My 4 year old has some mild delays, primarily speech and motor skills. He was in early intervention and qualified for public developmental preschool when he turned 3. He attends with his twin bother who is a peer model. We finally had my son formally assessed at a local university clinic, as he had not had the full assessment including the psychological piece. They found he was NOT on the autism spectrum, which is in keeping with what I have always believed. They gave him the diagnosis "neurodevelopmental disorder affecting speech, motor and adaptive skills" which is not a DSM diagnosis but I believe it is an ICD (?) diagnosis. He was NOT found to be PDD-NOS either. They did say that he has some mild autistic traits. The general agreement was that he has a speech disorder and sensory processing issues which affect other aspects of his functioning. Here is my dilemma: his school would like to put him in the extended day preschool program which is for kids with ASD. His teacher tells me that he doesn't need the ASD "label" to be in the class, but I am concerned about "defacto" labeling. I am faced with the choice of putting my son in a program which MAY help him, but by doing so needing to accept a label I am uncomfortable with. Or turning down the (free) services basically on principle. Of course, there are other concerns, chiefly: will a program for ASD kids actually help my non-ASD son? Advice appreciated! Edited to add: I appreciate everybody's advice thus far. But I take issue with those who say labels are not important. Labels are important, and more to the point MISlabeling a child can be counterproductive or even potentially damaging.
Thanks for all the advice. It turned out that one of the two days offered doesn't work for us, but they were willing to try having him in one afternoon a week so we decided to do that. They seemed to understand my concerns and addressed them adequately.
I am afraid of labels too. I understand what you mean.
I do wish I had gone around my pediatrician and gotten her tested years earlier. She technically doesn't have the SPD or autism, but she has traits that need worked on. I think the benefit of this program outweighs any concerns. I really do.
Ok, first of all, it's just a label. My pedi told me that he did not like using labels since everyone is different however to get maximum services for my son the more labels the better b/c he gets more services and the younger the intervention and services the better. So, let him be lumped in with the ASD kids if it will give him the leg up he needs in life. From this it implys you are more concerned with what he does and does not "have" then how to help your child be the best, most productive, influencial person in society he can be, I am sure that is not the case. So, to better your son put him in the program and just run with whatever labels come your way.
Gosh - my son (almost 4) has global neurodevelopmental delays and SPD, and though he's not on the spectrum, he still has habits and behaviors that make me wonder if will he will be soon. I, too, was worried about a label - how long will the IEP follow him? Will his classmates know in grade school? Middle school? High school? The answer is no - just the principal and staff. My son is in the Renton district inclusive preschool. If the school offered me an extended day for him I would *jump* at the opportunity.
I think if you hold him back because of a perceived label, you'll be doing him a disservice. Accept this gift - give it a shot for 6 or 8 weeks at least. See how he adjusts - see if any of his borderline behaviors or habits wane. His teacher wouldn't suggest this placement if s/he didn't think it would benefit him. I wish I had the same opportunity you do.
my son has hearing issues. He has a lot of what you are naming. He has the mild autistic traits. He is not autistic but his hearing loss makes him seem like he has the traits. He also has add traits. but then agian this relates back to his ears. They told me this is normal for kids with hearing issues to mirror these traits when they are not. Now having said this. If this they asked to put my son in an all day extended day preschool (mine is in the half day) I would take it. ONe of the moms on here explained it to me like this. Take all of the labels you can get wether he has it or not. THe more labels he has the more help he will recieve. He can lose the label later after the ear issues are taken care of.
What scares you about the label. when mine was evaluted I asked for the add and adhd test to be done on him. I also asked for a mr test. There was actually a reason for this. By asking for the mr test they had to put a child phsycologist in the room during the evaluation and I could get him more help. I was told if he didn't get tested for these things he would get sidelined more by the school system. So in order for him to get more help I asked for test on things I knew he didn't have. :) it is just a label. They reevalute them in 2 yrs if I remeber right and if he doesn't test out showing he has them the label gets dropped. so if you do the extended day school for the extra help when he gets reevaluted he will lose the label. But don't be scared of a label it is just that. You can always lose the label later when he is reevaluated. I hope this answers your question
I will tell you what my son's psychiatrist told us. Don't sweat the labels and get the support!
