Guest guest Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 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 > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 > > " 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 > > " 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 > > " 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 <<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. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 <<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. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 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!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 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. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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