re discontinuing special ed. services through school

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for your input. Did I say that my son is six and a half and has had

continual therapy for five yrs. and nine months? (he began at nine mos when

pediatrician noted some concerns). My current concern is that I am wondering if

the therapy he has had through the public school in the last two years is

actually damaging him? I don't see him progressing at the same RATE as

previously and am wondering should I just take him out? THe thing that I was

trying to tell you: my son USED to say " I want juice " instead of " Me want

juice " so this is a regression. Also, he used to use the " th " sound

inconsistently (like many sounds) but now, after " working " on it in therapy for

two years is overemphasizing it. To answer your questions: his second qrter.

report card from his regular kindergarten class (mainstream, 3 hrs. a day, no

aid) described him as " very social with many friends " . I agree that he is most

likely anxious and tired.....the question I have is: is the anxiety and fatigue

due to his " disability.....i.e. his inability to RELY on his body to do want he

wants it to do consistently " alone OR to the therapists EXACERBATING that

anxiety and fatigue by not understanding him, by expecting him to perform as he

is unable or by using methods that are inappropriate for his condition????????

This is what I am struggling with. How can I answer these questions? I do

know that a " motivational chart " that I refused is ABSURD......you can hardly

imagine a kid more interested in learning and improving himself than my

son..........what the school really needs is a motivational chart for the

therapists to LEARN new and different ways of teaching and working with kids

that don't fit neatly into their " special ed. boxes " ......but I am still back at

my original question of whether the therapy is doing more damage than

good.......is there any way for PARENTS to objectively judge this???? CAN ANY

THERAPISTS/PROFESSIONAL/MEDICAL people answer this question?? (some times the

answer is so obvious, but other times it seems the situation is so subtle that

it is hard to tell).

Why hasn't your son had any therapy in a year? only due to no money or because

someone decided he was at age-level and no longer in need of it? Am curious

about this. Does your son just have the verbal/oral apraxia or does he also

have the limb/global apraxia? Thanks, Carol

[Guest guest]

Carol, I know you weren't addressing me, but I have gone through this.

Please forgive me for butting in.

I replied inside the message. Please look for the spaces.

[ ] re discontinuing special ed. services

through school

,

Thanks for your input. Did I say that my son is six and a half and has

had continual therapy for five yrs. and nine months? (he began at nine

mos when pediatrician noted some concerns). My current concern is that

I am wondering if the therapy he has had through the public school in

the last two years is actually damaging him?

I don't know about damaging, but very well possibly holding him back, so

yes in a sense harming him. You said it yourself " not progressing " .

I don't see him progressing at the same RATE as previously and am

wondering should I just take him out? THe thing that I was trying to

tell you: my son USED to say " I want juice " instead of " Me want juice "

so this is a regression. Also, he used to use the " th " sound

inconsistently (like many sounds) but now, after " working " on it in

therapy for two years is overemphasizing it. To answer your questions:

his second qrter. report card from his regular kindergarten class

(mainstream, 3 hrs. a day, no aid)

I just finished my latest IEP battle and won mainstreamimg for the rest

of the year and full-inclusion for the next year, all with and aid. My

advocate and a outside behavioral constultant, (that the school hired)

both believe without and aid it is pointless.

described him as " very social with many friends " . I agree that he is

most likely anxious and tired.....the question I have is: is the anxiety

and fatigue due to his " disability.....i.e. his inability to RELY on his

body to do want he wants it to do consistently " alone OR to the

therapists EXACERBATING that anxiety and fatigue by not understanding

him, by expecting him to perform as he is unable or by using methods

that are inappropriate for his condition???????? This is what I am

struggling with. How can I answer these questions?

By requesting (really your telling them and if they try to give an

excuse that means they're most likely hiding something, like not

experienced aides, teachers or services (read programs/methods) the

school to allow his speech therapist to monitor, (audit, sit-in, pick a

word) his day or just the portion you are concerned about.

If they flat out tell you that it is school policy that no one is

allowed in the room. Write a letter to the District or School Board

telling them what you were told and that you will be calling an

emergency IEP at the end of the week. You will most likely get your

wish. And the emergency IEP is nothing more than a regular IEP, just

that they have to respond sooner. Where you aware that you could call

for an IEP every 30 days if you wanted and that they have 30 days from

the date of receipt from your letter to hold one?

I do know that a " motivational chart " that I refused is ABSURD......you

can hardly imagine a kid more interested in learning and improving

himself than my son..........what the school really needs is a

motivational chart for the therapists to LEARN new and different ways of

teaching and working with kids that don't fit neatly into their " special

ed. boxes " ......but I am still back at my original question of whether

the therapy is doing more damage than good.......is there any way for

PARENTS to objectively judge this???? CAN ANY

THERAPISTS/PROFESSIONAL/MEDICAL people answer this question??

Yes they can. That is why they have to go to the class to see how good

their teaching techniques are.

(some times the answer is so obvious, but other times it seems the

situation is so subtle that it is hard to tell).

Why hasn't your son had any therapy in a year? only due to no money or

because someone decided he was at age-level and no longer in need of it?

I ran into this too. They stopped her Discrete, because she was

" age-level " and she regressed. I got it reinstated.

Am curious about this. Does your son just have the verbal/oral apraxia

or does he also have the limb/global apraxia? Thanks, Carol