I think our big problem is he looks and acts perfectly normal ... until something throws him off. And it's hard to convince people sometimes that he does have problems. I asked the two teachers yesterday about how they handle tantrums and things like that ... and mentioned he has huge sensory problems (which weren't apparent yesterday because he loves everything NEW so the newness of the environment trumped the sense :)) and they pretty much brushed it off with "oh, most of the kids are like that" ... and other than two boys who clearly had sensory problems there I saw a bunch of little sheep following the leader.
I do have a preference for one of the two classes but I don't think they will give me a choice in the matter. They'll probably just place him in one. But I told them, which one I think he would do better in. In the first class some of the boys were too loud and I know he would end up running around with his ears covered all out of sorts. The other class seemed more diverse with kids with a wider variety of diagnoses but overall the place was calmer, the room not as crazy (the first one was way overboard with color, decorations, the whole set up ... just a nightmare for a kid with SPD!) ... yes, it is the room where he had his meltdowns yesterday but I still believe that one would work better.
... and he absolutely LOVED it in the end when he managed to ran away from us and we didn't catch up with him till he was right by the exit door! I just looked at the speech therapist that went with us and told her ... and THIS is something he will try to do on a regular basis. He's not scared of running, walking away, going to a complete stranger ... I'm scared if they ever even get near the exit door as a whole class, he'll just take off! They have a school bus that picks up all these little kids but I don't think I have the nerves for now to put him on. He remembers all the safety rules, will tell you what to do when and where ... but will not act on it
... but I guess that is a whole another issue we'll have to address with the school.
