What more can I do for my son?

amother

Ruby

Mon, Jan 18 2016, 2:56 pm

My wonderful, sweet 5 y/o is Apraxic--which means his motor planning of speech and actions is compromised--he talks, but his disorder is very noticeable when he talks. His birthday is late in the year so we kept him back and he is in a small 4-year-old class and his teachers have been wonderful. He is receiving services through independent contractors for SETTS,Speech and OT. I requested counseling for him, to help him with social skills, but I haven't been able to find a provider for him. He's been picking up on alef-bais, and letters, and he's otherwise a smart kid, but socially he is struggling. As a professional who has worked with special needs kids I feel that the social component is because he's so focused on what he needs to do, that he doesn't really pay attention to others' cues, and apparently the kids are noticing his disability more also--a form of "autism" has never really come up. He is registered to attend a local yeshiva elementary school for next year for pre-1a. Today, since I'm off, I dropped him off at school, and his teacher "expressed concern" for him next year in a much bigger class. My question is--what more can I do for him?

amother

Black

Mon, Jan 18 2016, 4:55 pm

I suggest that you look for a school that has built in supports should your son need them, such as a strong resource room, options for small/remedial classes, etc. Also look for a school that is big on midos and tough on bullying.

In terms of social skills, it will be helpful to plan some play dates in the summer so your son will know some boys going into his class. Continue play dates into the school year so he has allies and friends. Structure them, if needed, with planned activities so your son will be successful. Consider sports lessons so your son will be able to participate if the boys play. Ball skills are very important for boys. I would emphasize all this over more formal therapy.

amother

Ruby

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 7:06 pm

amother wrote:

OP here, that's what's been suggested, but where do I look? I reached out to several special-ed schools in my area, and none responded yet. Besides, I've heard that the tuition for these schools is a bit crazy and would likely mean an hour's bus ride. I live in between two "bigger" areas in special ed, but neither are SUPER close for a 5-6 year-old. We chose the school to enroll him that has a strong "middos" component and "smaller" classes (probably more like 25 and under, rather than 30)--b/c not in a HUGE Jewish area--but still his current teachers are worried about him "getting lost" . My son tends to gravitate towards building and digging rather than bikes and balls, but I was kind of the opinion that if we take him away from the kids in our immediate neighborhood, that might further isolate him from socializing.

What do I do? The school we were intending on sending him to does have resource room, but I don't know about "options", they have been made aware of his needs, and its not entirely academic, its going to be: answering questions in class, managing some self-regulation issues b/c of the motor planning involved makes him frustrated, doing kriah, and making sure his teachers are patient enough with him to allow for modifications on oral assignments.