Needs of One vs. Needs of Many

[belle&beast]

Becky,
I'm sure if you request that he be pulled during regular PE time, that should not be a problem since he is getting PE in his week. Also, I did not mention previously, but the PT could visit during that adaptive PE time and OT is very easily done in the classroom since they are working on fine motor skills and sensory diets. Our OTs RARELY leave the classroom unless they are working on something which may be very distracting or need to assess the kids. Check and be sure, but IMO, you could ask that he is in the classroom more if they are pulling from academics to complete OT and PT. And your SLP should be able to incorporate part of her time in the classroom, too.

 

[jodifla]

It really depends on the student and the curriculum. For a student with more severe needs that is being given a functional curriculum, it can be a significant amount of time, sometimes a couple of hours. Of course, it will vary from day to day and be dependent upon the curriculum.

In the circumstances I have been in, it has been related to another therapy. The flashcards were in speech therapy (I was subbing for an SLP) so it was really working on two things at once. I have also done EIBI (Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention) at a preschool for autism. We do a similar thing with getting the kids to recognize facial expressions and other social skills like associative and cooperative play. This helps them in other aspects of life as well.

On a side note: I love the program. By Kindergarten, the majority of our kids are indistinguishable or nearly indistinguishable from their neurotypical peers. They are mainstreamed and you would have to have prior knowledge of the diagnosis to know that that child has autism. This program is a miracle for many children, and I hope that it expands to more school districts. The key is to start it by age 3. Kindergarten is typically the last year it can be used, it is the maintenance year. The research so far is that starting it in Kindergarten is not nearly as effective.

I've thought about this a couple of days, and I decided I needed to comment since you are going into this as a profession:

I know that's how the school system presents things, but parents like me have another take: Lots of kids are being INCORRECTLY labeled as autistic or "on the spectrum" when in fact, THEY HAVE A LANGUAGE DELAY or something else going on. As many positives as the IDEA has, the result of letting each state set its own criteria as led to the autism "epidemic" we are hearing about.

When the child's language comes in, then "POOF" their "autism" goes away. That's why you notice so much success with their program. (I'm NOT saying the program isn't beneficial....just that is likely not autism they were cured of.)

Here are some resources to read on the subject.




http://www.autism-watch.org/general/edu.shtml


http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/jeffsell/CS78

http://epiwonk.com/?p=82

http://www.healthbeatblog.org/2007/11/autismanother-e.html


and from Oxford University
http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2008/rise_in_autism.html

Rise in autism related to changes in diagnosis

10 Apr 08

Research funded by the Wellcome Trust suggests that many children diagnosed with severe language disorders in the 1980s and 1990s would today be diagnosed as having autism. The research supports the theory that the rise in the number of cases of autism may be related to changes in how it is diagnosed.

 

[KPeveler]

I want to say I can understand both sides of the argument. The school system where my ex-bf works is having this problem now. There is a little girl who has severe allergies. to EVERYTHING. She is allergic to latex, synthetic cloths, metals (as in she cant even play the flute), any kind of chemical or perfume in shampoo/soap/perfume, and she cant be in a room with people who use these products, she is allergic to every outdoor allergen you can think of, nuts, spices, most meats, most grains, and a lot of fruits nad vegetables. her classroom had to be moved to a certain part of hte building that is basically hemetically sealed. she cannot go to gym, art (allergic to dyes in paint and clay), lunch, recess, music... she cannot leave the classroom. right now she is in 4th graed, so no problem.

her classmates and teacher are told what they can wear if they want to come near her, and all have restrictions on things like shampoo and deoderant. they cannot bring certain items for their snack or lunch.

well next year the classes start moving (as in there are 3 classrooms per grade, like junior high where you switch teachers). well she just cant do that, because it would be too stressful on her system, adn they could not keep all those classrooms as clean as she needs. so her classmates will not be allowed to change classes, and the structure of the grade for 200-300 students must be changed.

Whether her needs infringe on her classmates is arguable up to this point:


about once a week, or maybe every two, she goes into anaphylaxis, and must be intubated and rushed to the ER by paramedics, as her epipens have almost no effect at this point. she could DIE at any point when this happens, and it happens more than twice a month!!

To me, that is just plain dangeorus. All teachers know some first aid, but not that much!

The schools have offered to teach her as a home-bound student where they would send teachers to her all-day, every-day, and even bring other students there sometimes.

instead her parents have demanded they change the schools, and even require ALL teachers to become paramedics/EMTs (a long process, and not all teachers are physically able to do this - i wouldnt be) so they can save her daughter WHEN (not if) she goes into shock.

I understand inclusion, and I completely support it, but I think this example is going WAY too far.


