Preschool Question

[gurneeilmom]

Hi Everyone. I have a 3 year old daughter with SB. We are at the point where we need to find a preschool. We are having issues with local preschools because she is not potty trained. I do cath her, but she has some bladder function and does not stay dry in between cathings. Do most people utilize Head Start programs or choose to wait until Kindergarten? If I can't find a program that will take her, I am leaning towards homeschooling. She is so ready to go to school though, that I would like to give her that experience.

Thanks!

Jennifer

[smoop]

My daughter started preschool through the public school this past fall. She transitioned out of the birth to 3 program. She is not potty trained completely yet. She does stay dry between cathing but sometimes has bowel accidents. She's in an inclusion class and the teachers are willing to change diapers (God love them!). They say it's just part of their job. The school nurse is also willing to cath, if need be, but since she's only there 2.5 hours we just work around it. While I have been happy overall with the preschool program I have decided to homeschool both of my kids starting next fall.

[Spiffynikki]

My daughter started preschool at 3. She leaks between caths and sometimes has bowel accidents, so is in diapers. When you create the IEP for your child (individualized education plan) they include the fact that due to the child's SB they are in diapers. They cannot refuse a child based on diapers if there is a disability involved because of the Americans with Disabilities Act (public schools anyway, not sure about private). My daughter attended a public preK attatched to an elementary school, and the teachers were great about changing her if she had an accident. The program was only 2.5 hours so she didn't need cathed during.

[dahliafaolan]

Hi Everyone. I have a 3 year old daughter with SB. We are at the point where we need to find a preschool. We are having issues with local preschools because she is not potty trained. I do cath her, but she has some bladder function and does not stay dry in between cathings. Do most people utilize Head Start programs or choose to wait until Kindergarten? If I can't find a program that will take her, I am leaning towards homeschooling. She is so ready to go to school though, that I would like to give her that experience.

Thanks!

Jennifer

I'm not really sure I understand what the problem is. If it's a public school, they cannot discriminate against her based on her medical problems. I never was able to be potty trained. I cath every four hours, but I was never able to get full continent with my bowels. They have to accommodate her somehow. At my school, there were plenty of aids and nurses who were able to take care of me if I had an accident. When I was in school, they didn't call it Head Start. They just sent the kids with special needs to school at 3. That's just how things were. But we all had IEPs from the beginning. I think that's going to be the thing that's going to determine how your daughter's school experience will go. Make sure you have everything in writing though, no matter how minor and stupid it may seem.

[Summer25]

My daughter started preschool through the public school this past fall. She transitioned out of the birth to 3 program. She is not potty trained completely yet. She does stay dry between cathing but sometimes has bowel accidents. She's in an inclusion class and the teachers are willing to change diapers (God love them!). They say it's just part of their job. The school nurse is also willing to cath, if need be, but since she's only there 2.5 hours we just work around it. While I have been happy overall with the preschool program I have decided to homeschool both of my kids starting next fall.

If she is 3, then she should be going to a preschool in the public school system and they should have no problem. If they are the ones causing the problem then call the school board. They however, may make you put her in a special education preschool, but for now until things can get straightened out, that will be best. At 3, she is eliledgable for preschool through the public schools.

[naomi6896]

my son started at four but they offered for him to start at three at public school and they had a nurse that assisted with his changes and also had an aide that when the nurse was out or busy she would help him.