for as you observe that could help you understand.

Rhonda Savage

Mom to Audrey, 8, hearing; and Neal, 6, CII at 2.9 years

" Hard does not mean impossible. "

[Guest guest]

<<I guess it just bugs me that I spend 1/2 hour outside with just me and the aid

and a couple other kids. I mean, I could do that at home!! I was learning alot

spending time in the class, but when there got to be more kids, they kicked out

the parents.>>

One other suggestion: See if they will consider you if they need another aid at

the school. I worked as an aid the whole time Neal was in preschool and it was

very helpful. The first year I was in his class, which wasn't the best idea in

retrospect, but the other two years I was with other classes and it was great to

see what the other kids were doing too.

Rhonda Savage

Mom to Audrey, 8, hearing; and Neal, 6, CII at 2.9 years

" Hard does not mean impossible. "

[Guest guest]

Ask someone from the school to observe with you and explain what is being done

and why (Maybe ask Janet. She knows me and Neal too). Neal was not two at his

program at CCHAT (sister school to JWPOSD), but he was just barely three when he

started. He was and still is immature for his age. He did a lot of complaining

and spent a decent amount of time in time-out. Still, he learned and progressed

amazingly.

We have been there for 6 months now. I see no progress other than him

getting older and saying a bit more. He still isn't comfortable. They just

keep adding more and more kids and have to change things around to suit the

class size. If he is in there without me, and poops his diaper, they just leave

it. So to me, if you want to really have a 2 year old in the class, you need to

change the diaper, or call me!

Also, I learned and progressed with him. We drove 50 miles each way for 3

years to CCHAT. Many times I wondered if it was worth it, but now looking back

I can say that it was.

That was what I was so happy with in the beginning. I was learning so much.

But now since there are 7 kids, we are not allowed in the class. So I learn

nothing.

Neal had some oral motor issues in the beginning and did exercises daily at home

and at school for them, but it's been a while, so I'm not a good source on

whether Ian's therapy is right for that particular area of concern (As an aside,

my kid who couldn't blow a bubble to save his life back then has recently taught

himself to whistle. I wouldn't have thought that possible at one point in

time!).

That is funny because they are telling me that Ian has oral motor issues,

but he can drink from a straw, blow bubbles and whistle, at 2!

If I were you, I would just be honest with the staff at the school and ask

" why " about things. They probably even have checklists of things for you to

watch for as you observe that could help you understand.

I have asked why. I am told that they are working on socialization and

listening skills!!

[Guest guest]

I wish I had that opportunity. I do daycare at home. So I have to have a

substitute each time I take Ian to school. Without seeing marked results, it

just doesn't seem worth it. That and Ian HATES the car. HATES it! So the ride

to and from is really horrid.

Re: 2 year old questions

<<I guess it just bugs me that I spend 1/2 hour outside with just me and the

aid and a couple other kids. I mean, I could do that at home!! I was learning

alot spending time in the class, but when there got to be more kids, they kicked

out the parents.>>

One other suggestion: See if they will consider you if they need another aid

at the school. I worked as an aid the whole time Neal was in preschool and it

was very helpful. The first year I was in his class, which wasn't the best idea

in retrospect, but the other two years I was with other classes and it was great

to see what the other kids were doing too.

Rhonda Savage

Mom to Audrey, 8, hearing; and Neal, 6, CII at 2.9 years

" Hard does not mean impossible. "