I have a 5 year old son (just turned 5 in May) who had some early speech articulation issues and later some fine motor skill delays. We took him for a full developmental eval when he was 2 1/2 and was diagnosed with mild motor planning and we have been doing weekly speech and OT. We also (not that it was recommended) took him back to see the developmental pediatrician again for follow up when he was 3 1/2 and 4; again nothing further as he was progressing in his speech and OT weekly therapies. He is doing great in preschool and did well on his recent progress review with the school. This past week, while at his weekly OT they called us after his appointment and said they are concerned about him...he sometimes doesn't talk openly and freely to them about his day, what happened in school, etc..and when he does talk with them he has a hard time talking...he's also struggled with this before when he was in his 3's class where he was very shy (not wanting to speak and participate) but we worked with the teacher and she pulled him out (it was like once she did that he did much better almost instantly) and now in most environments does much better. His OT thinks we should get him re-evaluated as they think he is going to have a hard time in kindergarten as he needs to feel comfortable talking, asking questions, getting his needs met. I immediately talked to his teacher yesterday and got an update from her. She said he is doing great, no red flags, he is asking questions in class, participating in class (I've observed him a few times while I've been at the school and seen this myself), she only commented that at times she may have to tell him twice the instructions for something they are working on. We are planning to keep him at the preschool for one more year (to give him that extra time) and he will start kindergarten when he is 6. So (sorry for the long story) would you get him evaluated now at this point? Update: We will actually be moving this fall, so this why I thought best to keep in his current preschool another year. His teacher stated she thought he could benefit to waiting an additional year but really didn't feel strongly eitherway.
Thank you so much to everyone who replied with meaningful and helpful responses. We are not going to get another evaluation as all who are a part of his life (teachers, speech therapist, and us) do not think he needs one. As we will be in limbo next fall due to selling our house at that time, looking for a new house, etc...he will go to Trans-K at his current preschool and we will start him when we are all settled into a kindergarten in our new location. Thanks everyone again for your responses!
Does his teacher think he needs an extra year of K?
Honestly, it doesn't sound like he's academically behind. It sounds like he might be a little distracted (hence the repetition of instructions).
I wouldn't get him evaluated. It sounds like he's doing well. Discuss where he's at with the teacher in comparison to the class average and make a decision based upon his progress.
I would contact the school he will be attending for kindergarten. Most school districts provide services such as OT, PT and speech therapies as early as 3. I'm suprised that no one one referred you to early intervention services when he was first evaluated...Anyway, call the school and talk to them about his history of speech and fine motor delays and current therapies. They may recommend that he come in for a screening or evaluation, so that they can be prepared to provide what he needs to be successful in a kindergarten setting. If he is academically on target, I wouldn't recommend that you hold him back, but do be sure that supports are in place so that he doesn't get lost in the shuffle! Good luck!
Reading this, it sounds like the OT might be having a hard time establishing a rapport with your son. If the teacher sees him in a structured, social setting every day, then her assessment should carry a lot of weight. I generally have a high opinion of OTs as a group of people, but the one you have might not be the best of the bunch. I'd go with the teacher's -- and your -- gut on this one. You sound like a great mom.
No. Sounds like he is doing fine. Ask any kid what they did in school etc.,
Sometimes, they just do not want to discuss things. Teacher says he is doing fine. Listen to her. This is not aimed at you in particular, people just expect too much from From preschoolers.
He will be entering K when he is 6 1/2. Personally I would rethink that. That's pretty old.
Maybe he's just shy. Why does every kid have to be exactly the same as every other kid and develop at the same pace? Sorry, but all this over testing and evaluating kids at such a young age is my pet peeve. I'm not against kids getting help when needed. My dad taught special education for 40 years. I think all this "early intervention" before kids even get to kindergarten is nuts. Kindergarten should be the place where you see what kids strengths and weaknesses are and trying to figure out if kids are delayed like they're doing now at 1 and 2 years old is many times completely unnecessary. Most people would have suggested I get my son speech therapy because he wasn't speaking the "average" number of words at age 2. I knew from my observations of him that he was more advanced with his physical skills and I was sure his speech would catch up. Sure enough he's 3 now and speaking full sentences. Now he can be very reserved at first as well, but there's nothing wrong with that. I was a shy kid too. When I was in kindergarten my teacher called my parents in and told them I was slow because I didn't answer when she called my name during attendance. My parents laughed because I was already reading at advanced levels then. When they asked me why I didn't answer I told them she wasn't using my correct name. She was using my nickname instead of my full first name. Lol! Who knows what I was thinking. The point is every kid is different and at these young ages they're all developing at different paces and finding their strengths and weaknesses. I'd cut back on all the therapy and let him be a kid while there's still time. And I agree with Patty. Send him to kindergarten, don't wait. The whole point of kindergarten is to work on these type of issues. Holding him back will do more harm than good.
Have you talked to the kindergarten? I think that you should also get information from the other side as to what they expect, where they feel he is and how he would integrate into the classroom now vs later. I think without speaking to the other school, you are not getting the full picture. The school should also have resources for an evaluation (my DD has an apt. with the speech pathologist at her ES) and be able to tell you if he might be better served doing therapy with them in K or remaining in preschool and doing OT therapy privately.
My sister started 1st grade in a new school after our parents split up the year before, at the end of K. The K teacher suggested sis be held back in K because she was shy (she had just been through a huge life change, duh). My mom addressed her concerns to the new school and they said they would put her in a mixed "pre-first/first" grade classroom and see how she did. If she struggled, then she would take 1st grade later. (It was the district's solution to kids who would be retained in K without making them do K exactly). My sister did fine, but since the school had a head's up they were able to select her class, her teacher, and monitor her more closely than they might a different child. My sister will never be a social butterfly. She's very introverted. But she's a smart, successful person in her own right.
If being told more than once means a child isn't ready for K, then very few children are ready and don't get me started on selective hearing in teenagers!
I think you need more information to decide if holding him back is the right thing or not. From here, I'm not sure why you can't go forward and work on things in kindergarten. My friend is keeping her son in preschool one more year, but he's right at the September cut off, not already 5. So, I don't think another eval would be a bad thing, but I would contact the ES about it. They should have resources for you, even for a possible incoming K student. At this point, my DD has aged out of the early childhood programs and I was directed to her school.
my daughter wouldnt speak the 1st 2 weeks of k and ist grade and her teachers had to learn to deal with her before she;d open up. she was placed in special tutoring classes this year in first thinking she was behind and they were worried. 2 weeks later she tested above average and she hasnt gone to see them excet for mandatory checkups since she wa put in the program.. the teacher will be reccomending she moves up to 2nd with a few friends to hopefully prevent this yet again. she 's J. shy it turns out
i think your son sounds fine, but then again i think extra testing cant hurt either
sounds like these doctors have spent an awful lot of time exraying your wallet...it honestly doesnt sound the child has an problem at all, pulling him out of class because he is shy is only going to make him more apprehensive about speaking up in class, " speak up in class, or we will pull you out of class and then put you in therapy"this is what typically happens when parents are pressured to push a child into a school environment before the child is ready, the child ends up acting like , well, a child.. and the parents are then pressured to " get the child some help" because the child was pushed into a school environment that they simply werent ready for..bottom line, pull the child out of the preschool, and then after you move, put the child in kindergarten
K. h.
Hi, J.:
What is the reason you are pushing your child so hard to be
perfect?
Would you consider waiting to after you move and get settled before having him evaluated again?
Are you receiving money for your child's developmental delays?
Just want to know.
D.
