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Posted by dcl
on 5/11/2008, 8:50 pm, in reply to "Re: Autism, Toddler, Parent"
76.182.160.192
If your child is under 3 years of age (toddler age) then your child should be receiving 'rehab' services thru your state birth-3 program IF your state participates. I am assuming that your child is over 3 since you have the public school involved. They will provide services from age 3 to 21 years of age BUT only during the school year. So, I would recommend that you contact an outpatient clinic (check hospitals, therapy clinics under rehab services, speech therapy) who provides the rehab services, occupational therapy (ot), physical therapy (pt) and speech-language therapy. You should have medicaid coverage which should be accepted by these clinics. I would have an OT and PT eval along with speech. At this age, lots of children with autism need OT and possibly PT. Placement for these services is different than the schools. Schools enroll/place on how the delay/disorder affects education. The clinics would be medically based. I would keep these clinical services in addition to the schools because they do not close 'shop' when the schools do. So your child will continue services and you won't have to go thru not having services again. For example, there is no cancellation for having IEP meetings, field day, class trips etc. I would also check into ABA therapy. Also contact the birth to 3 program if you have one who may have a service coordinator who will assist you sourcing assistance. They do in my state. You need help and what is called Respite (pronounced res-pit). Call the DDSN office in your state. There are also parent groups for support you should be contacting. These families have and are experiencing what you are going thru. Don't recreate the wheel. They are an invaluable source of information. In my state it is called Family Connections and after a certain age Pro Parents. Hope this helps. Email me if necessary. I have been an SLP for over 30 years!
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