Think of it this way, how would you feel if your son is further behind and having all sorts of issues but hey, he didn't get labeled autism spectrum? My son is autism spectrum, Friday I talked to the same private high school his older brother went, if Andy wants to go he can, label and all. Do you think he would have had the support to go to a small private high school if we messed around with should we label him this or that?
Absolutely it will help!! Autistic kids have sensory issues along with speech so the therapy they get is going to be along the same lines for your child. I wouldn't turn down services. If you find that your child is completely out of place (which I don't think he will be) then bring it up and see if the school has another in home option you could explore.
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We are in the same type situation. My son will turn 3 in January. We have been told that he is not autistic, but he does have some delays. He will probably start the social\communication classes with the public school when he turns 3. (He will be tested in Nov). We've worried about the labeling to. We decided that it would be better to try it and see if it works out, than to not try it.
I agree with your chief concern: will the program help your son? I'd suggest scheduling a visit to the program (without your son). Observe how the class is conducted. Schedule a time to talk with the teacher before or after the class, asking how he/she would be able to help your son. Some programs offer lots of therapy, some no so much. This is the time to find out exactly what will be offered. If you do not think this is the correct approach for your son, perhaps you could propose additional therapies beyond his integrated preschool program, increase his direct speech/language therapy and sensory therapy (PT/OT depending on the school), either during class or after class. Best of luck to you.
If the program will help your son (and free is always a wonderful price) I would do it. It's much easier to do things like this at a young age where HE doesn't know there is a label. Hopefully the program is successful and helps him enough that he won't even need assistance as he gets older. As adults labels are very hard but as parents we sometimes have to choose what is best for our child - labels aside.
My son, almost 4, was also speech delayed and he attends special education pre-school, 5 days a week (3.5 hours a day). I was at first worried about the labels, but as it turns out, the school has been great for my son and he looks forward to going to school everyday. He was also found to have fine motor delays and they were worried about sensory disorders-cause he would constatnly mouth his cars. It turns out he grew out of the mouthing, he still mouths now and then, but nothing out of the ordinary. If he could stay there all day, he would love it. I think it will be really beneficial for you son, I mean better catch these problems early rather than later, right its easier when they are young instead of even thrid or fourth grade. I never got an official diagnosis from a children's hospital, because I never knew what I was buying, they observe your son for 2 hours then come up with a diagnosis, and the fact that it costs $4000, which I would be on the hook for, if my insurance did not cover it. Basically, don't worry about the diagnosis, these are not perfect and more than likely your son will progress just fine. My son is doing exceptionally well, still not potty-trained.
E-k-1 teacher here. Two kids--sent to co-op pre school. I taught first grade for 4 years before having them and I had some preconceived notions about what type of experience I wanted them to have, being a non traditional learner myself.
So I opted for a co-op non hurry-up and learn for my kids. My son was a spatial, non-early reader, out to lunch, observer, sponge type (he sucked up every thing and nothing came out) of kid. My daughter was a linear, early everything, up front, highly sensitive type of kid.
Both had birthdays mid year, so when it came to kindergarten, my son was 5.5 years old. I went to talk to the principle and teacher. When I was describing my son they suggested the 'special' k-class. I looked at it and the curriculum and knew my son would be bored out of his mind. So I put him into a Montessori school. My daughter followed. My son stayed until 5th grade, my daughter until 3rd. Best decision I made.
So, I suggest you look at the curriculum for the first year. One year will not particularly label him. He may do so well he will not need it after the year. Also will his brother go too? That will offset the labeling. Ask if he has to stay with the group through k-6.
if its a good program, grab the opportunity and go with it.
My nephew went through this a few years ago and his mom went ahead and put him in the program. It helped him tremendously. In fact, after 2.5 years, he was considered at peer level and no longer labeled or needed extra help.
On a side note, we went with the theory that many children are affected by their second brain (the intestines) and did a heavy natural treatment with an ND focusing on feeding him a diet rich in enzymes and good bacteria. We'll never know for sure, but we belief it is what helped him the.most
I'd take a look at the classroom - no matter how the program is billed, whether your son will benefit from it will depend on the teacher and the other students.
Good luck!
D.
