Learning problems in my 4 year old - the school district is not doing enough
Hi. I would really appreciate any and all advice regarding my daughter. My daughter is 4 1/2. She is currently enrolled through an IEP ( OUSD) in an immersion preschool. She was tested and found to have delays in comprehension and processing. Now I am starting to think about KG. I am really concerned. She can not get her colors. She also can not recognize numbers and letters. Her social/emotional is on par. I am a big advocate of early intervention but I feel like the school district is not doing enough. I looked into brain balance center in SF. It's far and expensive. I am willing to do it but I do not want to get tricked into something. Does anyone have advice on an early intervention platform that I can use for my daughter to help her succeed and feel confident? Thank you so much!
Parent Replies
School districts aren't truly in the business of looking for the most comprehensive learning support for your particular child. They're providing legally-required services to large numbers of children and the funding they receive for special education does not match the cost of providing services. Thus there are built-in incentives NOT to provide more than the minimum (this doesn't mean there aren't great or dedicated teachers/administrators/etc., just that the system isn't set up to be responsive to the needs of a given child). The first thing I would do is to get a comprehensive private assessment by either a SLP (speech-language pathologist) if her issues are primarily language/communication based, or neuropsychiatrist if her difficulties seem broader. Yes these are expensive ($1500-$2000), however they are much more in-depth than assessments done by the school district, they will provide you with tons more information about how to help your child, and will provide a pathway so that if you seek out other services such as the one you're considering,you'll be targeting the right issues. There are both conventional and non-conventional treatments out there and you really have to do your research. Just because a treatment modality is non-conventional doesn't mean it can't help your kid. As a place to start - is your child taking fish oil supplements? These supplements are recommended for children with language delays (as well as for a whole host of other issues for children and adults); just make sure to get a high quality one so it doesn't have mercury. I would also check out Fast ForWord, it is somewhat non-conventional, although there is independent research out there now, and it's been around for a while. It doesn't work for everyone and it's not a cure-all, but it greatly helped my daughter who has a language-processing disability. Also, I would push the school district to provide the additional services your daughter needs. I learned to be a lot more assertive than I was initially comfortable with. Some resources to check out are wrightslaw.com, Support for Families of Children with Disabilities (in SF) or Bananas (in Oakland). Both those groups have info and trainings to help you navigate the IEP/special ed maze and advocate for your child. Good luck! You are doing the right thing by trusting your parental instinct that your daughter needs more.
Hi there - I agree - IMHO, even a school with best-intentions does not provide all the support that most children with IEPs need. Their concern is solely getting a child through school and providing a basic education. I highly recommend that you seek out a developmental and behavioral pediatrician for assessment and guidance. At the same time, you can also contact Regional Center Of The East Bay for an evaluation. You may qualify for additional support through them. As you already know the more you can do at this early age, the better!