All About Autism

[mayjoel]

My son used to go to Epic CCK which is near our place. To be frank, it’s not good as the teachers are young, interns, some are foreigners with an accent. I don’t see my son improve there. So we stop the Eipic since last year.

[mayjoel]

Anyway I felt we know our children best. I clearly see my son cannot catch up with the fast moving syllabus, the SNO and teacher do try their best to help but how much can they do. I rather send him to a special school where the pace is slower for him.

[nugget]

He was first diagnose at 3 plus but I was told to wait for at least 1.5 years for epic. I did ask if it can be faster, but they replied it could be done if I’m willing to travel to Choa Chu Kang ( I was staying in the east!). They put me at KKH rehab centre for SLT while waiting for epic but I felt it wasn’t helpful. Anyway, I was already quite p***ed off by KKH’s service so I decided to take full charge- to source for private therapists to do SLT, OT and also ABA (which he stopped last year).


Now I only go back to KKH for doctor’s letters. Not sure if I’m just plain unlucky at KKH. I didn’t get much help from them during the epic placement, they messed up my son’s application to Pathlight and made mistake during the psychological assessment, which caused us to cry unnecessarily .[/quote]

My experience with KKH is opposite from yours. Mine is also diagnosed at 3 yrs 8 months and was put on fast track to do psychological assessment and place on EIPIC etc. I was fortunate enough to find a EIPIC centre which have immediate vacancies.

Given a choice, do you want your kid to go into pathlight or remain in mainstream?

[nugget]

mayjoel:

Anyway I felt we know our children best. I clearly see my son cannot catch up with the fast moving syllabus, the SNO and teacher do try their best to help but how much can they do. I rather send him to a special school where the pace is slower for him.

Yes I totally agree with you. We know our children best. I don't know if my son can catch up with the mainstream syllabus or not. But I also dun feel like delaying him 2 years in K2. He already hates his K2 so much, imagine putting him another 2 years there really breaks my heart.

I really hope I am making the best decision for him but in the meantime I will prep him as much as I can.

[mayjoel]

Why did your son hate K2? If u see he’s struggling with work, then better think properly. I thot my son can survive P1 but he’s not. Have you seen the P3 onwards books, it’s much tougher than now. We have to think much ahead then just these 2 years.

[star89]

mayjoel:

My son used to go to Epic CCK which is near our place. To be frank, it's not good as the teachers are young, interns, some are foreigners with an accent. I don't see my son improve there. So we stop the Eipic since last year.

Myjoel, your post comes in time. I am about to ask EIPIC CCK feedback here. I went there for interview and they did not give me good impression. The social worker and psychologist are so young and in-experienced. The classroom for high functioning is so small, dirty and cold. They told me the ratio is 3 teachers to 9 kids. They told me that they have vacancy suitable for my son on 11am to 1pm slot. When I rejected them with the reason clash with his lunch/his pre-school ends at 11.30, they (especially the supervisor) look a bit disappointed. A month cost about $450. For that price, I might as well send to good and low teacher student ratio montessori school. I am looking for a good montessori school in CCK now. If anyone of you have recommendation, please pm me.

By knowing this, I will not mail out their family report case anymore and decide not to send my son there.

[mayjoel]

Its totally useless there I felt. I stopped asking the teachers name cos they kept changing, and of no help at all. and the fee even after subisdy is very exp, my hubby have to make time out to send & fetch. It’s not worth the hassle at all.

[nugget]

My son is in K1 now. He dislike his childcare since day 1 he entered. I think its more the routine thing. Like every morning he will say "I dun want to go to school".


Last time he used to be alone, roam around on his own, not sitting down in circle time, dun play with friends.I felt like he is really wasting his time there. But after EIPIC and all the therapy, he has shown great improvement. For the past 6 months, teachers comment he is starting to:
- sit down during circle time (teachers are kind enough to put him to sit right in front)
- started to do art and crafts with good control of scissors and colour pictures nicely
- still doesn’t talk much though but started to play with 1-2 friends he is comfy with (last time he only stick to teachers when they go playground).
- Starting to learn to write with help of dotted line even though all his friends can copy words without assistance.
- has eye contact with teachers who are talking to him
- Able to follow instructions when teacher ask him to keep the toys, put back on the shelf and line up

I dun think he really hates his childcare. Its more of a habit or routine thing that he say he doesn’t want to go. But he does prefer his EIPIC school than his childcare.

Yup I bought those K1 and K2 workbooks and got a shock of my life. Its so tough. But he is willing to attempt and do when we sit down with him in a 1-1 setting and explain to him. His cognitive skills are not too bad. So I feel he has the potential to go mainstream.

[specialboymum]

nugget:

He was first diagnose at 3 plus but I was told to wait for at least 1.5 years for epic. I did ask if it can be faster, but they replied it could be done if I'm willing to travel to Choa Chu Kang ( I was staying in the east!). They put me at KKH rehab centre for SLT while waiting for epic but I felt it wasn't helpful. Anyway, I was already quite p***ed off by KKH's service so I decided to take full charge- to source for private therapists to do SLT, OT and also ABA (which he stopped last year).


Now I only go back to KKH for doctor's letters. Not sure if I'm just plain unlucky at KKH. I didn't get much help from them during the epic placement, they messed up my son's application to Pathlight and made mistake during the psychological assessment, which caused us to cry unnecessarily .

My experience with KKH is opposite from yours. Mine is also diagnosed at 3 yrs 8 months and was put on fast track to do psychological assessment and place on EIPIC etc. I was fortunate enough to find a EIPIC centre which have immediate vacancies.
Given a choice, do you want your kid to go into pathlight or remain in mainstream?

At that point of time, I would want to put him in pathlight prep track, at least give him a year of transition period before going to primary 1. Now that he is in mainstream, I will try as much as possible to keep him there lor. We do understand that we cannot expect much from him in term of academics. We will just have to remind ourselves not to compare with other kids, and keep encourage him and give him the additional support should as tuitions when required.

[nugget]

specialboymum:

At that point of time, I would want to put him in pathlight prep track, at least give him a year of transition period before going to primary 1. Now that he is in mainstream, I will try as much as possible to keep him there lor. We do understand that we cannot expect much from him in term of academics. We will just have to remind ourselves not to compare with other kids, and keep encourage him and give him the additional support should as tuitions when required.

I see. Yup I also dun expect my son to do well academically. I am already very happy that he is attempting to do all his K1 worksheets and all the things he done in school makes me feel so proud of him.

I have seen how he do work in EIPIC and he really try to put in his best effort. Only thing is he get distracted easily. If he can strive in mainstream with support from AED and friends and us, I am already very happy. I just hope he can keep grow up and get used to the NT environment.