Moving to Fort Worth/Dallas area - Need info!

[tbavrbab]

Hello all! I'm looking for some general information on the Fort Worth/Dallas area.

Here's what I'd like to know:

* links to homeschooling laws/rules?
* good school districts with *QUALITY* special education for kids with autism (looking for a minimum of hooey/arguments/stress, I have come to the conclusion that expecting NONE is wayyyyyyy too much to ask, but a minimum would be great)
[we're currently e-schooling, but the school we're using isn't available there, and I'd like information on both to be able to make a good decision]
* who are the good/decent home builders?
* or what are the best neighborhoods - walking distance to things would be great, especially in a good school district (would like Fort Worth area mostly)
* Is there a better nearby county to work with for early intervention and/or school aged children?
* any information on philosophical exemption to vaccination for schooling?
* good psychologist/psychiatrist for treatment of autism (Greenspan - "floortime" - method, or other methods)
* good Occupational Therapist (clinic or home based) for sensory issues?
* good neurologist?
* good OBs? (I have a history of HELLP syndrome, much as I would LOVE a midwife, I think I'd better pass)
* good hospitals for preemie delivery? NICU? Any that offer rooming in?

Any other information you think would be helpful would be great, thank you!!

[handsandfeet]

I can't answer most of your questions, but can offer some about OBs and hospitals. Baylor University Medical Center (aka "Big Baylor") is near Downtown and has beautiful L&D suites and definitely do rooming in with baby. Also have a Level III NICU with fantastic neonatologists for any new baby problems. They're very into breastfeeding and encourage kangaroo care for preemies.

As for OBs, I'm using James Norwood, who is supportive of natural CB but is also very experienced with high risk OB. Sandra Brothers is another, and her partner Melissa Crochet -- they are both very supportive of natural CB and I've heard have great bedside manners. Dr. Norwood also has a great bedside manner. All 3 of these docs deliver at Big Baylor.

[Mamaste]

Welcome to the area, Angela! You'll find many of the answers you're after at North Texas Natural Family. Then if you'll look on the AP & Natural Parenting page, you'll find a listing of local e-mail lists and natural parenting groups you can join to meet other like-minded mamas and get advice on many of your other questions.

Cheers ~

[peytonsmama]

Originally Posted by tbavrbab

* good OBs? (I have a history of HELLP syndrome, much as I would LOVE a midwife, I think I'd better pass)
* good hospitals for preemie delivery? NICU? Any that offer rooming in?

These are the only ones I can be of help with... My doula recommended Dr. Robert Gunby (who is affiliated with Baylor) to a friend of mine. I didn't use him as my OB but I have met him and he's a very sweet man that seems to genuinely care about his patients.

I agree that Big Baylor would be a great choice. My DD wasn't a preemie, but I was impressed that they are very supportive of BF'ing and rooming in, and they were ok with us not doing the eye drops, vit K etc.

Also wanted to add that we have Dr. Anuradha Agrawal as our ped, and we love her!!! She's affiliated with Baylor as well.

Welcome to the area!

[tbavrbab]

Thank you for the help! I'll look into that hospital. I am making a list of hospitals I'll tour to see the NICU.

Thanks for the OB suggestions :-) I've got a male OB now and he's been AMAZING. He's not only kind and listens, he's been great at explaining things to my husband. I can talk and understand the medical stuff (and I get my way unless the doctor can convine me medically it's a better overall choice to do something else - and I don't play the scare tactics game), my poor husband doesn't get the medical stuff. I'm hoping to find another doctor like this.

I will also be looking into Drs. Norwood, Gunby, Brothers, and Crochet! Thank you!!

[tbavrbab]

Thank you! I meant to check for a local API group.

Originally Posted by Mamaste

Welcome to the area, Angela! You'll find many of the answers you're after at APConnect. Then if you'll look on the AP & Natural Parenting page, you'll find a listing of local e-mail lists and natural parenting groups you can join to meet other like-minded mamas and get advice on many of your other questions.

Cheers ~

[Mama Shifra]

Originally Posted by handsandfeet

I can't answer most of your questions, but can offer some about OBs and hospitals. Baylor University Medical Center (aka "Big Baylor") is near Downtown and has beautiful L&D suites and definitely do rooming in with baby. Also have a Level III NICU with fantastic neonatologists for any new baby problems. They're very into breastfeeding and encourage kangaroo care for preemies.

As for OBs, I'm using James Norwood, who is supportive of natural CB but is also very experienced with high risk OB. Sandra Brothers is another, and her partner Melissa Crochet -- they are both very supportive of natural CB and I've heard have great bedside manners. Dr. Norwood also has a great bedside manner. All 3 of these docs deliver at Big Baylor.

