I have a couple of years to think about this, but wonder what others' experiences have been.

In my heart, I'd love Kayla to go to the local elementary school. Our neighbor has a daughter 7 months older than Kayla and is going to either keep her kid in PreK for another year or do K over again so that her kid and Kayla will be in the same class. She has a vision of the two girls walking across the graduation stage together. It's a lovely vision, but her kid is practically at age level. She's in an integrated class and has always been in an integrated setting since daycare.

In my head, I think Kayla would be better off in a private placement at a private school in the county (The Center for Discovery) that actually has programming for kids with Down syndrome and Autism. I've heard mixed reviews of The Center, tho. I find it a bit worrisome that every therapist we've had "used to" work at The Center. And their specialty is residential placement for severely disabled kids. Maybe the kids would be even more delayed than Kayla and wouldn't be good role models. And then of course getting the school district to pay for it!

Argh! I'm glad I have a few years to think about it!!!

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Ecki



MomMom of Kayla (Ds/Autism 4/5/04) and Laurie (PDD-NOS 7/12/01)

Our Blog - Opposite Kids
Kayla's Story http://www.ecki.com/kayla/

you know what? It is nearly impossible to know right now what will happen or what you will do in a few years. SO much can change. It is so overwhelming to think about the big picture, and try to plan too far out. I have discovered that if I worry too much, everything Im worried about has changed by the time it happens. ALL you can do is know your options, read as much as you can, and then when the time comes, make an informed decision with the information available THAT day. You'll know whats right when you see it. I am learning to always trust my gut, and do what *I* think is right, even if I think the "ds world" frowns on it. Meaning, if Inclusion isnt right, follow your gut, you arent letting anyone down. You HAVE to do whats best for your own family. And this isnt cookie cutter stuff, it isnt one size fits all. YOU get to decide, and you'll know, within reason, what you believe is in her best interest.

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Meet Ciarra!

DownBlogger

I agree that you have to do what your child needs. When Alex was younger I had grand visions of inclusion, but as he ages, with his social trouble and impulse control, it is abundantly clear that my vision is not right for him, he needs structure and support, not inclusion. You will know in your gut what is right for Kayla when the time comes, and hopefully your friend will see that you are doing what is right for your daughter, and be accepting of that.

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Lee, mom to Alex 5 DS, Ben 1-1/2 DS (adopted), Hannah 8 typical, Chelsea 17 typical (adopted)




http://thesmugglerschmoos.blogspot.com

Ecki, I go over and over this one too. Matt's been at his mainstream school for a year now. Last year he was in the nursery class. Next month he starts 'official school'. And he's so way off all the other kids developmentally. Matt gets 1:1 help 20hrs per week, and will be taught mainly by his aide. He'll do groupwork activities with the other children and gets to play with them at playtime and lunchtime.

When Matt started there, just after he turned 3, we sent him there as a 'bright' little boy with DS. When it became more and more apparent that there was something else going on, and he lost all his communication skills, that was the point when we started thinking perhaps mainstream isn't the best place for him. If he just had DS, I wouldn't even think of special schooling ... but now? I just don't know.

We looked around a couple of schools for kids with ASD, and the kids there seemed so much more 'seriously affected'. Maybe that's some refusal, on my part, to admit that Matt is autistic? But I just couldn't see Matt being happy there - even though the school was aimed at kids like him, and they had all the right therapies to help him (unlike at his mainstream school!)

Andy and I have said we'll give him a year at the school he's starting next month. He's still very young. If he makes progress this year, and he maintains the 'friendships' he has, then I'm happy with mainstream, but who knows how he'll get on.

So basically, I can't help you decide, cos I'm just as unsure as you are!

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Helen

Mum to ...
Rachael Kinza (25/07/01), Matthew Isaac DS-ASD (14/06/03) and Hannah Cerys (14/06/05) - my gorgeous kids!

Well, then you can also be us... NINE teachers in FIVE years for Russell... and just about as many placement changes!!!

It really does vary on the child... and you always have to be on your game with your IEP to always make sure it's INDIVIDUALIZED !!! We have had GREAT success with placements because of this....and that's all that matters.

