IEP help please!

[tiggger1]

I am looking for some input regarding my son. He just turned 3 in Jan and has transferred from Early Intervention ( been in EI since he was 6 months old) to the public school. In EI he received almost 8 hours of therapy a week including PT,OT, Speech, weekly home visits, weekly play group and hippotherapy)

He did well on his school evaluations but still came out with an over an 11 month delay in speech, a delay in gross motor , and has sensory integration disorder.

In his team meeting they gave him

Speech twice a week for a total of 90 minutes
Physical therapy once a week for a total of 30 minutes
Occupational Therapy once a week for a total of 45 minutes.

They denied him a classroom setting because he has no cognitive delays. We accepted the IEP in part but felt that he needed a classroom and more OT because the the sensory stuff is getting in the way his attention span/learning. We have a meeting tomorrow to discuss his progress.

He has been doing well in OT/PT because he gets the sensory stuff that he needs ( they do a sensory activity before the fine motor stuff which helps a lot) They think he is a model student because he is so good but realistically its because he is just getting what he needs. Also PT is only 30 minutes with 4 other kids and he isnt getting the stretching he needs ( he has spastic muscles in his ankles and calfs and which makes running and jumping extremly difficult and he wear AFO's at night)

The speech isn't going so well. He does great in the 1 on 1 situation which he gets once a week but in his group session (4 boys) he gets lost, they talk over him and he gets bored and will crawl on the floor, get up from his seat,)
The speech therapist wants to take him out the group and put him in another 1-1 (or 2 because that leaves him with another 30 minutes of speech) but says he needs the interaction of other kids to learn better. She wants him in a classroom.

I know they are going to deny him the classroom again, even though the special needs teacher says that he needed a classroom but because he doesnt have the cognitive delay they didnt need to give him one. Which is BS because every other school Southeastern MA would have given him a classroom because he has more than 1 delay.

This time I dont have the EI staff to go with me because he is no longer in EI..It will just be my husband and myself

Any advice?!

 

[tiggger1]

anyone?

 

[yoopermom]

I'm a sp.ed. teacher, but of high schoolers, so will just go with a and a reminder to document document document, feel free to bring an advocate to all meetings, and stand up for your child, who you know best. You may want to try posting this over on the disability community board, since they give GREAT advice there!

Terri

 

[schmitty]

The EI staff can come with you to the meeting. They can be the advocate for your son. I assume you mean a self contained classs by classroom setting, if that is the case it is because they are hoping he can maintain his academics while still getting the out of class therapy.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

I'm a special ed teacher that works with kids who go the spectrum of non-verbal to somewhat verbal. I'm going to give you my honest professional opinion. School PT is for helping the child to safely navigate the school setting. It's not for medical therapy. If he's making progress on using his school environment safely, then that is what they are looking for. It's a very fine line. If he's having medical problems, then they will most likely say that you need to take him for private therapy.

In terms of his services he may only be qualifying for certain things due to your state's laws. In Florida, if a child is below a 40 in IQ they do not qualify for speech or OT. This is because of cognitive limits. In some of my students' cases, it looks like they need it but it does not benefit them. They don't retain it. Sad but the truth.

It sounds like that your state's eligibility criteria is what is saying no to your son being in a classroom. It's very frustrating. As far as the one-on-one stuff, I'm a little confused. So the therapist says no good with four but putting him with more would be good. I find that to be a little confusing. If he's having problems with four, than how is he going to talk around more munchkins?

You can always push for the classroom but please do it your district's level. Make an appointment with whoever is the coordinator for the special ed in the district. The teachers' hands are tied. That's the person who can make a decision. They can also go over your state's specific requirements.

 

[tiggger1]

thanks! I do appreciate input especially from teachers/parents who have been there. We are trying to get him into the integrated prek in our town. There are 3 classrooms, 1 is a severe special needs class which is not integrated but the kids in that class can be integrated into the other 2 integrated rooms. Those 2 classes have 15 kids 8 which are models, who have to enter a drawing and if there name is picked they have to pay for the school. the other 7 are kids with IEP's. There is a morning class and afternoon class with the same teacher but with different kids.

