United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

We are thinking of putting Gabrielle in a preschool for a few hours a couple of days a week. She is twenty months old. I always thought that I would wait until she was at least 2 before starting any such programs. Since we moved to CA we really do not know anyone and there do not seem to be many kids her age in the neighborhood. When we were in Ohio for Christmas she had a great time playing with all my friends kids. I think she needs that interaction with children.

My question is do I go to the local Tutor Time Leaning Center or through therapy. Today her therapist said they have a nursery school age group that meets 3 times a week to work on gross/fine motor skill and language. Is to much therapy a good thing? Should she maybe spend some time with non bpi (or other disabilities) children. Is it to soon to expose her to kids she can not keep up with? She is still not walking which means they may put her in with kids much younger than her. have any of you gone through this? Sometimes I just wish we were back in Ohio were she has so many friends to play with. Thanks for any advise.

Tina,

wow your post reminded me of when Maia was in daycare early on - and yes, they did discriminate against her because she was so delayed- by not moving her up into her age level until she was a bit more up to speed and yes, walking was the motivating factor (which she did at 22 months)... even though this particular daycare had connection to Early Intervention and had the special needs teachers as well. But that was something that "I" had to deal with and not her - she LOVED playing with the other children and at that age they don't really play together but they play separately but together. She enjoyed the music, she enjoyed doing their little projects, they had these mini steps there that she could crawl up and down, she loved the different toys they had. She learned how to dance there - they played Backstreet boys all the time and the little ones learned how to 'shake their booties' - it was really funny and fun. She wasn't in for very long - only 3 short mornings a week but she truly enjoyed going. And even eating was fun- they had this table that had 8 cut-out chairs in it - like a high chair for 8 - and they all ate together...what a mess it was!! gosh I wish I had pictures of that to show you.

I personally don't feel that school should be mixed with therapy (just my personal opinion) - I believe that kids should just be free when they are with their peers and not be singled out any more then they have to be. When Maia went back to school after her capsulodesis, the first time she went back, her PT spent the morning with her to help her navigate the space, the playground and help her teachers figure out what she could and couldn't do. They couldn't go outside that day - it was raining - so Amy came back on Friday when it was really nice again - Maia was really upset that she was there. She hit her and spoke gruffly to her - as if to tell her -"this is MY time for me to play with MY friends - you go away now!"

So there's my take on it. At this age, school is for fun, for friendship and for seeing how other kids do things and learning from it. She'll be copying the other kids - in good and bad habits!

Good luck with whatever decision you make.



-francine

My son Josh started pre school at age 3. He had just had the mod quad and started school in his splint. What an adjustment for him. He is a very very shy boy. The particular nursery school I picked is a regular school in a church. He first went 2 mornings at age 3 and now that he is 4 he goes 3 mornings. His therapist wanted me to send him to the nursery school where he could get his OT and PT while there (in a rehab center) but I just wanted him to be a regular kid at a regular school. I definately run around alot. He has 2xs OT, 1 x PT and 2xs speech. He had to be potty trained to be in his school, but the teachers were kind and "assisted" him in pulling up his pants the first year. I have to say this year he is doing great. He can pull up his own pants (sometimes not so straight) and he just starting wiping himself. Hooray for Josh! I'm not sure what my advise to you would be, but just visit lots of schools and you will know when you have found the right one for YOUR child. Good luck.

Tina,
When my son was younger, I put him in preschool, and did ot/pt separate. I wanted him to learn with the children, and not feel bothered by pt/ot together.
School was fun for him. He could go there to learn, and play "somewhat normally". They wanted to put him in a special ed class just because of the pt/ot, and we told them no. His intellect is fine, why should he be in a class with learning disabled children? They put all the LD children in one class room, ranging from
mild to severe retardation. I feel for these kids, but he is doing well in a regular classroom. He just loves school. We do take him to pt/ot separate from the school, though. The school's therapists are not very good, and have no experience with BPI. Hope this helps in someway. It's just my thoughts.
Take care,
Debbie

I have Juliana in a program 2xweek for an hour and a half. It is a "separation" program, as she was a tad clingy. Okay, more than a tad....Anyway, I explained to the teachers (whom I know from my previous kids) about her injury and what she basically needed help with. I told them that they were NOT required to do any type of therapy and that they should treat her as any other kid. And they are great! Their biggest fear was her falling, which she still does. However, our OT has taught her a "drop and roll" kind of manuever so she protects her arm. The first time it happened with out me in the room they were soooo nervous. But she just got up and went. I like the fact that I was in the room for 2 months, it gave the teachers an opportunity to see what I wanted them to do. And not do. Perhaps you could look for a program like that. I agree with Francine that therapy and school should be kept separate at this time. Just my opinion.

Where in Ohio? I live in Blanchester near Cincy and my daughter goes to a church pre-school. Her teacher is FANTASTIC and regularly asks me what she can be doing to assist our daughter functionally. She recently asked me to have our therapist give her some ideas and tips on working with our daughter to help with her motor skills.

I don't think it matters if it is a preschool for special needs kids or not. Like everything else, it is the quality of the teachers and parental support that really matters!!

Tina,
My daughtere is 6 years old and I can tell you we have done both therapy in Nursery school and outside of school. I agree with a lot of people that you have to find the right setting that works best for your child and your situation. Our Nursery School was great and Caroline never felt different or singled out. She just had her fourth surgery and is in first grade and is learning to adjust to everyone's curiosity. OT/PT provide by the school is not the best and they are not as familiar with BP Injuries. We now do therapy at a PT Gym and Swimming Pool. When she was younger she had weeks where she loved therapy and than hated it. I work full-time and her nursery school had extended morning and afternoon hours so it worked for me to have it there and I could run over to be a part of it. The teachers actually took turns sitting in on therapy with her and she also was allowed to invite a friend to play special games while she had therapy.
Hope you find the answer you are looking for for your family.
Good Luck,
Kathy

marlin started preschool at 15 months, she was getting to a point of shying away from children her own age becasue we made an effort to protect her from possible injury that small children might cause. at any rate it was difficult for her at first she had some trouble mixing with the children but after a couple of months she loves school in fact she will give me a big hug and say byebye like you can leave now!!! i am so excited that she is doing so well with the other children i think that it is so important to have relationships with peers from an early age. i am also grateful that she interacts with children with disabilities at pt/ot because i was the person who never talked to the different kids growing up and through her i have met some great kids and wish that i had experienced that as a child. of course she is young but she doesn't seem to notice the differences in disabled children and she is very curious about their special equipment.