MoCo PEP program versus mainstream preschool for almost three year old DD?

[Anonymous]

DD has some mild motor and speech delays, as well as some mild sensory issues. She receives services from infants and toddlers and her IEP is coming up. She started mainstream preschool three mornings a week and seems to love it...her brother is there, and she seems comfortable. It's possible that she will be eligible for a special ed preschool program once she turns three. Has anybody had a good experience keeping their child with mild sensory issues/fine motor delays in a mainstream preschool? I realize every child is difference but would love to hear others' experiences.

[Anonymous]

You are right it depends on the child. If your daughter is happy and it's working you might consider keeping her there and using itinerant services through the county. She could get speech and OT at your home school. The county also has a PEP pilot program that meets 2 times per week and if she qualifies you could put her there the days she is not at the other preschool.

[Anonymous]

OP, I would NOT pull her out of typical preschool if she is happy, sociable, and thriving! If you want to supplement w/PEP, as pp suggested, maybe. Have you observed the various PEP classes? You might get a better idea of where she belongs after doing that.

[Anonymous]

you could also ask for "itinerant" services at your local public school -- a speech therapist or occupational therapist would work with her at the school for an hour or 30 minutes or whatever the iep provides per week.

[Anonymous]

I was in a similar situation 3 years ago and I would strongly recommend keeping your child in a mainstream preschool - especially if they are happy and comfortable there. With these types of issues, it is incredibly important that the kids be surrounded by good models and once you get off of a mainstream track, it is very difficult to get back on. I would recommend asking for PEP itinerant services including a special educator that would visit your daughter's school once or twice a month to help the teachers work with your child. Many people don't know about that service but that has been the best service we have received from the county and helps you as a parent get a better sense of how your child is doing in the classroom since you receive a written report with every visit.

[Anonymous]

I don't know whether your child would have the stamina for it at this age, but maybe at a later age, you might consider doing half day in regular preschool and half day in PEP. My son currently attends a gentle, regular preschool three mornings/week and then he goes to the PEP INC program, where they are integrated with NT preschool children, for the afternoons. Yes, he is a bit tired (falls asleep on the bus home some of the days) but he seems to love both and is getting different things out of each (and by the way -- we LOOOOOVE his PEP teacher - she is phenomenal). Maybe not for right away, but a possibility to keep in mind for the future, when your child is a little older? Our son is 5 now, but with his dev delays more like an almost four year old. This is probably something to think about for when your child is 4ish.

Good luck with your decision.