Homeschooling the speech delayed

Preschool readiness skills (birth to age 5) and the common developmental concerns of young children.

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PRSmama
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Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:38 pm
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Homeschooling the speech delayed

Postby PRSmama » Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:11 pm

Hello everyone (June),
Please excuse my double posting this (I left the same message on the special needs topic), but I was noticing the discussion on speech delays and wanted to make sure as many knowledgable people as possible saw my post.

I'm becoming desperate for some guidance for my 5 year old son. He was born with Pierre Robin Sequence, which is birth defects of the palate and jaw. These are largely repaired/resolved, but his rough start has caused global developmental delays (1+years at least). He does not speak, but babbles and verbalizes alot these days. He does some signs. He's not toilet trained (we're workin' on it) I'm convinced he's brighter than the testing can reveal, but that's not my issue right now...

I want to homeschool my children, however I 'gave in' and sent Jairus to preschool at 3 years of age because his speech and occupational therapists insisted he needed the interaction of the other children. They were right to a point. He loved it. Because he was going due to developmental delays, it was completely subsidized by our city.

We've just moved to a new city and they have different rules. Because he is 5 and 'should' be in school, they will not pay for preschool and we can't afford to send him. I was planning to let him do 2 mornings of preschool a week (as he has the last two years) and homeschool on the other days.
His new therapy might not even happen weekly as it was at our old children's centre, so I won't even have that for him to do as part of homeschooling. I'm feeling pressure from people in the system--the therapists, social workers and others (teachers in my family with the local school board) that Jairus NEEDS to be around the other children, and the interaction, that I can't see to his special needs at home. They think I should just put him in kindergarten where they will tailor the program to his needs and give him a full time Education Assistant.
I don't want to do this, but I don't know what else to do. Even his speech therapy will only be provided until next March, when he turns 6, and then he won't even get that. I don't know if we could afford a private therapist.

Can anyone help?
PRSmama
Mom to Jairus, 5
Honour, 3
Verity, 15 months

Lenethren
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Posts: 172
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:14 pm
Location: Okanagan, BC, Canada
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Postby Lenethren » Thu Sep 07, 2006 10:39 pm

That sounds tough.

Is the speech therapy being covered by medical or the school district? I live in BC and my son recieved speech therapy free of charge through the school district even though he is homeschooled.

For interaction there might be some groups at your local community centre. Hopefully cheaper then pre-school. Libraries often have activity days for kids...free here in BC anyways.

Sorry I can't be of more help. Good luck with it all.
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.-Goethe

PRSmama
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Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:38 pm
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Postby PRSmama » Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:17 am

Right now, his speech and OT is covered by...whoever, I guess I don't really know. But only until March when he turns 6 and then it won't--he would have to be going to public school for it to be provided. There just isn't any community service set up to provide therapies for school age, yet not in school children.
It doesn't seem fair to me--I should have the choice to homeschool him despite his need for therapy I feel, but I don't know if I can do anything about it. Now if we were in the States....
PRSmama

Mom to Jairus, 5

Honour, 3

Verity, 15 months

Lenethren
User
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:14 pm
Location: Okanagan, BC, Canada
Contact:

Postby Lenethren » Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:32 am

At first I was told the same about not getting cover if my son wasn't in a public school. I argued the point with the school board and they agreed it should be covered. I had to take my son to a local school to see the therapist but there was no cost for us. Perhaps ask around on the subject? Maybe it depends what program, if any, you might be using. I signed up for a home schooling program that is offered by our school district. So my arguement was I'm still in the school district and still "signed" up with them so it should be covered.

Another resource is the media. Often in newspaper you read about situations similair to yours and often later you read a happy ending to it because someone responded with an answer. Perhaps just talking to a reporter might give you some ideas.
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.-Goethe


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