Inclusion doesn't work for Russell.. but I have a few years on you. We tried some different things and Russell has had so many changes with all the teachers and placement, I prefer NO inclusion now. For us, it just takes away from his learning time.

Russell has gone to more of a private school option back when we lived in IL. It was a WONDERFUL placement. It was for more severely handicapped kids but it was a WONDERFUL place for Russell!!!

Hugs Ecki.. I know this isn't easy at all!! And you know what... NO placement is ever etched in stone... so it can change when it needs to!

A.

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2007 St. Louis Buddy Walk Regan 14 (and a half), Russell 9 (and a half) DS, Autism, Visually Impaired, Reece 7.

Ugh! I have a year to think about this.....Kennedy will be 5 at the beginning of the next school year...kindy age! I guess I just need to see where she is developmentally. While I want to mainstream her, I don't know if that will be best yet. They do have a wonderful program special needs program here in my school district. It is just a waiting game at this point but I do dread her IEP meting in May. I have a lot to think about!

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Beth Mom to Cameron 2/26/2000, Kendall 6/25/2002 and My Lovely Kennedy 9/10/2003(DS)

Olivia turned 5 this November and is younger than most kindy kids. She had been in the Headstart Program here in California since she exited the early start progam at the age of 3. Headstart is a state funded pre-school for under-privilaged kids (she qualified due to being classified as a special needs child). It was a terrific place for her....a fine example of inclusion at it's best! 15 child to 1 teacher & 1 aide ratio (not a personal aide to her however).

We avoided putting her in the special education pre-school day class provided by our county (in another town), and felt that the "typical" kids in our local Headstart would be great role-models. And they were!

Our problem now is that our local school has Livi in a special day class (we mistakenly thought it would be "mainstreamed" kindergarten) but in effect, she spends most of her day with much older kids (with a host of different special needs). For example, the only other child with DS is 10 years old and way more advanced than our kiddo. Olivia is being compared to these older and more capable students and we are being told she is "low function". When she is "mainstreamed" her experience consists of being taken to another special ed class for a short period of time, once a week. She also has spent a small amount of time in a typical kindergarten class, but cries and refuses to participate. I may not be an expert, but I believe she is starting to get scared of all these virtual strangers and different class rooms (maybe she feels like she is being punished by being removed from what she believes is her teacher & aide and fellow students in Room#2 ?!)

We would like to see Olivia be in a full inclusion kindergarten class with assistance from an aide (I believe she would need the extra boost and her teacher would need & appreciate that as well !). Recently, we attended a seminar on inclusion and thinking typically. It was awsome! The actor, Chris Burke that portrayed "Corky" on "Life goes on" was one of the guest speakers. Kathy Snow was also a speaker and we came away with a lot of inspiration, ideas and an interest to at least try full-inclusion and see how it would work for Olivia....after all, we basically had a sucessfull inclusion experience in the Headstart Pre-school.

So, at our IEP meeting last Friday, we expressed our desire to try this based on Olivia's past success in pre-school and the fact that her current placement does not seem to be working for her.....boy was our idea shot down! All sides completely agreed that she is NOT thriving in her current situation, yet the district pschycologist (sp?) and school principal were extremely biased and dismissed our thoughts on this matter. We did not sign the IEP. Now, we are in the process of having her assessment done and will have to try to see if we can get a favorable plan drafted . We are now working with the director of special education for our school district. We have been told that our district lacks funding and will put up a fight.

Meanwhile....Olivia seems to be suffering. The class she is in is not at all a proper kindergarten experience. Your ideas, thoughts and opinions please!

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Veronika

Lucky Mom to Levi 17, Zachary 10, Fiona 7,
& my social butterfly...Olivia Lianne (11/22/02-DS) :)along with her faithful sidekick York

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Ecki



MomMom of Kayla (Ds/Autism 4/5/04) and Laurie (PDD-NOS 7/12/01)

Our Blog - Opposite Kids
Kayla's Story http://www.ecki.com/kayla/