ASD and Preschool Struggles

[Anonymous]

We did PEP and are now being mainstreamed for K with supports. Unless your child has severe ASD, expect to be mainstreamed - even if you don't want it.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by moderately functioning? How is he doing socially? Academically? There is actually a pretty wide range of ways MCPS works with kids with ASD. As PP said it does sometimes seem to defy logic but seem to have an overall philosophy.

The highest functioning kids who are doing well academically and okay socially are mainstreamed with some supports. Some of these children did fine in mainstream preschools with no supports while others come from programs like PEP.

HFA kids who are okay socially but have some academic issues are in learning centers or LAD classrooms with kids with other disabilities. They spent part of the day in self-contained classrooms and part of it in mainstream classrooms. I have heard of them putting some kids with social delays in these programs as well if their parents push for it.

HFA kids who are on or above grade level academically but have social challenges can sometimes to the Asperger's programs but that's usually for kids at the older end of elementary and these programs are very hard to get in to.

Children who are more impacted both academically and socially can be in the self-contained autism classrooms. Many of these students are not verbal. There are usually no opportunities for mainstreaming in these classrooms but they have a very good reputation.

[Anonymous]

I don't think MCPS allows for shadows and if your child continues to need ABA support during school hours the only option is a self-contained classroom.

[Anonymous]

OP you say your chid has always assimilated well into any preschool environment, with or without an ABA.
Why are you getting ABA therapy if your child is doing fine without it?

[Anonymous]

The LAD program has been totally gutted. It's just a mainstream with supports. The ASD kid will be in a class with a regular teacher, not a special Ed teacher, and given some time with pull outs in small group. The budget being what it is, I don't think the pull outs will be 1:1 at all.

[Anonymous]

And Aspergers programs in the county are for grade 1 and up. I have hired a advocate to push for this placement for next year.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the Asperger's progam is for grades 1 and up but do you know how many kids they take each year for the lower grades? Some years 0. Some years 1 or 2. It's a real uphill battle.
They want to see the children "fail" longer before they get placed there. It's an expensive program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP you say your chid has always assimilated well into any preschool environment, with or without an ABA.
Why are you getting ABA therapy if your child is doing fine without it?

Well - I think I needed to reevaluate my opinion of "fine," and "assimilated well." He wasn't violent or throwing objects or himself, but would stay within the room and his peers - but usually do his own thing. We provided supports as the teachers weren't specifically trained in handling him. He is only 3 years and 4 months, so he spent some time after turning 3 into our previous county program (Wake County, Raleigh NC). That program is TEACCH based, and differs greatly from what we are seeing in Mont. Co. Also - we were much smaller and this was the only offering - there were no options with regard to developmental delays, type, and classroom, like in Mont Co. We weren't totally satisfied with what we saw in Wake County - but weren't upset with it either. We enjoy him in a parochial preschool for a variety of reasons, and moving to Maryland gave us the opportunity to use ABA within the parochial preschool setting as it's covered by our insurance here (it's not in Wake County, at least, it wasn't for us).

I'm at a crossroads still, after a long discussion with his ABA, and his developmental pediatrician. It seems that both environments will help him obtain some tools to get better at "being in the classroom," before he enters kindergarten. I have no reference of which one may work a little better - the ABA and the parochial environment, or the PEP or CAPP program at Mont. Co. They both seem to follow the same guideline - one on one instruction and once a child has some defined skills, they are given the opportunity to interact more in a "normal" school environment. I am unsure about what to do - the only other upside to Mont Co is that it's free. The other is obviously a cost - but, I really like being aware of the day to day activities and skills and management of his therapy. tHe private ABA allows me to do that. Our experience with county programs are they aren't super communicative until it's IEP time. I rarely got a status update - just "he did fine today."

Any words of wisdom would be appreciated. We also, I think, had some blinders on with regard to the severity of his ASD. It has gone from mild aspergers, to classical HF ASD, to now Mod/Severe ASD. He is extremely cognitively advanced for his age (reading, doing math, can identify states and capitols), can speak but uses basically scripting and echolalia, so does not really communicate....but can rarely handle social interaction for long periods of time.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP, I can't speak to the quality of PEP personally, but have heard excellent things about it. One of the advantages is that the system knows your child and will work with you get the right placement for K.

Some school teams in MCPS are notoriously difficult and if your child is academically advanced and has no behaviors other than being withdrawn and having some speech issues I'd worry he might not even get an IEP. Really, they can be this bad. I've heard horror stories from parents in this situation but I've never heard of a child coming from PEP not getting an IEP because the PEP teams are much more understanding, professional, etc. than school teams which often have different agendas than helping your child.

Did you know some kids are in PEP a few mornings a week and then bused to their preschool to finish up the day? Have you thought about doing both?

[Anonymous]

My kid did PEP. Get yours into PEP. That is the best way to make sure you even get an IEP at all, especially for a kid who has no academic/cognitive issues as the PP states. The PEP class my HFA kid did was two half days per week. Totally worth it.

They aren't super communicative and generally think that any kid who doesn't throw chairs is super awesome. BUT, you are in the system, on their radar and will be set to get supports for K. Since that seems to be the concern, I would work with the county now.