I dont know where it says you need a cognitive delay to get a prek class but I know all the other kids in his EI playgroup that dont live in our town all got classrooms in their cities. Yes some of the them are on the spectrum but 4 of them are not and are the same level or higher than Chase and they all got classrooms, so I know its not a state thing. Its basically my town being cheap. They are known to be the hardest in the area to get the basics.


His main problem is there is no routine and he is a kid of routine. We are there 4 days a week for therapy all at different times and the biggest thing is that they cancel a lot. I know they cant help vacations and no days but it seems they cancel every other week because they are at a conference or they have another IEP meeting to attend. He started the last week of Jan and as of 2 weeks ago he only had 6 of the 17 speech session he was supposed to get. The last 2 weeks they havent canceled anything thankfully but just as he got into the routine of going twice a week, April vacation is here and we have nothing that week...

 

[tiggger1]

. As far as the one-on-one stuff, I'm a little confused. So the therapist says no good with four but putting him with more would be good. I find that to be a little confusing. If he's having problems with four, than how is he going to talk around more munchkins?

She thinks that if we can get him in a classroom, he will be getting that daily interaction in a structured setting and then we can still do the 1-1 speech separately.

He was in a 2 hour group at EI and he was fine once he got the routine down. there were 10 kids with 1 teacher and 2 aides.

I think he will be fine in the classroom because he doesnt have to sit in a chair for 45 minutes like he does for speech. That is where the problem is, because of his sensory issues sitting for long periods of sitting is torture for him

 

[mrsksomeday]

You might get more opinions and advice if you post this on the disABILITIES community forum.

 

[vgrandy]

Hi- I work for EI in MA and actually attended a team meeting today. My EI covers 9 towns and what I have learned is that there are some towns in which it is easy to get a full program and others in which it is very difficult despite multiple delays. I had a child with a diagnosis that comes with cognitive delays not get a preschool program. What you need to focus on is why your child would benefit from a preschool program rather then simply individual services. Focus on the need for peer models for the speech and continued practice of the OT/PT task during the day. I would even bring up the need for a consistent routine (due to self-regulation/SID issues??)

A previous poster is correct that the schools focus is helping the child be successful at school. PT is focused on navigating safely around school, OT will eventually be focused on handwriting skills. It is hard to get sensory therapy through the schools. Good Luck!! Don't be afraid to consult an advocate if you need to.

 

[WDWAurora]

Mrs. Reese gave you some good info. I'm over our EC pre-k program, in addition to my other duties, and would agree with what she told you. The difference between the infant-toddler program and the preschool program (both are early intervention programs, although for some reason infant-toddler programs get that label and pre-k programs don't) is primarily that the infant-toddler program focuses on whole child and whole family, but the preschool program is focused on school. Services are rarely as frequent or intensive because the purpose is different. The focus is access to general education, not trying to get the child to their full potential overall, if that makes sense.

Classroom placements are interesting. Many districts don't offer them at all. It is NOT required that schools offer classrooms, just that they offer services of some sort. I realize I'm not in your state, but a lot of this comes from federal law, not state law. A lot of kids would benefit from being in pre-k classrooms, but either don't qualify for EC or fit into what the district utilizes their classrooms for. I would caution you not to compare your son to others, and what they get or don't get. I'm not sure that's beneficial to anyone, nor is it really ever going to be a fair comparison. Different kids have different needs, and different districts provide for students differently. That doesn't make either district wrong.

I will agree with you somewhat on the possibility that it is a money issue. Different districts have different financing available to them, and are able to offer different things. It's not fair, and I've been in the small districts that didn't offer any classroom services to pre-k students. It stinks, but they don't have to. I'm sorry that it's that way.

Is there a Headstart program you could look into for him? I know that here, Headstart is free, and one of the things that helps you qualify is having special needs. We actually send therapists over to the center to work with the kids who qualify over there.

