Just wanted to jump in here

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2006
Just wanted to jump in here
11
Sat, 06-17-2006 - 3:49pm

Hi, I'm Michelle and my ds, Matthew, who is 5 was diagnoised PDD/NOS at the end of May. We are seeing Dr. Solomon, from Ann Arbor, MI of The Play Project and was wondering if any of you are involved in it for therapy or have any opinions on things like that you could share with me.

I stumbled across you guys a couple days ago and you seem like you all have lots of knowledge about it all.

Thanks,

Michelle

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 06-17-2006 - 11:17pm

Hi Michelle! Sorry - not from Michigan so I am not familiar with the doctor or the program......just wanted to say Hi and Welcome!

You mention that your son is 5 and just diagnosed.......what were the circumstances that led you to get an evaluation? My son just turned 8 and was just diagnosed about 6 months ago......we knew something was up when he entered preschool at 4 years......"behavior problems" at school.

Again, welcome and I hope to see you around here more.....

Take care,
Christie - in Ohio - SAHWife and Mom to two boys - Vaughn (8 with AS) and Jack (almost 2)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 06-17-2006 - 11:40pm

Hi there!

I use floortime which is very similar to the PLAY project. Actually, I now work in a company with a therapist who use to work with Dr. Solomon. Small world!

Welcome! This is a great place to be! Valerie (Mom to Matty age 4 ASD and Austin age 3 PDD)

~Valerie
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2006
Sun, 06-18-2006 - 9:19pm

Christie & Valerie ~ Thanks for the Welcome!!!

I have a question for you all though. How many have kiddos in a private school other than the local school district program?

Christie ~ I actually live in Ohio too! Matthew has been "in school" as I call it since he was 2 1/2. At that time he was diagnoised with a speech delay and sensory integration through out local Help Me Grow Program. Since he turned 3 he has been in preschool through the local MR/DD program. I saw a kid from Broadview Heights on the Dr. Phil show that had Asperger's and just watching him, I was like, "That is totally Matthew". I went and talked to my now very good friend that used to be Matthew's EI teacher and she had been to a seminar of Dr. Solomon's and she was very impressed with him. Especially that he was a Pediatrician first and has now brached off to specialize in ASD kids and other behavioral problems. So I got my ped to give us a referral. Dh and I were very pleased with him and impressed how he got down and wrestled etc with Matthew during the evaul. I now need to find a Play Project consultant that will work with us here in OH so we don't have to travel to MI every couple of months. However, we are in Richland County and of course we have nothing for ASD kids at the moment. However I am on the job working on it and it helps that I sub at the MR/DD school and have some contacts. That may be more than you wanted to know, if you have a question though, let me know.

Valerie ~ Your friend isn't a Play Project consultant is she? Would she know one in OH that I could get in touch with?

Michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-17-2006
Mon, 06-19-2006 - 7:59am
Michelle,
Hi. I live in Michigan. Glad to hear about a recommendation although Ann Arbor is a bit away. I was trying to get into UofM, Tsai for an eval to begin with but they were not taking new patients. We were just dx a week ago. We don't have a tx plan yet but we will soon and I'll keep Solomon in mind. My ds is 4. Thanks for posting.
Wendy
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2006
Mon, 06-19-2006 - 8:20am

Wendy ~ Ann Arbor is a 3 hour drive one way for us. Dr. Solomon used to be in with the U of M and has gone out on his own now. Seems to me that there is a long waiting list at the U of M. The Dr.'s office actually called there first not understanding exactly where I wanted to go and this was late February and they weren't going to be able to get us in until Sept or Oct. It only took a couple of months to get in to see Solomon. Then you should be able to find a consultant easily in MI and they come to your home for 3 hours once a month and train you on what to do. If you live near Flint, MI the Mott Children's Center does the Play Project free of charge. Which is great! Their website is www.PlayProject.org

Michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Mon, 06-19-2006 - 8:29am

Hi Michelle and welcome!

Quick answer to your question about schools - we have our almost-9-year-old boy in a private special needs school for acdemically bright kids. This is in part because of failing NYC special needs programming, so in our case this is paid for by the BOE. The advantage is the small sizes of classes and the opportunity for independence of operation by our son (no aide) and opportunity for classroom participation without being in overload so often, also a total understanding of his disability on the part of school staff and appropriate responses to his difficulties such as temper tantrums, oppositional behavior.

We are getting to the place where we REALLY wish for our son to be with NT population, but there is not an appropriate placement here small enough and focused enough for our boy. We do know others who have chosen NT population private schools and their children have done well there. The thing is : every child is different. Every school is different. Every teacher is different.

Let us know how things are going, and ask away. This board has been a great source of information and connection during our journey raising our PDD-NOS boy.

yorus,

Sara
ilovemalcolm

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Mon, 06-19-2006 - 10:02am

Hi Michelle,


Welcome!


I don't know anything about that region, I'm afraid, except that Borders started there.

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 06-19-2006 - 11:11am

Richland County.....I'll have to look on a map......we are in Cuyahoga County - right on the lake. We just started to get some services from our county MRDD - what a great find they have been. I'm new to this so I am baffled as to what is available to son and what can help him......this board has been great for my education into special ed.

Dr. Solomon/Play Project......I'll send out an email to my local support group and see if anyone knows of an Ohio-based Play Project......I'll let you know.

Nice to meet you and hope to see you around more.....

Christie

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2006
Mon, 06-19-2006 - 3:14pm

Christie ~ We are half way between Cleveland and Columbus, near Mansfield. Has anyone told you about the Ohio Autism Scholarship Program? There is a website by that name, I just learned about it a couple of weeks ago when we went to Flint. MI for Dr. Solomon's seminar. I'm just learning about it, but thought I'd pass it along to you too. This is however why I'm looking at sending Matthew to private school vs. the public school, which will probably send him to another school district since they don't have an autism program.

Michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 06-19-2006 - 3:43pm

We're in Rocky River (a small suburb West of Cleveland). My son attends the local public school.....he is in a regular mainstream classroom.....our school district does a pretty good job of having the resources that special needs kids need......not always the easiest to find out about the services available but I have found a local support group that has several parents of older children on the spectrum and they know what services are available, which teachers to look for and which ones to avoid, etc.

funny you should mention the autism scholarship.....I just posted a question about possibly getting my son's IEP classification changed from OHI (other health impairments) to Autism for the scholarship. I'm looking into the scholarship because several of the parents I know are not impressed with how the high school deals with special needs.....several of them have their kids in private schools.....there are a couple in our area. I have time to research this......son is only in 2nd grade.

Which private schools do you have in your area? I'll see if I have heard of any of them.

Take care,
Christie

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