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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Do you accept special needs children?
TXhomedaycare 11:45 AM 09-22-2015
I just received a call and set up an interview with a mom who has a 5 year old son with down syndrome. She said he is being bullied at his current daycare center and thinks it is because there are to many (18) kids on the class. She said he did great at home daycare before with 6 kids. I advised her I have no training or experience with special needs children and she said she didn't either before she had him. My only concern is that I will have to learn while handling 5 other kids. Right now I have a mixed age group my youngest 16 months and my oldest 4 yo. My initial thought was to say no since I don't feel comfortable and my group is very active (walk to the park and around the neighborhood ). She said he does not talk, wears pull ups, and plays to himself and has mild form of down syndrome. I feel overwhelmed sometimes with my current group (one is moving out of the country in 2 weeks), I just finished my first year in this line of work and finally feel like I am starting to get this thing down, but feel really stressed at times since my youngest and oldest are my children and work never stops. Please let meveryone know if you take special needs kids and your suggestions.
Ariana 12:03 PM 09-22-2015
I would suggest meeting and see. Children with down syndrome in my experience are not hard to handle at all. They are very mildly delayed but overall are quiet and are able to follow rules for the most part. They may have speech delays but are usually able to talk and communicate. I had a DS boy in my toddler group and I also have a DS cousin both of whom are just fun kids with great senses of humour! I would discuss with mom how he is delayed and specificaly in ways that will affect you like dressing, napping, eating etc. The little boy I worked with was 2.5 but was developmentally at a 16 month old level so adjusting expectations was a good way to get through it.
I had a child with a special needs in my home daycare but mom was in denial about it. I had no idea how to help this child and after speaking with mom several times about getting him assessed I decided to term. Turns out he was deaf! I guess mom couldn't live in denial any longer or finally decided to take my advice after I termed. I would have happily worked with him had I known how to help him.
Good luck and there is no shame in deciding against taking him if you feel that it would overwhelm you.
I had a child with a special needs in my home daycare but mom was in denial about it. I had no idea how to help this child and after speaking with mom several times about getting him assessed I decided to term. Turns out he was deaf! I guess mom couldn't live in denial any longer or finally decided to take my advice after I termed. I would have happily worked with him had I known how to help him.
Good luck and there is no shame in deciding against taking him if you feel that it would overwhelm you.
racemom 12:21 PM 09-22-2015
We have a child with downs in the center I work in, and he does everything with his group. It takes him a little longer to do somethings, and needs reminders of what the class is doing, but overall is a joyful, playful child. He will be 4 in October, but we have never treated him any different than the other children, with the same expectations, especially with behavior because he tries for sympathy when he doesn't want to listen or follow directions.
Unregistered 12:26 PM 09-22-2015
Originally Posted by Ariana:
I would suggest meeting and see. Children with down syndrome in my experience are not hard to handle at all. They are very mildly delayed but overall are quiet and are able to follow rules for the most part. They may have speech delays but are usually able to talk and communicate. I had a DS boy in my toddler group and I also have a DS cousin both of whom are just fun kids with great senses of humour! I would discuss with mom how he is delayed and specificaly in ways that will affect you like dressing, napping, eating etc. The little boy I worked with was 2.5 but was developmentally at a 16 month old level so adjusting expectations was a good way to get through it.
I had a child with a special needs in my home daycare but mom was in denial about it. I had no idea how to help this child and after speaking with mom several times about getting him assessed I decided to term. Turns out he was deaf! I guess mom couldn't live in denial any longer or finally decided to take my advice after I termed. I would have happily worked with him had I known how to help him.
Good luck and there is no shame in deciding against taking him if you feel that it would overwhelm you.
