We had our first ARD meeting with the public school that my DS will go to when he enters kindergarten. He was temporarily placed in the PPCD programsdue to his sensory integration needs and OCD tendancies. I have to admit that I am a bit scared. For the next two weeks, my 3 year old will get on a bus and go to school with all these new people. He takes awhile to adjust to change and does not transition well at all. Anyway, I was wondering if parents that have their kids in a PPCD program could tell me about their experience. I just need some reassurance for some reason that I am doing the right thing.
Thanks!
I just wanted to thank everyone for easing my fears. I bought DS to visit the classroom unannounced yesterday and was impressed. I called that bus service and squared things away. They did not have us in the system, had him going all day once they received the paperwork (we are half day) and did not have a car seat for him. Luckily, by the end of day, we had everything figured out. I brought him to school and he looked a little scared and when I called his babysitter, he had made it there safely, but was all out of sorts and wanted me. I know the next few weeks will be rough, but appreciated the encouragement that this is the right decision.
My son has been in PPCD for the past 2 years and was in TALK for the year before he moved to PPCD. (so since he was 3). He has ridden the bus for the past 2 years and loves it! This year his whole class rides the bus and it's so much fun for all of them. The drivers and aides have always been wonderful and I can't say enough about how much PPCD has impacted my son for the better. Good luck!
I want to share with you my story and reassure you. My son had separation anxiety so bad that he would through up everytime I left him cause he was so upset. It happened from the time he was 10 months to 2 yr of age, It was very hard for the both of us.
He was a very sick baby with numerous of ear infections which caused him to have hearing loss, tubes in the ears and had projectile acid reflux from the time he was 6 wks to 15 months and being a single mom with a very sick baby was so hard for me. He has had croup, rsv as well. he was diagnosed in Feb 2008 with Autism Spectrum Disorder with Sensory Integration Disorder with Speech and Motor Skills delays. He started PPCD the day after his 3rd Birthday and had him take the bus in a couple of weeks after he started school. I think it was more me than him, being the over protective mother, LOL. He loves it and acts like he's been riding the bus all of his life. he actually prefers to ride the bus than me or his dad to take him to school. He clibs up the steps and they put his seatbelt on and he's such a big boy. I am so proud of him.
I hope this helps and he will be fine.
M.
R. -
My daughter is 4 and started PPCD last year. We are in Coppell ISD and have had a great experience during the past 2 years, while my daughter has been learning a lot. The first time my husband mentioned the bus I said, "no way!" But after seeing the school, meeting the aid that put the children on/off the bus and finding out a little about the driver (he was a retired principal that had a Santa-like beard), I decided to give it a try a couple of days a week. My daughter LOVES school - I think she'd go 7 days a week if she could - and riding the bus is really cool, in her eyes. Like several others have mentioned, I'd try to visit the school, if you haven't already, and meet some of the people involved. Hopefully that will give you a better idea of what goes on and calm some of your fears.
Best wishes,
L.
You are making the right decision. Your child will gain so much from the early school experience. Including beginnings of peer interactions, self reliance, since of achievement, and so much more. My child started PPCD at 3. He has been in the school system a hard to believe 10 years now. He has grown so much. Starting his school life early, and getting him used to the routines of school has been a wonderful foundation for him to build on.
Having to let your child go, and put them on a school bus at 3, will be one of the hardest things you have to do as a parent. I have the memory ingrained in my head. At the moment I had to let go, I was looking at the pack back my child carried. The backpack was bigger than my child. I thought he is so small, and to young. The pain in my heart was unbearable, but I had to let go. It is the same process of letting go, a parent goes through when sending their child off to kindergarten for the first time. Only we have to go through it when our child is much younger.
There are things the school can help your child with, that we are not always able to because we are parents with deep emotional ties to our children. Sometimes our kids need someone with the objectivity to resist the parental urge to jump in a rescue. The Teacher is sometimes better able to step back and let the child try their own feet first before rescue.
Even if your child is going to school, you can still stay involved. You are just adding to your team, additonal caring people, with the same goal of helping your child to achieve their fullest. I am sure knowing that doesn't help lessen the heart pain any now; but a few years from now when you look back, you will be able to smile, and know it was worth the pain you had to go through to let go.
Stay strong. You are a great loving Mom, and you can get through this new transition in your child's life.
R.,
My son has been in the PPCD program for three years now, and it has helped him tremendously! He LOVES taking the bus to and from school! He feels like such a big boy! And you will also love not having to drive him to and from school!! It will take a few days for him to adjust, I would imagine, but then he will be totally fine! My son's class has seven people, and they have three teachers (one main teacher and two teacher assistants), the teacher/student ratio is awesome. This (early intervention) is the best thing you can do for your son.