I just wanted to vouch for Dr. Brothers. She delivered my son and was very supportive of natural birth (even though he was 34 weeks and later spent time in the NICU). No stirups--I delivered my son in the labor bed.

Baylor University Medical Center is the most progressive hospital I have ever had a baby in--even the oldest nurses and most old-fashioned house doctors are very pro-breastfeeding. They ask you permission before doing vitamin K shots and eye drops for the baby. They do not do continuous fetal monitoring during most labors and let you walk around. You can have water and juices during labor (I even got them to allow me to drink milk during labor for my heartburn!).

[Mamaste]

Originally Posted by tbavrbab

Thank you! I meant to check for a local API group.

They all have very different personalities. I do recommend joining all of them!

[friendlymamma]

Originally Posted by handsandfeet

Baylor University Medical Center (aka "Big Baylor") is near Downtown and has beautiful L&D suites and definitely do rooming in with baby. Also have a Level III NICU with fantastic neonatologists for any new baby problems. They're very into breastfeeding and encourage kangaroo care for preemies.

: I would never have a baby anywhere else. My DS1 was a preemie, so I had the experience of the baylor NICU. Wonderful nurses and I love the neonatoligist group. Also, they are currently (or may be already finished) renovating the post-partum floor with huge suites that include a place for you to bathe the baby yourself. I cannot wait to take advantage of this in March!!!: Also wanted to add my doc to the list. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her. Dr. Tracy Hays, and she has 3 partners all who are good (1 is my lesser favorite, but still good). GOOD LUCK!

[tulip4me]

friendlymamma- Dr. Tracy Hays is my gyn. How is she as far as natural child birth? Is a CS like a last resort to her or does she jump on the CS bandwagon pretty fast? When we have kids I'm planning on using hypnobabies. Do you think she would be open to that? Thanks for any info.

[peytonsmama]

Originally Posted by friendlymamma

. Dr. Tracy Hays, and she has 3 partners all who are good (1 is my lesser favorite, but still good).

I agree, Dr. Hays is very nice! My old Dr. was one of her partners so I'm kinda curious which one were you not crazy about?

[tbavrbab]

I'm really relieved that there seems to be several good OBs and GROUPS of OBs...not to mention a great hospital.

I'm feeling much more secure in our move. Couple of things to finish up in our current house...then we're off. My husband and I are discussing leaving much of our furniture behind to minimize the cost of the move. We have mostly garage sale furniture anyway, and what isn't garage sale, we'll probably take with us.


Still hoping for some school district information if anybody has any. Which are considered "good" districts? I'd like to keep my options open. If I'm going to keep homeschooling it doesn't matter, but I'd like to have the option of sending him to school. Obviously, I require the school be, at the very least, rumored to be good!! We all know what value rumor can be, but if nothing else, give me some school districts you would NEVER use?

[peytonsmama]

Well I don't know from personal experience, but I've *heard* that DISD (Dallas) is not all that good. Frisco is one that is rumored to be good I think.

[tbavrbab]

Originally Posted by peytonsmama

Well I don't know from personal experience, but I've *heard* that DISD (Dallas) is not all that good. Frisco is one that is rumored to be good I think.

How about any of the school districts listed as "independent school district" we don't have that in Ohio, and I'm not sure if that's a naming convention or if it means something?

I've been reading about Dallas' new grading policy...I'm a little bit leery. Hopefully they can use it appropriately instead of as a chance to make the school "look" better instead of be better.

I'll look into Frisco, thank you!

[Mama21sofar]

"Independent school district" is common around here - our one & only is 14 mos, so I don't know much about it, except it really depends on the neighborhood as to whether DISD is a good district. I agree in general, it isn't the best. But our neighborhood (Sparkman Estates) feeds into Degolyer Elementary, which I've heard is a good school. Frisco is consistently one of the better "ISDs" - it is also a city, suburb of Dallas. I don't know a THING about the Ft Worth area.

I have also been very impressed with my OB, Tracy Speight. She has 1 other female partner, Kimberly Roe, and they are both GREAT, & supportive of natural childbirth. Dr. Speight actually encouraged me to use hypnobirthing, that she had seen the best success with that. They work out of Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, which is probably the only other hospital in the area that I would recommend other than Baylor. I've had more friends deliver at Baylor and everyone's had good experiences there. But Presbyterian also has a great NICU, and they were very supportive of me rooming in and exclusively breastfeeding. Had a wonderful LC that helped me out alot.

There was another post on here not too long ago with several recs for pediatricians in the area that were supportive of no vaccines, etc. I don't remember the title, but you can find it in the archives I think.


GOOD LUCK!

