Speech delay

[Anonymous]

Our DD (30 months old) has a speech and other delay.
Major concern is speech delay.
She currently goes to half a day Montessori school since September 09 and receives speech enhancement class and speech therapy once a week.
We met with two developmental pediatricians including KKI. They ruled out autism and diagnosed as unknown delay.
She speaks about 18 months but understands much better.
She has a strong personality which did not work out well with MCITP. She cries when they come almost every time. It did not work out very well.

We will be exploring options with MCITP but she loves her current school. It took sometime for to get used to.
She does not interact much with teacher and students. Teachers at her school know that she understands and knows what's going on very well.
She cannot be nudged otherwise she will have a complete meltdown. She does activities at school and does what she is supposed to.
Teachers show and ask her to do it. She won't do it but she does it after they are not paying attention. (According to teachers).
However, she won't do a thing if she is forced to do.
MCITP tells us to have her tantrum issue resolved. Her current school teachers believe that it is her personality that we cannot discipline.
We are torn between.

My questions are any recommendation for speech therapist in Montgomery County. I am thinking about finding a person that DD feels comfortable to work with.
Preferably coming to the current school, maybe.
If anyone sends kids to the PEP, what are your experiences like? This is one of recommendations from MCITP.
I know that it will take 4-5 months for her to adjust in that school.
If anyone shares thoughts, I would really appreciate it.

[Anonymous]

Get her out of that school. Seriously. Any time the teachers think a child's issues are the result of bad parenting, especially in a child with known delays, its just a toxic situation. From everything you describe they don't like her, which is a really lousy thing in a teacher. Your daughter is only 30 months old (!) and they are attributing all sorts of willful behavior to her.

[Anonymous]

I understood from OP's post that the school isn't the problem it's the MCITP.

From your description, it sounds like it will take your DD a long time to adjust no matter what you do. My advice would be to do the PEP. Staff in that program have a very good understanding of special needs kids and are likely able to more easily distinguish between behavioral and neurologically based behavior than speech therapists and regular teachers. They've experienced an incredible range of behaviors, have incredible resources and curriculua and I can't imagine better programs that aren't hugely expensive. It also sounds like your DD might benefit from OT. This sounds challenging and I know how difficult it is. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

The PEP program are good. Def check them out and ask where yours might be but they won't be able to give you a definite answer till after the IEP meeting. Have you talked to your MCITP service coordinator about changing providers? Maybe it's not a good fit. Do you know why she cries so much with them? Since you have 6 months left in the program before you have a transition it's worth exploring ways to make it so she gets something out of their visits. Maybe she needs more days during the week so she can get used to the provider.