Off to kindergarten in fall?

I'm in a bit of a dilemma with Ruby starting school in the fall. Our Developmental Pediatrician recommends she stay at daycare for the year but really doesn't have an intimate knowledge of Ruby or the daycare facility. She's also been practicing for a very long and some of her ideas I feel are outdated. The daycare facilty has none to little knowledge of autism and I continually need to explain stuff.

Ruby is non-verbal mod autistic and in my opinion she has at least a near average IQ but I'm her mother so don't hold me to it; it could be higher. She attends a regular daycare with an aide right now and will attend a regular kindergarten classroom with an aide if we send her. There are no "special ed" schools or segregated classrooms where we are... I'm thankful in some ways I don't have to make a decision on that issue.

Her program and assistance will be directed by the school resource (spec.ed) teacher (RT) and autism services team; they act as consultants to the school and RT. The RT sees no reason why my dd shouldn't start school and I saw no concern or flinching in his face; he went on to reassure me by telling me they just had another child who was non-verbal upon entry leave verbal and has gone to highschool (likely with assistance but I didn't ask).

Our resource consultant doesn't feel she's ready for school but I don't think Ruby will ever be actually ready or have an opportune time to start if I wait for "readiness". I've filled in the paperwork but admit I'm very nervous and it being a tremendous leap of faith. I can't say how I'll actually feel in 11th hour and hopefully the mid summer school conference will help make my decision.

No Aide today...

I'm really cheesed at our Resource Consultant she is the person who oversees the educational aides. The preschool where Owen is can't take him for anymore hours because staff needs to monitor him and they don't have enough staff. It's a regular preschool one teacher to 7 students.

Well, anyhow I asked about an aide and the RC said she'd put him on the waitlist in a tone like she didn't want to and went on about funding. She said not to count on one because they have kids who are more disabled than him waiting for an aide who've things like feeding tubes. Those were her words.
Owen is non verbal and has severe apraxia, dyspraxia and I know he has autism but right now he's dx'd as possible asd. In speech therapy we're working on pointing and looking at the person. He is waitlisted for the Augmentative Communication Team because the Speech Therapist has such trouble getting his attention and his sounds are so few.

Developmentally he's way behind in every milestone except gross motor and then he's on the go climbing and such and doesn't participate action songs or play with peers. He also bites objects and occasionally people and frequenlty pulls on other children's clothes. But, he is smiley and for the most amicable.

Im PO'd that she could determine who is disabled enough to get an EA and that because someone has a physical disability they're more disabled my ds can't feed himself properly either and needs soemone to hold the cup for him he doesn't/can't help put on his coat or clothes. He doesn't draw pictures or know how to use scissors or even safely use a pencil.

I'm not begrudging some else's disability but I was completely insulted that she brought it into the equation like I should just be happy with what I was getting for free from the government program. She just minimized us and she's supposed to be working for him because he's not a kid in a wheelchair or physically blind he's somehow less entitled eventhough he qualifies as being disabled.

Augmented communication

Both Owen and Ruby has been referred to Augmented Communication Team at the speech department. Which is disheartening because the speech therapist is planning for worst case scenario. Hopefully, by the time they get called they won't need it.

Ruby's issues are definitely related to autism. She makes alot of varying vocalizations but is unable to consistently mimick or respond with spoken communication.

Owen on the other hand at 22 mths is waiting for ADOS autism testing in 5 mths. He has delays in all areas (play, social, receptive, expressive, articulation, phonetics) and is suspected of autism. He has just been put on the provincial Intensive Behaviour Intervention IBI waitlist.

Ruby is already on the same list and has been for over 10 mths. Many of the "professionals" feel that she won't ever see IBI eventhough the cutoff time is over 2 years away.

Some of the issues with Owen are apraxia (oral motor planning/coordination) and dyspraxia (gross and fine motor planning). He's unable to stick out his tongue or make mmm or "O"and it's difficult to determine yet whether it's more apraxia or ASD issues. He's a happy and lively guy despite only being able to make a couple of sounds.

We've been working on helping him point and clap; he's occasionally now clapping when prompted and needs help to point he just can't seem to figure out how to get those fingers moving the right way.

So they're both getting onto the PECS picture exchange program and Owen's working on gestures as well and Ruby on referencing and requesting. As well as being waitlisted for computerized communication training.

The Unexpected Tulip

Amidst the blades of grass, a tulip.
Not an awful dandelion or a beautiful rose.
Some would mow it down; Others would let it grow.

Love, Beauty, Poetry and Autism

My Girl
Loveable, curious, independent, funny, cute, enthusiastic.

Freya's Butterfly

Her face pressed against the window
She suddenly sees a fluttering in the grass
It zigs and zags in a butterfly dance
Out she goes with jar in tow
In it she collects her new friend
Soon her mother calls her in,
Back to the window to earnestly watch,
Beside her in the bottle the captive soul,
Flickers like a coloured flame
She steadfastly looks outside;
The butterfly, beside her, becomes silent in it's jar.