Ive got twins that have been in the PPCD program thru LISD. They love it..At first it was hard, but they LOVE taking the bus. At first I was worried...A three year old on the bus?? But they always have an aid and right now there are not too many kids on the bus. Their class has been great too. There are less then ten kids and three teachers. They get speech, PT and OT also and all the teachers have been so great.
Im sure your son will adjust. Any young child will have issues changing schedules, so it may take a little while getting adjusted. Good luck!
R.,
I worked in the school district for 5 years in Life Skills. PPCD is amazing, I am a firm believer in the program. The kiddos that enter into the program grow so much through the year. Your making the right decision! If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
My 6yr son has autism and he has been taking the bus to school since he was 3. PPCD has been very good for him. It depends on the district, the teacher and the aides. In my experience, for my son, the classroom was based on a verbal behavior model although every child had different needs. OCD is commonly caused by chronic strep so I'd ask a doctor to test ASO and antiDNASE to determine if your son should be treated. Also, IMO, not enough emphasis was put on the sensory nature of autism so outside occupational therapy was needed to deal with the sensory issues. The Out of Sync Child is a good book on Sensory Integration Dysfunction and Dr. Bock's book Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, Asthma, ADHD and Allergies is a good book on biomedical treatment for your son's issues.
Hi,
My son was in the PPCD classroom at Willis Lane and we loved it. The teachers and aides were great and the although he didn't take the bus - the aides on the bus would wait for 'their' kids too when I was picking up and they were very sweet and caring. Have you seen the classroom and met the teacher? If I was you I would make an unannounced visit (or at least give little notice) and go and see what they are doing.
It's so hard to let these little ones go.
My son is in a wheelchair and is non verbal so it was especially hard - I knew he couldn't tell me if something was wrong - but he seemed happy there.
Also, his teacher was always very happy to email throughout the day and let me know how he was doing.
Good Luck.
Hi R.,
My son just turned 3 in May and started the PPCD program as well. It's been 2 weeks and this Friday he finally stopped crying when I dropped him off in the morning. I take him to school since it is right down the street from us. He also takes a while to adjust and is very attached to me, but it took him 2 weeks. He has a communication delay, but already he's coming home with new phrases and counting. He's doing well so far and I know from my nephew who is now 6 the program was great for his speech as well. My son still needs to be evaluated for autism as well since they noticed some sensory issues, but it won't take place until September. I figure let them evaluate and deal with any issues now that he is young. Any help won't hurt them in the long run. Good luck.
Hey,
My son started PPCD when he was three years old. Like you I was very apprehensive, he was soooo little to be going to school. The first couple of months I took him, and he would cry, and it would break my heart, but then his teacher told me that as soon as I was gone, he stopped crying and went right to playing. So then the next day, I listened at the door, and sure enough, as soon as it closed he was fine. He was in the program for two years until he was ready to start Kindergarten. I've never regretted putting him into the program, he's now a happy, well-adjusted 9 year old. Hope this helps.
While my daughter wasn't in the PPCD program, she was/is in her final year of the TALK (speech) program in our school system. She started when she turned 3 and had a really hard time with me dropping her off at the school in the mornings. We switched her to the afternoons and had the bus pick her up and drop her off and she LOVES the bus. I can't speak for the PPCD program itself, but I can say that the drop off for us was WAY easier when she went to and from the school on the bus. They are all strapped in to 5 point harnesses and the bus drivers and aids have all been wonderful. I have a friend whose son goes to PPCD and he also loves to ride the bus and I think she's been happy with his progress in the program. The teachers my daughter has had in the TALK program have all been wonderful. Very easy to communicate and work with.
i commend you for advocating for your child's needs. it's hard and scary because it's a whole new world. YES, you are right on with PPCD. do you have to send him on the bus? i don't think it's mandatory, so if you're able, i'd just take him. if you're able to pick him up, that's a valuable time to check in with his teacher and find out how his day was. it will also give you a feel for his teacher- if she/he is a good teacher or not. my experience was excellent in grapevine/colleyville and has also been good in keller, though i did encounter one teacher in keller who did NOT need to be a teacher, much less a special needs teacher. i kept a log of my observations and conversations with her, tried to make conversation with other parents to get a feel for how they felt abt her, but i also tried to communicate with her to educate her on what tips and tricks work with my son and she was receptive to some. the more you document and try to work with her, the more backing you'll have if you need to go above her.
if you can afford it, a weighted vest might help him to feel secure. you can search ebay and find people who make them cheaper than you can buy from regular websites. i did that for my son when he first entered a school setting and it was a lifesaver.
is he on any vitamins or other supplements? omega-3 is wonderful for most kids, esp autistic. probiotics are excellent as they're beneficial flora for the GI tract (and abt 90% of immune system is housed there). lots of helpful info is free at www.ch3nutrigenomics.com and www.dramyyasko.com, www.generationrescue.com.
hope this helps :)
