Relocating to the Seattle Area, with Autistic Child (Bellevue, Issaquah: school districts, university)

[dbrillet]

Hi !

We are a family from Brooklyn, NY hoping to relocate to the Seattle area. We have a 4 year old Autistic son, and are seeking any useful information on great schools, school districts, programs... for children with Autism in the Seattle area.

We've read decent things about the Issaquah, Seattle and Bellevue school districts. We also see that there is a Seattle Children Hospital and that University of Washington has an Autism Center.

If you could be so kind as to share any of your experiences - that would be great.

[VeronikaW]

I've been researching school districts for our autistic son. In CA he gets to go to preschool (with an aid to help him during the class) and then also goes to social skills building classes. When I called the Issaquah school district to see what they had to offer, they have a preschool program, but they group all the disabled kids together, no matter what their disability or the severity of it. Since we're only concentrating on preschool right now, I didn't think to ask what they do when they hit kindergarten.

Lake Washington School district was the only school district I talked to that had a social skills program, and that also told me what would happen when my son hit kindergarten. They told me that he'd be in a regular kindergarten class, but if he needed extra help or guidance, he'd be removed from the class at certain times for one on one help.

Unfortunately I don't yet have first hand experience, but I did spend a week on the phone calling the different school districts.

We used to live in Issaquah, and that's where I really wanted to move back to, but I wasn't pleased with their preschool offerings. I am going to call them to see what will happen when my son hits kindergarten, though.

I have heard (from our pediatrician when we were in Issaquah) that Seattle's Children's Hospital Autism program is really good.

Good luck!

V. =)

[dbrillet]

Thank you for the reply - that is good information and we appreciate it. We would rather our son be in an integrated setting, it seems that Lake Wash. would be a good choice.

[hallbabies]

My son is 5 and is in the Lake Washington School District, I have been VERY impressed with their program. My son has made HUGE improvements. When he turned 3 they go into their regular preschool program (2.5 hours 4 times a week) with aides or Learning Center depending on severity, and there is a autism-spectrum program called SNAPS that is also 2.5 hours a day 3 times a week. Between the two it ends up being a pretty long day. He gets OT and speech therapy during class time. The teachers are amazing and my son actually loves going to school. They also offered us ESY summer school.

I find the LWSD has a lot of support, the ladies running the program hold all kinds of seminars in all topics and bend over backwards to help you with anything. They made my son a morning schedule visual aid we still use, and they are VERY willing to meet with parents during the day to discuss strategies, offer advice, etc. I highly recommend Lake Washington School District.

We are starting kindergarten in the fall, so don't know much about it, but we have been told he will be going to regular kindergarten with an additional time (1.5 hours) after/before, but dont know how that will work yet.

If you need more info I can give you some pretty good contacts.

[stephenm921]

Lakeside Center for Autism is also in Issaquah. They offer Speech, OT, PT, Developmental therapy, and they have a preschool.

Obviously that doesn't help as you're looking at school districts, but it is a great resource to check out!

[dbrillet]

I am revisiting this post to warn anyone reading, Seattle has been a nightmare for our family. Please consider carefully before relocating here with a special needs child!!! We are now heading back to Brooklyn and can't wait to leave this over-rated city.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by dbrillet

I am revisiting this post to warn anyone reading, Seattle has been a nightmare for our family. Please consider carefully before relocating here with a special needs child!!! We are now heading back to Brooklyn and can't wait to leave this over-rated city.

Thanks for elaborating.

[MissAlexRZ]

I am on the autistic spectrum, and I just went to the public schools closest to my house, so I'm not much help when it comes to great programs, but the Lake Washington one seems nice.

I have a therapist at the Seattle Children's Autism Center named Dr. Oti, and I really like her. She is able to address many of my questions and concerns. And I really like her personality. The one thing that is hard is that she doesn't always respond promptly. I'm going to start going to her other clinic as it is closer to home, and I'm not a child. I wasn't too fond of the neurologist I saw there (Dr. Stobbe), and my nutritionist was more helpful with my diet than the food behavior person was there. I forget her name.

You may find a therapist there you like regardless of my opinions.

I do hear the UW Autism Center is supposed to be one of the best around.

I've had bad experiences in Seattle, but I didn't know it was that atrocious for special needs people, but maybe it just depends on the people.

[jjinla]

Originally Posted by dbrillet

I am revisiting this post to warn anyone reading, Seattle has been a nightmare for our family. Please consider carefully before relocating here with a special needs child!!! We are now heading back to Brooklyn and can't wait to leave this over-rated city.

You could have sent your kid to private school here for less than it will cost you to move back to Brooklyn. But hey, if you like pseudo hipsters, insane taxes, mediocre schools, freezing winters and sweltering summers, go for it. We moved from Westchester a year a ago and you couldn't pay for us to go back.