Let me take a step back for a moment. This is a HUGE leap forward for Ronan. For so long we didn't know how Ronan's immune system was. We didn't want to expose him to any possible illness. Crowds and noisy environments were sometimes too much for Ronan. He was a medically complex and fragile child. To even be considering starting him at a program like this is a big step in Ronan's development.
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| All ready! |
The center Ronan went to has children 18 - 36 months at a wide range of stages. We visited the center last week, and to be honest, I was worried. We have fallen into this period of normalcy with Ronan. Things seem manageable. We are doing things I would expect to do with any child. Visiting the center was a slap in the face for me - I did not realize how different our lives are in some ways. Ronan is so much further behind than any of the other children. Although there are two others with glasses, no others have hearing aids. None have a facial palsy. Granted I do not know the journey each of those children has had, but seeing the other children running around, talking, and doing other more advanced activities was a reminder how how much further Ronan has to go. I was also (and still am!) worried about other children pointing out these differences or simply ignoring Ronan. I know that one day we will have to deal with these realities, but I am hoping we get a bit more time in before we have to take those realities on.
Today was amazing. Ronan was assigned to the red group with two other little boys and a little girl. The other children were all between 2 and 3 years old. Ronan immediately took to the two women who were the red group leaders. He sat in "circle time", and played with a few puzzles. He stacked rings. He read books. Better yet, other children immediately came up to him and played. There were several times during the day when Ronan interacted with other children. I simply cannot explain how wonderful it was to watch this. We could not have been more proud. Ronan did get a little overstimulated a few times, but Paul and I were there, ready to cuddle with him. Best part of the day? There were two: standing in the corner with Paul while watching Ronan do a puzzle with another little boy, and seeing Ronan trying to pull himself to standing!
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| Team work with a puzzle |
I have tears on my eyes! What a huge day Ronan had! So proud of that little man!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! Ronan's "school" sounds just like the program I worked in at the LSU Human Development Center. It's a great way to get in a lot of co-therapies in a fun setting. We had a PT, OT, APE teacher, Speech Therapist and Special Educator on our team. We all planned together each week and worked on each other's objectives with each child so there were lots of therapies built into each session. It provided lots of practice for the kids in a fun setting. Is Ronan's school part of a University program? As you observed, the kids get lots of interaction with peers which challenges them to try new skills. Don't forget that Ronan was the youngest in this group. As a special eduction teacher, I found that inclusion programs help both groups of children. The children who are developing "typically" learn from an early age that kids who are different from them in some way are really more like them in most ways. The similarities seem to take center stage rather than differences. Children are more challenged to try new things as they watch others play and have fun. Kids often learn as much or more from a peer who has just mastered a skill than from an adult. The adults can engineer the learning setting to best meet each child's needs by planning activities and putting peers together who will compliment each other's learning styles and stages of development. I agree with you about labels on kids. It doesn't really give you much information. We always tried to say "child with______" to make sure we looked at the whole child not just the special need. I can't wait to hear more about his "school" experiences.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting!!!! This school seems wonderful and he is so cute with his backpack!
ReplyDeleteBrought tears to my eyes! What an amazing day!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone! The "school" is actually funded by the state through the Regional Center. His program is really new, so they only have an OT at the moment, but they are hiring a PT and SLP as well. Personally, I think Ronan is going to learn so much from the other kids!
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