Hello, I’m new here. I have a 3 yr old son, Nate, who has been referred for developmental delay. He had benign myoclonic seizures from 5 mos to 13 mos and was failure to thrive for about 7 months where he didn’t grow not a pound, not an inch. His development halted as well during that time. That was when he was about 11 mos to 18 mos. I have had an idea since about 9 mos old that there was something a little different about my little guy!
Right now he’s a big, healthy 3 year old! He is having trouble in his preschool communicating and understanding. He repeats the last few words of a question when asked, he has learned to answer certain questions with specific answers, like “What did you have for lunch today?”, everyday he answers “salad, soup, bread…” even if it was spaghetti. I could go on and on, but needless to say he is being evaluated for possible autism as well. I’m upset, but not devastated about it all, but I really need some advice.
1) How do I deal with family especially since some of them want to deny it and say he’ll outgrow it?
2) He is going to be evaluated for Preschool Special Needs program through the local board of education. I’m in a very good area for medical and educational needs so I feel that I’m in good hands, but what should I be on the lookout for as far as teaching methods? preschool in general? or evaluation methods?
3) Has anyone heard of the Klingberg Clinic in Morgantown, WV. It’s affiliated with West Virginia University.
I just want to get our family the help that we need in dealing with Nate and helping him to be the best kid he can be! I want to have a loving relationship with him, but I’m not sure what to look for. I don’t want to put him in the wrong place only to have setbacks and find out years later that I should’ve done things differently.
Thanks to all who reply! Bless you all! :)
Re: Preschool Evaluation
Preschool special needs programs are usually excellent. My son was in one from the age of 3 to kindergarten. There are resources the school have available that no preschool can teach and the teacher student ratio is usually awesome, especially when you factor in the therapists which will inevitably be in and out. The speech person isnt going to work 10 min with Billy and then 10 min with Sally. She will be in there on the floor engaging everyone so there is plenty of therapy time
Family? I think there is something in people to want to comfort the other person. Havent you ever told a person their dying aunt was going to be okay even if you knew full well she wasnt? Or something similar? I want to reassure the person in distress and often have to stop myself and just listen…but its difficult
And…..he may outgrow it! Many, many children have language delays and they didnt have the medical history your child does. Often they do move forward so dont over deny what family is saying either
I would go with “yes, we’re hoping its amounts to nothing(or yes, it probably is because he didnt grow for those months)but we want to take these extra steps just to be sure he has every opportunity”
One thing I saw in my child after his special ed prek experience-a huge tolerance, compassion and understanding for the disabled and elderly.
My older 2 neurotypical children dont have that. It ‘uncomfortable’ for them. My youngest doesnt bat an eye at a child in a wheel chair or with obvious CP
Often, these programs take typical peers to be role models. If I had known about it when my older two were preschool age, I would have volunteered them now that I see what can be gained.
I don’t have much advice for most of what you ask about except family. I think it is hard sometimes for people close to admit there might be a serious problem. I still remember when I kept telling my closest friend that my own Nathan had problems. She kept trying to talk me out of it. I remember her stunned look after we had an evaluation which confirmed my suspicions.
I think, based on my experience, that you should just get the evaluations you need and not involve any family or friends who aren’t on the same page as you are. Once you know what you are dealing with, you can share it with them. Most people come out of denial when faced with an expert’s diagnosis. You still may find some family not the best to talk things over with. For example, my mother-in-law keeps comparing my LD son with my sister-in-law’s down’s syndrome child. I have heard about the problems that happen when a child like this goes into adolescence. I guess to her a disability is a disability is a disability.
Beth