All About Autism

[seoulover]

ImMeeMee:

Seoulover

Never underestimate the gut feel of a parent. Having been on this journey for the last 5 years or so, I find that gut feel has helped me in so many occasions when there was no other thing to fall back on.

However, having said that, you may want to keep an open mind at this stage since your child has just stared EIPIC. Talk to the teachers, share your expectations and raise your concerns. The teachers and therapists are trained in special needs, and while we do not have to follow their words blindly, we can distill their strengths. It also helps that they can offer another perspective which we as parents may have missed. Every child at EIPIC center has a IEP, and this is a tool to help parents and the EIPIC team set goals for the child.

So keep the gut feel with you, but put in actions in your current situation to see how to make things work. If after trying things still dont look up, then it may be time to change. But at least when you make the change you know that you have tried.

JMHO. Hope this helps.

Hi ImMeeMee

Thanks for your advice. I'm taking it! Will continue to place my girl in EIPIC until this Nov before I review the situation. If you don't mind, can you share with me which EIPIC centre your child went to last time? Thanks.

[seoulover]

Niu2009:

Hi Double E,

Considering send my son to Brainy Wave too. Is group class based on age? How long is the duration? How about teacher student ratio?

Hi Niu2009

The company's name should be Brainy Moves. Anyway I called them up to enquire cos I'm kind of interested so thought I'll share the info with you. The group class should be based on age cos the person who picked up my call asked me my gal's age. Each session is 50 mins long. Teacher student ratio is 2 instructors to 6 children. Fees are $600 for 12 sessions while reg fee is $40. They offer trial classes at $50 for a trial session.

Still thinking if I should let my girl try it out. Would 3 years old be too young? Hmmm... Any comments from mummies who have tried out Brainy Moves? Thanks!

[tyeogh]

Hi all,

Thanks for taking the time to write. Appreciate it. I read all entries carefully. ImMeeMee nailed it. You had me at Hello. Well, your hubby did. LoL. To trust Pathlight’s judgement since they did the assessment.

Double E,
I am a strange fella. I may argue strongly for something but it may not mean I want it. Just throwing up arguments from all angles. Then I will sleep on it. Got to do with the ageing process? zzz

phtthp,
It is easier to transfer from Pathlight to mainstream than vice versa. I can always get into mainstream again as long as my other son is still studying there?

CChan,
Sorry no time to do your survey. Pai seh. With 4 kids, everyday is a fight for time….I mean fight for survival….lol

pinkamoon,
Fortunately, unanimous so far. Keeping my fingers crossed. Remember, I am from Mars and she is from Venom……oh, all women here….I mean Venus, of course! Kekeke

Couragemom,
Sometimes a “non-expert” view is the best because we are too busy viewing it from our own lens. If you mean the Learning Support programs managed by Allied Educators, I no need hide. Already quickly quickly raise my hands. Informed them to expect my boy. Even checked the “Autism” box in the data form.

seoulover,
Yes, I am eyeing the lower teacher student ratio. I can just imagine the mainstream teacher going OK class, 12-7=5, this and this is 20, blah blah blah, OK class over, remember to copy your homework from the board and pass up tomorrow……. and my boy going "Huh?"…if he even knows how to "Huh?"

ImMeeMee,
What more can I say? Your entry was detailed and enlightening. I like the “confidence and self esteem are important building blocks” part. Academics can indeed be acquired along the way. I was practically nodding at everything you wrote. You know what, you are now the official Oracle in this thread! When slmkhoo is on mc….kekeke.



But just when I think I got it figured out, life throws a spanner at me again. In my face some more. I found out the Pathlight bus will reach my place at 5.45am!! Like seriously, 5.45am! This means my boy has to get up 5.20 am latest. Who is the world wakes up so early? Is this like normal?

I am a big believer that children must sleep more. If my boy has to wake up at 5.20 am, he has to sleep by 9pm?!

[Double E]

tyeogh


Are u able to send your boy to school yourself? 5.45am is crazy! the poor boy will be so tired. BUT that said, I do hear of kids taking school bus as early as that. Is not uncommon.

[pinkamoon]

Hi tygeoh! Isn’t this a good reason to go house hunting?

[ImMeeMee]

tyeogh


Thanks for appointing me as Deputy Oracle ... though I dont know what it means ...

Anyway, PL has a carpool system where you can look for other parents staying around the area for carpooling. Its a small community, so its not too difficult to seek one another out where they are available.

My girls sleep at about 9pm during weekdays, later during weekends. We are warriors ... I am sure we can find ways to adapt ...

Good luck in your decision making!

[tyeogh]

Double E,

The last time I got up at 5.20am was … hmmm. Hey! I never ever got up at 5.20am before in my entire life even during school days! Yay! Me thinks it is easier to stay up late till 5.20am…

pinkamoom,
mai lah. Cannot go house hunting. My 2 girls walked to school now. If I shift near Pathlight, these 2 must walk very very far. Very chek ah…

ImMeeMee,
Ah. Thanks for the carpooling tips. Maybe I can Uber my way out of this. Or is it easier to get my helper to learn Class 3. Hmmm…

Have a good Friday everyone! Park tor time!

[Couragemom]

Hi Seoulover,


My son joined brainy moves when he was around 3 years old too! It is fine, the trainers will moderate the difficulty of the movements to the kid’s ability (and my son is one clumsy boy!)

Btw, your daughter’s condition sounds quite mild, perhaps you want to consider an integrated pre-school (all private)? Integrated pre-school is one where the school offers a mainstream class but also have support for special needs children. I know a few - Ichiban nurture land, St Gerard’s and ZeeHouse.

For my son, what I did was to find a normal 2-hr playgroup for him and then go for intensive therapies for 6 months. He started when he was around 1 year 10 months old. Then when he was around 2.5 years old (condition is better but limited speech), I found a mainstream pre-school for him with shadow support for 5 months. Now he is in N2, the first 6 months weren’t that good but now the complaints are getting fewer! His therapies are still ongoing.

[seoulover]

Hi Couragemom


Thanks for your reply! Ya I think i’ll send my gal for a trial class first before deciding. My gal still cannot jump. Do u think the instructors there can help in this aspect? Heh, I seem to be stinging on OT but no choice her private SLT is making me broke.

Thanks too for sharing your journey thus far. It’s good that your boy started intervention so early. Yes, my girl’s condition seems mild but the lack of speech is worrying. Due to her lack of speech, she was "retained" in playgroup in her daycare though she should be in N1 this year. So young kena retained, lol. Integrated pre-schools r too expensive to consider. Seriously very very expensive. I’ll prefer mainstream + Eipic but for now she’ll just have to do without mainstream. That’s why I’m considering Brainy Moves to let her have a chance too to interact with neurotypical peers.

[pinkamoon]

Hi Seoulover,

From my experience, putting my son with neurotypical children do not help much initially because children are not as patient as adults and need to 'model' after the behaviours of adults. The same goes with speech. My son had words but he could not use them in proper communication. He only started to be more talkative when he was 6. That was when I started to play and talk to him everyday for 3-4 hours a day. Just 1-1 date. I stopped OT and ST when he was 5. Instead, we often go to playgrounds, beaches and parks. All these activities help to train his muscles and are free. Sometimes DIY can yield even greater results.