Level 3 - 5 Yr Old - Need Advice
Kid was diagnosed with Level 3 when he was 3 yr old. Wife was in denial and we delayed sending him to ABA but continued with IEP (3hrs) and speech therapy. Currently he is 5 and goes full time to ABA and has three speech sessions each for 30 mins.
I am always confused on making some of the big decisions for him and in hindsight feel if I’ve taken the best decision or not.
He was introduced with AAC at IEP and was using his AAC to communicate little things but eventually he used it to just press on numbers repeatedly or repeatedly press on alphabet or a specific word. I decided to take that away and use his speech for more communication and that his AAC was hindering his speech. He currently says “ I want iPad “, “I want Juice” etc.; mostly I wants. He is good with labeling and I was surprised today when he said close to 30 different animal names when I randomly pointed to some animal pictures. This gives me hope but at the same time, he elopes sometimes and uses many non functional words - like It’s number 6, or Bye bye chicken, Bye Bye Cow, randomly without any context.
I pulled him out of school and got him into full time ABA. I don’t know if that was the right decision. I don’t know what additional help I can provide him and future always scares me and I always constantly thinking of what his future would look like.
Parents with kids on Level 3, could you please share your experiences on what helped you and what you foresee of my kid future would look like when it comes to living independently. He does repeat the words like I ask him how was your day and I change my voice and say “ Daddy, my day was good” and he repeats the Daddy my day was good part. He is obsessed with coloring lately and is reading some early sets of Bob books on his own, but reads them like words and much looks more like labeling the words. Please help me.