Susan

[Mamaste]

Plano and Frisco ISD are both good, yes. Dallas ISD has a lot of problems, although if you have money and live within Dallas in Park Cities, the little tiny ISD in there is great. Flower Mound ISD is also good, as is Highland Village. I think you can probably just Google exemplary public schools in Texas and come up with a solid list.

[friendlymamma]

Originally Posted by tulip4me

friendlymamma- Dr. Tracy Hays is my gyn. How is she as far as natural child birth? Is a CS like a last resort to her or does she jump on the CS bandwagon pretty fast? When we have kids I'm planning on using hypnobabies. Do you think she would be open to that? Thanks for any info.

I think she would definitely be open for natural childbirth. I've had 2 traumatic births and she was wonderful for both - DS1 was vaginal but 7 weeks early. DS2 was emergenct c/s. My son was in definite distress, so it was a last and must resort. She got him out so fast! She tried many things before finally telling me she felt she had to take me to OR. So, I don't think she just jumps to a c/s, and I think she really does listen to the wishes of her patients. I've talked to her already about a VBAC (I'm pg w/#3) and she's open to it, though I don't know if I'll end up doing it.

Originally Posted by tbavrbab

Still hoping for some school district information if anybody has any. Which are considered "good" districts? I'd like to keep my options open. If I'm going to keep homeschooling it doesn't matter, but I'd like to have the option of sending him to school. Obviously, I require the school be, at the very least, rumored to be good!! We all know what value rumor can be, but if nothing else, give me some school districts you would NEVER use?

We live in the Richardson school district. All 3 elementary schools are blue ribbon/exemplary schools. The JHS and HS are also very good and reputable. Just FYI.

[Mama Shifra]

Public schools systems here in Texas are "independent school districts," meaning that their elected school board answers directly to the state and not to the local (county or city) government, like they do in many places (ie. the mayor or top county executive is in charge of the schools).

By the way, while I send my children to private religious schools (my husband is the religious principal), I understand DISD is really bad for special ed. My son has a significant speech delay, but they will not service him.

As far as homeschooling is concerned, Texas is very easy to homeschool in with almost no regulations. I have not homeschool a compulsory school aged child myself, but I know many people who do. There is a homeschool store with a physical address in 2 Dallas suburbs (it's a very Christian store) that you can buy supplies and books year round from (www.homeeducatorsresource.com).

[Night_Nurse]

Please check out Denton, or Denton county. They have two hospitals there and I do believe they have a good NICU there. While I've never used their hospitals or any OB there, I've heard only wonderful things about them. There is an OB/Gyn named Dr. Cummings who is supposed to be wonderfully supportive of natural birth and I believe the hospital he is affiliated with uses midwives in the hospital at times and even has some rooms with a birthing tub (I've heard this several times from people on my Dallas/Fort Worth homebirthing group. I've also heard good things about Medical Center of Plano, in regards to their NICU (Plano is north of Dallas in Collin county and they do have public transportation there to and from Dallas).
Denton also has a fairly good school district, property tax is a bit cheaper there than in Dallas or Tarrant counties and housing prices are more affordable, for the most part.
Denton is a child friendly and AP town, with two universities and plenty of cultural activities. The traffic there is much better too. Denton is a very culturally diverse place and everyone really "fits in" there.

For me personally, I would not send my children to the public schools in either Dallas or Fort Worth proper. Too many issues with violence and gangs, even in the younger grades. When I was in nursing school, I spent a semester with a school nurse in a Dallas elementary. It was a real eye-opener. The suburbs are going to be better, or at least "safer" for the most part. Dallas ISD is in the news now because they are about to lay off some teachers and support staff. One of the schools in the district had the cops out earlier this week for a domestic problem with a teachers aide and her spouse (something like that could happen anywhere but problems with Dallas schools seem to make the nightly news). I know a few teachers in the Ft. Worth ISD and they send their kids to private schools, all but one.
I can't say specifically what school districts have the best special ed programs. TX is pretty open to homeschooling so you shouldn't have issues if that's the route you go.

[noodlegirl]

Coppell ISD is very good. My kids have never had classes larger than 17 kids and they have lots of cool programs that get kids doing stuff I don't see other kids doing. I would rather be homeschooling, but until I can convince hubby, I am very happy with CISD.

I have also been very impressed with my OB, Tracy Speight

This is really an aside, but she delivered my first child and back in the day I didn't know a thing about "birthin no babies." Given everything I did wrong it is a small miracle I did not have c-section. I figure she must be a decent OB who is slow to cut. Now that I am a doula I would love a chance to work with the lady that delivered my first child. I meet her for the first time at the birth and have never seen her since!

However, Baylor Downtown is the best hosptial overall for natural childbirth with Richardson Regional with Dr. Downey coming in second. Dr. Cummings is up in Denton and he is the best OB in the whole wide world.