What's the best way to help almost 6 year old with separation anxiety?

[Guest guest]

I held back my almost 6 year old Asperger (I think) daughter from kindergarten

and I am trying to help prepare her for a longer day in the Fall.

She is currently in preschool from 8:45-11:30 am and I wanted to get her to stay

for the extended day at preschool (until 2pm).

However, it means switching teachers at 11:30 am and she FREAKS out about having

to stay.

What is the best way to help her to cope with this?

The school district took away all her services last year and I'm in the process

of trying to get them back.

Thanks for the help,

[Guest guest]

I know this doesn't really answer your initial question, but I can give a little insight on getting the services back. I have a freind who works at the Ohio Dept. of Education, and here's the steps she outlined for me. (likely similar in other states too) Write a letter to your District Superintendent requesting the services. If you receive no response, or a negative response, ask to be added to your district's Board of Education meeting agenda, and request the services there. If you still meet with problems, get a lawyer.

Hope this helps. We were granted our one-on-one aid again just after the letter to the Superintendent.

( ) What's the best way to help almost 6 year old with separation anxiety?

I held back my almost 6 year old Asperger (I think) daughter from kindergarten and I am trying to help prepare her for a longer day in the Fall. She is currently in preschool from 8:45-11:30 am and I wanted to get her to stay for the extended day at preschool (until 2pm).However, it means switching teachers at 11:30 am and she FREAKS out about having to stay.What is the best way to help her to cope with this?The school district took away all her services last year and I'm in the process of trying to get them back.Thanks for the help,

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[Guest guest]

I started my son when he had just turned 5.  He cried almost solid for the first 2 weeks of school.  The teacher was ready to pull the trigger on me pulling him out.  You know what worked?  I sent a picture of our family (mom, dad, son 1 and son 2) and the teacher put it on the basket at his table.  Worked instantly.  Being able to see us helped him a ton.  

McAllisterSpecial Moms, Special Healing~Empowering Moms of Special Needs Children to Heal ThemselvesFB:  www.facebook.com/specialmomsheal

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Herbal consultationsOn Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 6:50 AM, jjcox22 <jjcox22@...> wrote:

 

I held back my almost 6 year old Asperger (I think) daughter from kindergarten and I am trying to help prepare her for a longer day in the Fall.

She is currently in preschool from 8:45-11:30 am and I wanted to get her to stay for the extended day at preschool (until 2pm).

However, it means switching teachers at 11:30 am and she FREAKS out about having to stay.

What is the best way to help her to cope with this?

The school district took away all her services last year and I'm in the process of trying to get them back.

Thanks for the help,

--

[Guest guest]

I have a 5 yo who will be almost 6 when she starts kindy in the fall. She is

currently being evaluated for AS. Right now she goes to preschool 3 mornings a

week and she doesn't particularly like it, but she will go without (much)

complaint. I am worried about the fall being a longer day, but also b/c she will

then be going EVERY day. We talked recently about her either going to her

preschool every day for the rest of the year or staying for extended day, but

she panicked about both and got really upset.

My plan now is for this summer to sign her up for some camps about topics that

REALLY interest her, that go for 5 straight days. She loves animals and the

local animal shelter has something for her age group. Then after I pick her up,

she will no doubt be tired, but I think I'll push on and take her out to lunch

and on an errand or two. I imagine I'll meet with resistance and she will be

tired, but she will be with a safe and caring, and hopefully patient adult (me!)

and maybe it will help her get used to a busier schedule. I think the problems

for my daughter will be separation and also staying focused when tired -- and I

am hopeful this plan will touch on both...

Good luck,

Debbie

>

> >

> >

> > I held back my almost 6 year old Asperger (I think) daughter from

> > kindergarten and I am trying to help prepare her for a longer day in the

> > Fall.

> > She is currently in preschool from 8:45-11:30 am and I wanted to get her to

> > stay for the extended day at preschool (until 2pm).

> > However, it means switching teachers at 11:30 am and she FREAKS out about

> > having to stay.

> > What is the best way to help her to cope with this?

> > The school district took away all her services last year and I'm in the

> > process of trying to get them back.

> > Thanks for the help,

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

> --

>

[Guest guest]

My daughter is in kindergarten this year and she has terrible separation

anxiety. I petitioned and found out early exactly who her teacher would be, and

got permission to go in and take pictures before the school year started and

also got a loose schedule of the day. I made a socail story for her in bright

primary colors with school motivational stickers in the borders outlining the

basic transitions and read this to her several times a day. It was a rough first

two weeks, but I think it went smoother because of this.

She still has some problems with the separation anxiety before school even now

(especially on Monday's and after holidays), but it is getting better. Now it

is limited to a few tears in the morning before she gets on the bus, and she is

fine by the time she gets to school.

I would also recommend the children's book " The Kissing Hand " . Her principal

recommended it to me and it helped quite a bit as well. It is a cute book about

a racoon who is scared to go to school, and how his mother kisses his hand and

seals in the kiss so he can press her kiss to his cheek whenever he misses her.

Of course we now have to do two on each hand to make sure they last the 3 hours,

but it helps her make it through the school day!

Best of luck, it is a struggle!

Amie

>

> I held back my almost 6 year old Asperger (I think) daughter from kindergarten

and I am trying to help prepare her for a longer day in the Fall.

> She is currently in preschool from 8:45-11:30 am and I wanted to get her to

stay for the extended day at preschool (until 2pm).

> However, it means switching teachers at 11:30 am and she FREAKS out about

having to stay.

> What is the best way to help her to cope with this?

> The school district took away all her services last year and I'm in the

process of trying to get them back.

> Thanks for the help,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Oh I have a very good strategy for you. You gradually increase the

time she stays by small increments. For example she would start with just going

to the 11:30 teacher and saying hello and staying just a few minutes and then

leaving for the day. And that is rewarded

somehow. Then when she can do this calmly and with confidence

yuou increase the time by another 20 minutes or so and

again reward this.

This strategy is for those with an anxiety disorder. It is an exposure

therapy. And exposure therapies are evidence based

therapies for people with severe anxiety (like OCD).

Now quess what this was not enough for my AS daughter.

Because she does not have anxiety alone. The

over stimulation of school was too much so

after years of struggle with school anxiety we

finally got her into an out of district private

school. Someone is always available to greet

her at the door and they are so happy and cheerful.

Another idea is to have in her IEP that she is in a placement

with in class support teacher (often a second teacher spec ed)

and that person meet her at 11:30 and help her transition

and be her support person to go to.

Best of luck with your daughter,

Pam

>

> I held back my almost 6 year old Asperger (I think) daughter from kindergarten

and I am trying to help prepare her for a longer day in the Fall.

> She is currently in preschool from 8:45-11:30 am and I wanted to get her to

stay for the extended day at preschool (until 2pm).

> However, it means switching teachers at 11:30 am and she FREAKS out about

having to stay.

> What is the best way to help her to cope with this?

> The school district took away all her services last year and I'm in the

process of trying to get them back.

> Thanks for the help,

>

>