Also, our health departments offer a case management service that somewhat is like what you are talking about with your previous service coodinator. You may want to check and see if there is a program like that. They can help you in the same ways, just not as frequently or as intensive. Unfortunately, the infant-toddler program most places is amazing, and is able to offer so much for families that the transition away from the program is difficult. The offerings are never as great as for the under 3 set.

Hope that helps a little, and I'm sorry it's probably not what you want to hear.

 

[tiggger1]

I looked into head start and we make to much money to qualify

 

[tiggger1]

we also looked into private pre K but he needs to be potty trained and with his therapies scheduled all over the place, there is no time for him to go

 

[daughtersrus]

In terms of his services he may only be qualifying for certain things due to your state's laws. In Florida, if a child is below a 40 in IQ they do not qualify for speech or OT. This is because of cognitive limits. In some of my students' cases, it looks like they need it but it does not benefit them. They don't retain it. Sad but the truth.

I don't understand this.

IDEA is a Federal Law. How can the state of FL say that child with a low IQ doesn't deserve a FAPE and won't benefit from ST or OT? Is it listed in the state regs that children that test under 40 will not get these services? What happens to children that can not be tested with a standard IQ test?

There are children that will never test above 40 but yet they can learn life skills like holding a spoon, how to swallow or how to activate a switch. What happens to children like this in Florida?

 

[Katie Dawn]

I work indirectly with both EI & school-based services through my job in a child-abuse prevention program (we frequently refer our families who are experiencing a developmental delay to either of these services depending on the child's age.) It is so true that the school-based services are more restrictive (as far as who will qualify) and limited (as far as services they can/will give.)

Have you considered/tried pursuing any of his therapy on his own through your medical insurance? I've had some parents talk to their pediatricians about this when they find that the school-based services are a good "support" but aren't as helpful or intensive as the child likely needs.

 

[daughtersrus]

I am looking for some input regarding my son. He just turned 3 in Jan and has transferred from Early Intervention ( been in EI since he was 6 months old) to the public school. In EI he received almost 8 hours of therapy a week including PT,OT, Speech, weekly home visits, weekly play group and hippotherapy)

He did well on his school evaluations but still came out with an over an 11 month delay in speech, a delay in gross motor , and has sensory integration disorder.

In his team meeting they gave him

Speech twice a week for a total of 90 minutes
Physical therapy once a week for a total of 30 minutes
Occupational Therapy once a week for a total of 45 minutes.

They denied him a classroom setting because he has no cognitive delays. We accepted the IEP in part but felt that he needed a classroom and more OT because the the sensory stuff is getting in the way his attention span/learning. We have a meeting tomorrow to discuss his progress.

He has been doing well in OT/PT because he gets the sensory stuff that he needs ( they do a sensory activity before the fine motor stuff which helps a lot) They think he is a model student because he is so good but realistically its because he is just getting what he needs. Also PT is only 30 minutes with 4 other kids and he isnt getting the stretching he needs ( he has spastic muscles in his ankles and calfs and which makes running and jumping extremly difficult and he wear AFO's at night)

The speech isn't going so well. He does great in the 1 on 1 situation which he gets once a week but in his group session (4 boys) he gets lost, they talk over him and he gets bored and will crawl on the floor, get up from his seat,)
The speech therapist wants to take him out the group and put him in another 1-1 (or 2 because that leaves him with another 30 minutes of speech) but says he needs the interaction of other kids to learn better. She wants him in a classroom.

I know they are going to deny him the classroom again, even though the special needs teacher says that he needed a classroom but because he doesnt have the cognitive delay they didnt need to give him one. Which is BS because every other school Southeastern MA would have given him a classroom because he has more than 1 delay.

This time I dont have the EI staff to go with me because he is no longer in EI..It will just be my husband and myself

Any advice?!

Here are some links that may help you. The first two are for MA. The last two are Federal.



http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr28.html

http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/parents.html

http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home

http://idea.ed.gov/download/finalregulations.pdf

 

[kirstenb1]

How frustrating for you! Our dd is 4 1/2 and receives ST, PT, and OT on a consult basis. Thank goodness, she did go right from EI into special ed preschool. The ST is a very kind humble therapist I've known for years, and she always says the kids make such great leaps with their speech from being in a classroom setting with peers. Yes, she works hard with them, but she says it's the spontaneous interaction with each other throughout the day that makes a big difference. Our dd doesn't seem to have cognitive delays (none that have been detected so far), but her delays in speech, motor skills, motor planning, and sensory issues all interfere with her potential to learn.