I am glad you made the decision to term. Denial is a very powerful feeling and when your in it it seems like everything is fine. I had never been in denial until fairly recently. Then reality smacked me in the face. On the other end, I have been the provider too when another mom was in denial and it is so frustrating. I did everything, note after note, suggestion after suggestion, forms, phone calls, worries, assessment reports and then finally. The family did not speak to me for many months after that and then they came back to me. I really got along well with them, but the denial was a pain in the sssssss.I would suggest meeting and see. Children with down syndrome in my experience are not hard to handle at all. They are very mildly delayed but overall are quiet and are able to follow rules for the most part. They may have speech delays but are usually able to talk and communicate. I had a DS boy in my toddler group and I also have a DS cousin both of whom are just fun kids with great senses of humour! I would discuss with mom how he is delayed and specificaly in ways that will affect you like dressing, napping, eating etc. The little boy I worked with was 2.5 but was developmentally at a 16 month old level so adjusting expectations was a good way to get through it.
I had a child with a special needs in my home daycare but mom was in denial about it. I had no idea how to help this child and after speaking with mom several times about getting him assessed I decided to term. Turns out he was deaf! I guess mom couldn't live in denial any longer or finally decided to take my advice after I termed. I would have happily worked with him had I known how to help him.
Good luck and there is no shame in deciding against taking him if you feel that it would overwhelm you.
Thriftylady 12:26 PM 09-22-2015
I would meet him and assess if you can properly care for him at that point. The kids with Down's I have been around have been so eager to please that they were easy to be around and deal with. I have never provided care for one, but it may not be as bad as you fear.
Controlled Chaos 12:31 PM 09-22-2015
Originally Posted by Ariana:
I would suggest meeting and see. Children with down syndrome in my experience are not hard to handle at all. They are very mildly delayed but overall are quiet and are able to follow rules for the most part. They may have speech delays but are usually able to talk and communicate. I had a DS boy in my toddler group and I also have a DS cousin both of whom are just fun kids with great senses of humour! I would discuss with mom how he is delayed and specificaly in ways that will affect you like dressing, napping, eating etc. The little boy I worked with was 2.5 but was developmentally at a 16 month old level so adjusting expectations was a good way to get through it.
I had a child with a special needs in my home daycare but mom was in denial about it. I had no idea how to help this child and after speaking with mom several times about getting him assessed I decided to term. Turns out he was deaf! I guess mom couldn't live in denial any longer or finally decided to take my advice after I termed. I would have happily worked with him had I known how to help him.
Good luck and there is no shame in deciding against taking him if you feel that it would overwhelm you.
When I worked at a center this happened! We kept telling parents child was delayed, we didn't know exactly what was wrong, but SOMETHING wasn't right. Took parents a year to get him assessed. And once they figured out he was deaf and got him the service needed - no problem!I would suggest meeting and see. Children with down syndrome in my experience are not hard to handle at all. They are very mildly delayed but overall are quiet and are able to follow rules for the most part. They may have speech delays but are usually able to talk and communicate. I had a DS boy in my toddler group and I also have a DS cousin both of whom are just fun kids with great senses of humour! I would discuss with mom how he is delayed and specificaly in ways that will affect you like dressing, napping, eating etc. The little boy I worked with was 2.5 but was developmentally at a 16 month old level so adjusting expectations was a good way to get through it.
I had a child with a special needs in my home daycare but mom was in denial about it. I had no idea how to help this child and after speaking with mom several times about getting him assessed I decided to term. Turns out he was deaf! I guess mom couldn't live in denial any longer or finally decided to take my advice after I termed. I would have happily worked with him had I known how to help him.
Good luck and there is no shame in deciding against taking him if you feel that it would overwhelm you.
OP - I agree with meeting family like you would any other potential client. I would also be frank with family about trial period - to make sure you are a good fit.
I have had kids with sensory issues, autism, feeding tubes etc. Down Syndrome doesn't sound like a child with it would require much as far as accommodations. I love having children with different abilities and different family structures (two moms, single dad etc.) because it teaches children earlier on about diversity and acceptance.
Kelly 06:55 PM 09-23-2015
All children with DS are different. Some have mild developmental delays, some severe. I have 2 adult sons with DS. Even though they're just a month apart in age, they are total opposites in every way. One is very verbal, the other doesn't speak. One is very demanding and can be difficult. The other is always happy and easy going. You can't tell what this child will be like until you meet him.