Re: AJeffsMom...'s Mom - PLEASE READ!!!

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much! My husband and I have already had so many red flags about our

local school district! We were also warned by an ABA therapist in town we want

to use. She told us to take along a tape recorder so we will. Thanks again so

much! I feel like I'm about to enter a race and I don't know the rules, the

course, and have never ever run before! They hold all the cards! I saw the 1st

book you mentioned at my bookstore and almost buy it...I'm getting it today!

Thanks again and I'll let you know how it goes.

My MIL is coming over tomorrow to watch the kids so I can have some time to get

organized. My first meeting with anyone from SELPA is on Friday...for them to

meet me and . They are coming to my home so I am wanting it to be at its

best so they can't say the home environment is not acceptable for a home based

program. *sigh* These are the people who are supposed to help my daughter!

H 's mommy

newly diagnosed PDD-NOS...

(3years, 3 months) was diagnosed PDD-NOS on March 15th

and we started the gfcf diet on March 18th after reading Karyn Serroussi's

book. We've done well on it and I believe we have already seen an

improvement. We are doing yeast free though we haven't done any testing

yet.

Questions: has anyone tried non-dairy creamers? Mine says

100% milk free but I'm wondering if it caused a reaction?

Carrot juice: we seemed to see a reaction to that the next

day...very stimmy, withdrawn, emotional. So we are also doing phenol free!

Anyone else see a reaction to that?

IEP questions: we have our IEP on April 12th and the people

are coming to my home to meet this Friday. How should I prepare? My

intention is to try to get them to pay for a home-based program and do

private preschool in addition.

That's all...I can't wait to get to know all of you!

and Myrd

(3years, 3 months)

(almost 23 months)

[Guest guest]

('s mom)

This group will help you tremendously in your journey. Also, you are

already ahead of the game by getting on the GFCF diet and

noting what things seem to effect her, like carrots. Good job.

One thing I have learned about dealing with the school district. You

catch more flies with honey. With our first special ed program at one

of our local schools we were so new to the process and didn't have an

advocate. They screwed up (surprise) and we ended up with a very

adversarial relationship. We got an advocate and now have what we

want, but of course it doesn't mean that everything is smooth.

I'll give you an example. There is this issue we have about

compensitory time for our behavioral intervention. Well, it turns out

that everyone has a different definition of compensitory time. Of

course the people that give you approval to use this time for your

program don't agree with what my definition is. Well, when I was on

the phone with this guy I could feel my blood starting to boil. Then

I mentally stepped back and tried to put myself in his shoes. This is

his job. If he doesn't do things according to the school district's

rules he could be out of work. Also, he worked for the guy whou could

get me approval - So.... I was very nice and started asking him to

help me since I am about to go into an IEP. I asked him to provide me

with the proper wording for this issue. (He actually didn't give me

the proper wording, but I know I can get that from my advocate) I

told him I understood that it must be difficult to deal with a badly

written IEP and that I wanted to try to get mine organized to make

both our jobs easier. I also told him that I understood how difficult

it must be to say " no " to families all the time. He said, and I

quote " I wish I could say 'yes' to families as nice as yours. " A

small triumph. But now when I call him again, I think his back won't

automatically be up. I also plan to call him before I sign my IEP and

check to see if it is right according to his definitions.

I guess what I am saying is that being emotional has it's place - I

am not beyond bursting into tears at an IEP if it will help me get

what I want (I was an aspiring actress at one time, but the tears can

come very easily these days) however, I think if you stroke some of

these folks egos and play nice, they might actually help you or at

least be a bit less of an obstacle (read pain in the a**)! Also, now

that we are going to be working with my son's home school I don't

want to burn any bridges.

Anyway, always be prepared, be nice, be ready to burst into tears if

things are not going your way and willing to beg to get what you

want, but also document everything and hire an advocate to make sure

that the school district does their job and that they are up to date

on all the " new " rules. I can't tell you how many times our advocate

(and we) have corrected the staff of the school district on their own

policies (nicely, of course). (I also can't tell you how empowering

it is to point out, from the law, where they are wrong. What a kick!)

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Moira

mom to Vico (4 ASD) and Culzean (11 months)

[Guest guest]

I have to second this. I asked for everything I could for Evan but he was

not ready for it. I understand that there is not the money nor the

therapists available to give ABA to every child. Especially at home. Not

every child can handle it either nor can the families. But when he was a

year older and they finally got an ABA aide, Evan got her.

Betty

----- Original Message -----

When the " really good aide " becomes available or there are

> additional hours to be had, you will be the first person they think of

> because you thought kindly of them.

>

> in San Diego

> mom to Kathy, ASD, age 3, and Carolyn, NT, age 13 going on 2 today