That being said, MCPS doesn't offer any great shakes for HFA kids who are verbal, and their threshold is pretty low, and who are academically on target.

That's why working with the county in a Pre-k setting like PEP is so important. You have that whole year to get them to see your side and give supports you think are needed.

My experience with private pre-k, because we did both, was that the county felt the private school teachers just didn't know what they where doing and. That is why my kid had a harder time in private. They basically discounted any "evidence" I presented from his private school, including a letter from the private teacher stating that he had a tough time in a class setting.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP that you should get your child into PEP and get him an IEP ASAP. You can work out private preschool later as a supplement since PEP is not all day.

I have a kid with Asperger's who is rising 3rd grade and his main issue has always been participation and engagement in the classroom. He is very verbal (attends an immersion language school) and above grade level academically and having the IEP has been a lifesaver for him.

You REALLY want to get an IEP BEFORE kindergarten. The threshold is much much lower bc there are no grades and how the child integrates into a classroom is a big factor. Definitely get your child into PEP and get in the process to get him an IEP.

[Anonymous]

Second PP's advice very strongly.

We didn't do PEP but private pre-K and were not able to get an IEP.

We had a diagnosis from KKI, and letters from the teachers outlining DS's difficulties but like PP said DC is verbal and academically fine so they said he was great from their point of view.

Some people on this board will tell you it's the law that the schools should look beyond academic impact, but you'll have a heck of a time fighting with MCPS about this and you'll be out many thousands of dollars. Meanwhile your child will suffer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP you say your chid has always assimilated well into any preschool environment, with or without an ABA.
Why are you getting ABA therapy if your child is doing fine without it?

Well - I think I needed to reevaluate my opinion of "fine," and "assimilated well." He wasn't violent or throwing objects or himself, but would stay within the room and his peers - but usually do his own thing. We provided supports as the teachers weren't specifically trained in handling him. He is only 3 years and 4 months, so he spent some time after turning 3 into our previous county program (Wake County, Raleigh NC). That program is TEACCH based, and differs greatly from what we are seeing in Mont. Co. Also - we were much smaller and this was the only offering - there were no options with regard to developmental delays, type, and classroom, like in Mont Co. We weren't totally satisfied with what we saw in Wake County - but weren't upset with it either. We enjoy him in a parochial preschool for a variety of reasons, and moving to Maryland gave us the opportunity to use ABA within the parochial preschool setting as it's covered by our insurance here (it's not in Wake County, at least, it wasn't for us).

I'm at a crossroads still, after a long discussion with his ABA, and his developmental pediatrician. It seems that both environments will help him obtain some tools to get better at "being in the classroom," before he enters kindergarten. I have no reference of which one may work a little better - the ABA and the parochial environment, or the PEP or CAPP program at Mont. Co. They both seem to follow the same guideline - one on one instruction and once a child has some defined skills, they are given the opportunity to interact more in a "normal" school environment. I am unsure about what to do - the only other upside to Mont Co is that it's free. The other is obviously a cost - but, I really like being aware of the day to day activities and skills and management of his therapy. tHe private ABA allows me to do that. Our experience with county programs are they aren't super communicative until it's IEP time. I rarely got a status update - just "he did fine today."

Any words of wisdom would be appreciated. We also, I think, had some blinders on with regard to the severity of his ASD. It has gone from mild aspergers, to classical HF ASD, to now Mod/Severe ASD. He is extremely cognitively advanced for his age (reading, doing math, can identify states and capitols), can speak but uses basically scripting and echolalia, so does not really communicate....but can rarely handle social interaction for long periods of time.

Does he already have an IEP or not? If he has one from NC, transfer it to MoCo and put him into the PEP program. PEP will reevaluate and also help you with placement for K.

If you have an IEP, put into the IEP that the Sp Ed or general education teacher gives you a short progress report everyday. Our school does this for all kids in preK daily using a communication notebook so it's not too much to ask for. You can put into the IEP, how much and how often you want reports on his therapies and progress so it's not left up in the air at the whim of the therapist/school.

[Anonymous]

OP here. My son has an active IEP that has been transferred - and we are just waiting on his meeting and then placement. So - no worries, IEP done. But - it seems that even partial engagement in PEP has better effects in the long run, right? If we are to be in MoCo while he enters K and on, it seems like using some of their services is best. In our current IEP, he qualified for the full day, intensive program in Wake County. They said that it transfers directly here, so I was just assuming his placement would be linear, and would me a M-F full day intensive program. It would be really interesting for them to say they aren't changing his IEP, but put him in a class here that meets 2 mornings per week.... No offense to whoever posted that - but my kid needs a lot more help than that. If 2 days a week in PEP is equal to full day M-F in our old county, I would love to see what the intensive programs are like here!!!!!!! Are they even hiring people with adequate training and/or collegiate degrees in these pep programs? In private I know he's working with a CABA who has her PhD.

[Anonymous]

They don't have to just accept his IEP - they have a period of time to do their own evaluation and then establish a new one. In the meantime the old IEP is to remain in effect. No clue what happens when the most intensive offering equals less hours of service.

Is PK-3 or PK4 universal in Wake County for all children, not just kids with disabilities?