Any cons involved with a 504?

[Liberty Belle]

My first grade son has ADHD (with anger outbursts) and the school has suggested a 504. I'm not sure why they would suggest it (I thought it was something to help and protect him) and it just makes me a little leery.

Do any of your children have one? DH and I are trying to decide now what to do.

Oh, also, he is about to be evaluated for SID, though I'm certain he has it. His counselor said he thought it was a big part of DS's behavior. If he is on the 504, he can receive OT at school. I'm a little worried about him being singled out, but I hear the school's OT is excellent...and free.

Thanks!

 

[bookwormde]

A 504 is appropriate for disabilities that have "simple" accommodations. They do not have many of the protections and structures that an IEP does. IF your child has an ADHD classification, and is being tested for SID it is very likely that he has some part of the autism genetic set probably in the Aspersers range. 504s are completely inappropriate for these children. Over 50% of children who are initially diagnosed with ADHD end up actually having Executive Function differentials and social skill deficits that to clinicians who are not fully competent with evolutionary genetic neurological variations is mistaken for ADHD. If your child can focus on his areas of interest for exceptionally long period of time then the diagnosis in incorrect.
I would suggest getting a copy of Toney Attwood's "The complete guide to Aspergers" which is available on Amazon for about $17. Even if it turns out to be just ADHD it still is very helpful in understanding his needs and the educational support system.
You should request a full IDEA Evaluation for Aspergers and make sure they include an Auditory processing evaluation and a WPS SRS evaluation. Normally I recommend a sensory evaluate but it sound like you are already doing that.
If it turns out that your child does have Aspergers characteristics, congratulations, because along with the challenges of syncing up with the educational system and the social world come some amazing gifts and nature that are well beyond most typical kids.

Bookwormde

 

[tw1nsmom]

The only real downside to a 504 is that it offers you less in the way of due process if you don't agree with what's on it or how it's being applied. An IEP has more legal protections and processes in place.

If your child has ADHD and needs some accommodations (seating at front of class, extra time for tests, testing in a separate location, help organizing,..) and no direct services, then a 504 can help him. Many teachers will work with you and naturally accomodate for individual needs. However, they don't have to legally do so. By having the 504, it helps to describe some of your childs issues/needs and they legally have to do the things that are written.

If it turns out that your DS has SID or some other diagnosis things may change. Actually, the diagnosis won't change what is done necessarily, but if what your child needs changes then a 504 won't necessarily work. If your Ds needs OT or any other service that he would receive from a special education teacher, therapist, or aide, then he would need an IEP.

Both are private documents and if you're worried about if there will be stigma attached to having a 504 I would just say that nobody needs to know besides the teachers if you don't want them to.

 

[deerhart]

While you can technically get some services under a 504 plan, many schools will not do therapy under a 504 plan, only an IEP.

Further, if the 504 plan is not followed, your only recourse is litigation in federal district court, where the law that creates IEP's has a self enforcing aspect you must go through first outside of court.

As for a person being able to focus on a area of interest for a long period of time not having ADHD, that's not really correct. Many people with ADHD have an ability called hyerfocusing. This is where the person is able to go to an extreme in focusing on a preferred activity. With lots of ADHD, it usually is on things like video games etc, but doesn't have to be.

I can put myself into a hyperfocused state especially when I am reading, but I have used it to also put myself to sleep (especially in strange places), video games, etc. It was a great tool to use during school. When I am hyperfocused on something, the world could blow up around me and I wouldn't know it. My parents used to talk to me while I was reading a book and later come back and I would never recall the conversation (or the fact that 4 or 5 hours had passed).

Also, ADHD-HI does not require any inattentive behaviors at all for a diagnosis.

My oldest has ADHD-HI, CAPD (auditory processing disorder, with areas of deficits in background noise and auditory memory), and a mixed expressive receptive speech delay. We have been through the gambit of sensory issues, especially dealing with the head/ears (most likely, like the CAPD, due to multiple ear infections as a baby).

My youngest is another ADHD child, though we do not have his specific subtype. It may just be HI or it could be combined. Its possible he just slips in 6 parts of the inattentive type (he's got just about all of the HI stuff)

 

[Liberty Belle]

Thank you all for the insight. My son failed his first hearing test last year and passed his second. I'm not sure if that indicates anything.

I'll look into those other tests. Thank you!

He's a bright boy. We just got back his primary MAP (NWEA) winter test scores and he got a 191 in Math and 185 in reading (97%ile in math, and 96%ile in reading). This was without his current medication, too, and he focuses so much better on it, so it's possible they could be higher. I'm not sure what any of it means beyond the information given, though the teacher said the enrichment teacher approached her to ask about my son and his teacher said she "never seeks students out."

Excuse my rambling and bragging. It's just nice to finally be able to report some positive news from the school.

 

[deerhart]

Thank you all for the insight. My son failed his first hearing test last year and passed his second. I'm not sure if that indicates anything.

I'll look into those other tests. Thank you!

Excuse my rambling and bragging. It's just nice to finally be able to report some positive news from the school.

Failure of one test and passing of another can be an indication of fluid in the ears. Did they happen to do tympanogram test when they did the hearing test? This test checks the vibration of the ear drums and is a good indicator of fluid. When my oldest barely passed his hearing test (had the lowest scores you could get and still consider passing) his tympanogram test showed almost no vibration of the ear drums. A repeat one done 4 weeks later (and 4 more weeks of antibiotics) showed vibration and we were able to avoid tubes. Damage was already done though (he had periorbital cellulitis at 5mos of age followed by 6 months of constant ear infections)