ETA: I wanted to add, just to make clear, that I do NOT have a problem with inclusion, but I draw the line when you are making 7 year olds wear certain shampoos only wear clothing of certain materials (this is public school with no dress code) and when the life/health/education of that child is being threatened by the inclusion

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Jodifla: I understand your concerns, but: This program is part of a research program being done by the center for autism at the largest research university in our state. They are a model program. Now, not every child in this room in the past has had autism, we have worked with some students with TBI, language delays, and Down Syndrome. However, those students who have autism are being diagnosed by the center, not by the school district. It is a very controlled program, and the people from the center (which is 1.5 hours away) come several times a week to assess and monitor.

We also work on much more than just language. Sensory diets, types of play (parallel, associative, cooperative), following directions, etc. We work with the children to curb the stereotypical behaviors (stimming). So this is more than just merely correcting a language delay. It is hard to see if you haven't been there, but given the amount of oversight and the reputation of the center, I have little reason to be concerned that autism is being misdiagnosed in this particular population.

 

[BeckyScott]

EB- just to back you up, if it is MU, they would certainly be doing an accurate diagnosis. DS's was from Children's Mercy, but that was due to our insurance, MU is the other option that I would have trusted to do it "right".

I suspect that the local program/ classroom that is starting here (see my other thread, LOL) probably visited your program when developing the one here. I know they did do a lot of "visiting" of other programs in the state, even though yours is preschool-level, I'm sure there was information to glean from there. It just seems as though our district is going backwards with it. The point of your program, it seems, is to provide early intervention so that those children can be mainstreamed. Our district is, I believe, trying to get the special needs kids, not just autism but other things, put into specific schools, under the pretense that they are putting better resources all in one place for the benefit of the child. I do support the kids having a more controlled setting at the preschool level, DS's preschool was pretty much a SpEd preschool. But the point is to do it early so you don't need it later.

I find it fascinating and funny in a scary way, that each school district and each state has such completely different situations. In many school districts there are magnet schools or charter schools (or whatever you want to call them) for autism and parents fight to get their child into one. We are facing a similar option and we don't want it. Most of the info I found on LRE and FAPE was about how to get more services, there was hardly anything to be found about what to do if you want less, which is essentially what we're asking. There was plenty of info about student's rights to be transferred to a different school, school providing transportation, student's right to go to a private school and tuition reimbursement, etc etc. But very little info about what to do if you want your kid to stay where they're at. Is that the pendulum swing now? Are we behind the curve, or ahead?

 

[belle&beast]

I find it fascinating and funny in a scary way, that each school district and each state has such completely different situations. In many school districts there are magnet schools or charter schools (or whatever you want to call them) for autism and parents fight to get their child into one. We are facing a similar option and we don't want it. Most of the info I found on LRE and FAPE was about how to get more services, there was hardly anything to be found about what to do if you want less, which is essentially what we're asking. There was plenty of info about student's rights to be transferred to a different school, school providing transportation, student's right to go to a private school and tuition reimbursement, etc etc. But very little info about what to do if you want your kid to stay where they're at. Is that the pendulum swing now? Are we behind the curve, or ahead?

I will give you my experience and opinion and just know that is exactly what it is.

I work in a total inclusion school district. Kids with special needs from age 2 to high school are included in the regular education setting and we do not have special schools for children with disabilities. This works wonderfully in preschool through elementary school. All children are included and the typically developing children learn compassion and understanding for those with different ablities. We do have resource rooms in the elementary school, but most teachers visit the regular ed classroom to see their students. There are a few exceptions when they are using a different reading curriculum or have math groups. This is not disturbing to any chldren because they all separate and work with different teachers according to skill levels.

As the children get older, this concept becomes more difficult. I have never worked in the high school and only have 1 yr (my first) in middle school, so my knowledge is limited to what my colleagues have told me. However, resource teachers still visit classrooms and do their best to help gen. ed. teachers modify their curriculums for chldren with special needs. They use the resource rooms during their homeroom time and any study halls. Also, I believe they have the option to use an elective period for resource help.

Children with more severe disabilities use the resource rooms more frequently and have more life skills type goals which mean they will not be sitting through instructional time that is meaningless for them. Their days are based upon their functional goals and the paraprofessionals are sure to help them to accomplish their individual goals in whatever setting is most appropriate based upon the child's needs. I will say in preschool and elementary school, these kids are included in the gen. ed. classroom and are part of the class just like anyone else.

I LOVE the way our program works. Kids learn so much from interacting with typically developing peers and the peers learn from chldren with disabilities, too. I was never exposed to anyone with disablities when I was a child, but the next generation of children are learning to work with others who are different and I think that is a life skill that is invaluable.