Make them define inconsistent for you.  Especially, if they use the term
"behavior".  They should be giving you more specifics (again, it's the law).
How long can he sit to use a switch, what size switch, how is he positioned?
How do you have him positioned at home during switch use?  Take a pix to
show them.  Are they making him sit when everyone else is up and playing?
Are they getting switch use embedded during normal activities, such as "Hey,
I want to eat?" Are the switches tailored to circle time?  Is he in his
chair all day or is he in a MOVE or similar program for sitting at eye level
with his peers?  Does he have a switch on his chair that says something like
"BEEp, beep, I"m coming through!!!"  You know just like they other kids his
age would say?  Are they using a male or even better a young boys voice on
his switches?  Is everyone else still working on colors or are they working
on animals?  If they put two switches in front of him  connected to two toys
can he pick one?  Will he pick one you ask him too?  Are his toys at school
adapted for him to play with?  Can he carry a tray from the lunch line to
the table with his peers?  Can he tell someone he needs to use the toilet?
Is the room engineered to have switches he can use such as at the different
centers?  How much are projects adapted for him?  Is he allowed to get messy
with the other kids?

You don't need to answer that but, that should give you an idea.  Also, ask
for a preschool curriculum.  That should give you an idea of what they need
to adapt for him.

Hope that helps.

Beth T. the OT

-----Original Message-----
From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Kimberlee Ames
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2002 5:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Living On Own


I agree completely, Pam.  I don't know, however, what they should be working
on that they are not.  I know that I work with him at home with flash cards
with letters, words, animals, sounds, etc., but I do not "test" him.  He
loves this kind of stuff, as well as books.  Part of the problem at school
is
getting over the communication problems.  He's mostly using switches at
school, and some eye gaze, but because they think he's "inconsistent" in his
responses, they haven't really moved forward.  I think that their problems
with inconsistency say more about them than about him.  I don't have that
problem at home.  I know when to quit a session (when he's tired or can't
focus), and when he's really ready to roll.  My biggest fear is that he will
get so frustrated that he will lose his motivation.  I want him to want to
do
as much as possible (mentally and physically).

Kimberlee, mom to Stefan (4) and Alex (9)