You must be running all day getting your son to these sessions!! One of the really great things about the classroom, beside peer interaction, is the teacher is constantly teaching things that strengthen OT, PT and ST issues. They have sensory tubs filled with rice, water, squishy stuff, you get the idea. Music time allows them to work PT into the lesson, etc.

Can you go to the head of Special Ed for your city or county? Especially as your son nears kindergarten age, he needs to be in preschool. Shame on them!

 

[Mono~rail]

My dd has an IEP. She has received therapy services starting in the NICU (twins born at 30 weeks; one was much sicker than the other). Once d/c'd home from the NICU, we continued therapy through our medical insurance. DD gets speech, OT, and PT multiple times per week. Speech because of her feeding tube - feeding tube due to her oral aversion, sensory integration disorder, and oral motor dysfunction.

We moved and in our new area there is a serious shortage of pediatric therapists. We were seeing an excellent OT until he moved which left us with no OT services. I contacted EI and dd received home OT visits until their 3rd birthday. At her 3rd b'day, we transitioned to developmentally delayed preschool through our parish public school system in the school we are zoned for.

DD has always been in a classroom since she started. She started in March the first year then the second year was a full school year. This year she has been mainstreamed into a regular pre-K classroom.

An example of the differences between private speech and speech at school - her private speech therapist (which is covered by our medical insurance) works with her specifically on her eating abilities. At school, the ST works specifically on her verabalization, literally her speech.

She doesn't specifically get PT at school. it is called adaptive PE. They work with her on gross motor function that like the others have said directly relates to her ability to navigate the school environment. Her private PT works on those things to but also works on some of her sensory integration and expanding other functional limitations.

Same with OT. The school OT concentrates on fine motor function, but our private OT takes it up a notch and works on the core problems which are causing the fine motor delays - in my dd's case it is vision problems (eyes and brain not co-ordinating). The private OT works on vesitubular causes. She goes deeper and works on the deeper issues.

Her twin has also recently had to start PT and OT but we get that privately. School has nothing to do with it. Many of their issues are the same but with this dd, she has leg weakness that is causing her gross motor problems so we do home stretching exercises. She sees the PT twice weekly but daily we do the stretches.

 

[Mono~rail]

I forgot to say that it was halfway through DD's second year of DDP that DH and I finally STARTED to become comfortable with the whole school/IEP thing. It is confusing. I was so frustrated trying to understand it all.

Long story, but I know for a fact the school OT does NOT understand my dd's issues. She flat out told me that I don't understand why my DD has a feeding tube. She had scared the mess out of DD's classroom staff when she told them not to let DD eat anything because she has a feeding tube due to she aspirates. She does not. When I talked to her about it that's when she told me that I don't understand WHY my DD has a feeding tube. *whatev!*

 

[tiggger1]

thanks! It is frustrating. I know he will do so much better if he had a classroom. He would get the interaction and structure that he isnt getting from the therapies.

The main issue is that the SPED facilitator is new and he is trying to save the program. The last director was very behind because her husband was sick and I dont know if she quit or was let go. He is being cautious. He is a very nice man but I think he is afraid of me. I think he pegged me as an easy mom but I have been a PITA. I dont want to be "that" mom but I will when my son's education is concerned. I dont want him to be behind. He is very smart but his speech is so far behind. He still reminds me of an new 2 year old than a new 3 year old..

 

[tiggger1]

We get PT privately because he needs it but its really tough because its $20 copay every time and its another day that I need run all over the place. Fridays are the only day that we have off. Thankfully the school is a mile down the road so Im not wasting that much gas but it gets old sitting in the school for hours...thankfully I have been volunteering in my dd's old kindergarten class a couple times a week while I am there.