Hi MK,
I think most important is the social, and that it is important to observe the public special ed preschool that they will be placing him in. My son was offered same, and initially I did place him, but it was ultimately a bad experience because of the range of abilities in the class. Many were lower end vs high functioning. As a result there was alot of noise and often confusion in the class, and my DS didn't do well with this. Not many of the students were verbal, for various reasons- &I felt it was important that he was around kids who were speaking- to help facilitate his own language development.
I didn't feel his own individual needs were being met. Other things were brought to my attention and I chose to pull him from the program, thankfully he was still able to access the school districts Speech/OT services.
I made sure that he was involved in a weekly playgroup- all neurotypical peers, ranging from toddlers to age 5/6. We met each week for several hours at parks etc and celebrated all holidays with parties, as well as birthday parties, we must have been going to about 2parties a month! **I believe the time he spent with this group was a huge help in his social skills! He would have never received this peer interaction at school all day! ((These kids were NTs and not in school though some did do private preschool in am a few days a wk)
I also took him EVERYWHERE !!!
I treated him no differently, and I just exposed him to as much as I could... Don't laugh but we spent a lot of time at COSTCO haahaaa "warehouse therapy" LOL
I was also fortunate enough to get ongoin NPA Speech/OT services, and that was another huge HUGE help in his overall development, because they were all very into pragmatics vs the school based therapists.
His 2nd year of preschool, I flat out refused the preschool program on grounds he was too high functioning, and thankfully the teacher also agreed that it would be more of a deterrent than benefit for him.
When he was closer to turning 5, I was told he must do kindergarten to continue services. I was fortunate enough to place him in a Transitional Kinder program, all the kids were (mostly) NTs age 4 turning 5 (like DS) that fall. We were also Blessed in that the Speech Therapist at he school was a firm believer in Pragmatics!! He rec'd alot thru her. So this was te 3rd HUGE help! This class focused on the social aspects of school ie routines, groups participation etc. *no one ever suspected he had autism, and he continues to be friends with several of the boys from this class, even though they all fanned out into different schools!
Which leads DS to this current year, he started public kinder as a 5yo turning 6. Even though they were given no true kinder curric the previous year, he was completely bored etc and w/o reposting everything we went thru- (like your child MK my DS was also reading before age 3)
I am Happily Homeschooling DS as a kindgartner
but- Thru the Public School- it is an independent study program, so all curric is provided and he is currently in kinder, but the teacher we meet with for 1hour/wk, after assessing him, is having him do the 1st gr curric and she has told me she believes he is "gifted" and that she is gathering "evidence" of his work to present when the time is needed... He is just about ready to move into the 2nd grade curric if she will let him.
I forgot to add, that I did get him started in Adaptive Skills program last year, 10hrs/wk, it is all play based therapy. (not ABA at all) And thru this therapy he has continued to really move forward in leaps and bounds!
Finally, I have just learned that he has been once again "verified" as gifted, and depending on lottery results, may possibly be able to attend a Magnet school for the highly gifted, next year as a 1st grader!
I truly believe you know what is best for your child. I learned early on when he started Adaptive Skills (age 4 3/4), thru the Child Dev Psych that everything I had been doing all along- was all based on the play therapy model they incorporated. This approach isn't right for everyone, I know many who prefer ABA, and one kiddo who began in ABA but is transferring over to this type of therapy. It all really just depends on your childs individual make up and needs.
This board has provided me a huge amount of information and support and you've received lots of good advice already
Please let us know what you decide for your little one!
take care
PS
deedee! Sleepaway Camp!!! I love that! I am with you in introducing our kids to many and all we can, and encouraging them to try new things. Sounds like your kiddo is well on his way
