More questions about DDI...

I've done searches and read all the positive feedback. I am curious for those that have visited or know personally about DDI and the way they work especially for children diagnosed with pdd nos why you did not choose them for your child. Any feedback posts/FM all welcome!! (Curious about the huntinton location FTR). TIA

Re: More questions about DDI...

My son went to DDI in Ronkonkoma last year. YAP is an amazing program but in my opinion it has to be for the right child. It became to stiffiling for him, he's got alot of knowledge and academically excels and being in a 1-1 setting was basically boring for him. They would interegrate in with others but the other children were lower functioning and non-verbal so he became the model. I spoke to the teacher serveral times over this and other issues (they'd use pecs and schedules with him and he didn't need it, then he became relying on it)
So IMO again, it's an amazing program for the right child.
This year we chose a Charter school out east and he's doing fantastic. His frustration has disappered, he's in a class of 16 with half typical half w/needs. So far he's not using a 1-1 and is doing great. HTH

Re: More questions about DDI...

Like the PP, neither his therapist or I thought that DDI was the right fit for DS. His language was emerging, he is social and at the high functioning end of the PDD-NOS diagnosis. While I did not want him too lose his ABA completely, I also did not want him in such a structured setting. He had long ago dropped PECS and signing. We wanted an environment that would help improve the areas he is weakest in, which are more the social aspect and communication. Cognitively he is right where he should be for his age. Because many of the kids are lower functioning, we did not feel that these needs would be met.

Re: More questions about DDI...

My DS is in his second year at DDI, but at the Huntington Starting Early program. We did not feel the YAP program was for him. He is PDD/NOS and doesn't speak much. He is very bright and gets along great with others. He was in a 6:1:3 class for a short time before they started to integrate him into an inclusion class (1/2 typical, 1/2 with an IEP). The YAP programs do not have inclusion classes and that's what we wanted. We knew he wouldn't need the strict 1:1 very long. By January he was going 4 out of 6 hours to the other class. This year he is starting with 4 hours in the integrated class and should be officially moved into it by January.

We chose the Huntington campus and we live in Port Jeff. It's a hike with his drive, but he naps on the way home, which is perfect. In the morning he gets picked up from my in-laws in Smithtown, so that commute is pretty easy. It was the best fit for us and we have never regretted it.

Good Luck!

Re: More questions about DDI...

My DS is in the starting early program at the Huntington location. We actually transitioned him out of EI early in April cause we got offered a spot and we knew we wanted him to go there came sept.
My DS NEEDS the structured setting right now. He does great ABA, he is recently starting to repeat words and he does best with the one on one. I do agree that it's only right for the right child. My DS has PDD-NOS but he does not do great right now with other kids, although since he has been at DDI he has gotten better.
I honestly love this school and see so much progress with him since he has been there.
Feel free to FM me with any questions.

Message edited 9/26/2012 3:44:46 PM.