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[quote=Anonymous]I'm completely confused by what should probably be a fairly easy step in parenting.

DS will be just-turned 3 in the fall.  I'm a SAHM and always intended on having him in a 2-3 day, morning preschool when he was 3.  Now is the time to be looking at programs and figuring out admissions, correct?  The issue is that I have no idea how to find/identify a preschool that may be good with whatever special needs my son may have next fall.

Here's more info--within the past year we noticed a major speech delay and some gross motor issues.  And a lot of mother instinct-peer-comparison-something-doesn't-seem-right.  Long story short we started out with ITC in Fairfax County, were unimpressed with ST, and they glazed over the gross motor altogether.  So I took him for a private eval and he now receives speech and OT 2X a week.  His issues are delays in motor planning, gross motor coordination, balance, etc.  He has low muscle tone.  And sensory modulation difficulties in regards to vestibular processing.  No one has ever written "Sensory Processing Disorder" on his eval, but when they first gave me the eval they receommended the Out of Synch Child book, gave me a brochure on SPD, etc.  It surprised me a bit as my understanding of SPD all related to the tactile/auditory issues.  I had no idea it also encompassed the gross motor issues.

He has responded well to his therapies.  In 3 months he's already doing activities that he wouldn't even go near on the first day.  He literally could not figure out how to go down a slide (and then ended up avoiding the process altogether when I'd try to help teach him).  he was the child on the playground that wasn't interested and seemed scared.  I actually liked learning about SPD as it finally gave me a better understanding/reason for his behaviors.  Now, he climbs up and goes down many different slides at the various playgrounds we visit.  He went from three words to having around 20 and really making an effort to approximate almost every word we use.  Obviously he still has major delays in both speech and gross motor, but the therapy definitely has helped.

We are getting him evaluated with a developmental pediatrician in early Dec.  There are a few behavioral issues that give me concerns.  And honestly, I'm still not sure what the heck is going on.  People keep recommending books and I haven't yet finished the two original books I bought about SPD.  So, my to-read list is growing, but my need for action is also growing.

Obviously I'm having difficulty understanding the entire process.  He is receiving services through an in-home resource teacher now w/Child Find and that has been a total joke.  She's useless.  I know there is a preschool for special needs children through Fairfax County, but there's no way I'd want him to go there with her being his teacher.  NO way.

I'm looking forward to the developmental ped eval as I'm really hoping someone can give me a better idea of what 'this' is.  I"m incredibly overwhelmed and anxious by the fact that I don't feel as if anyone is in control here.  That should be me--as his mom--but I'm flailing around not sure what all of this means. I'm thrilled we finally got an appt. with a developmental ped as I'm desperate for a better picture.

But, how in the heck do I apply for preschools?  I know that JCCC has a program that includes special needs and those without special needs, but it's much farther than I had planned on going.

Are there other programs like that in NoVA where he'd 'fit'?

I know this is rambling and confusing---frankly, that's how I feel my life is these days.  Every week I want to outright ask his SLP and OT if they think he is showing signs of being on the spectrum--if that's what we're looking at, or if these motor and speech delays are not related to that---but every week I don't.  Honestly, I'm too afraid I'll burst out into tears before I get the words out.  I have asked what the root is, what the prognosis is, etc. and the answer is always 'we don't know' but in more therapeutic terms, of course.  They pointed me to talk to a developmental pediatrician to get more info, so that's how I even began to try to get an appt. with one in the first place.

I'm in NoVA, Alexandria/Springfield area and I need preschool help!  [/quote]

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