help with iep meeting/aging out of IE (essex county NJ)

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

My son will soon be 2 1/2 and has been getting some (albeit very spotty)

services from EI since January. I send him to private speech 2 times a week and

he gets one speech form EI. Both therapists feel that he has apraxia (one VERY

strongly). I had taken him to a developmental pediatrician back in September,

who I was very dissapointed with. He did not mention anything about apraxia and

diagnosed him with DLD (delayed language disorder). I'm not sure what that is

exactly. I guess my question is, knowing that this IEP meeing is around the

corner, what advice would you all give me as to what info I need to be armed

with. Should i take him for another evaluation from a neurologist before the

meeting to have an official diagnosis or would a diagnosis from a speech

pathologist suffice? I was speaking to my OT and asking her what she knew about

the process and she told me that they usually do speech therapy in groups in

class. If my son has apraxia, that's not going to help him. I just want to make

sure that I am prepared and ready to ask for what my son needs. Any advice would

be much appreciated. And, if you yourself have exprienced the essex county IEP

stuff first hand (specifically Montclair), I'd LOVE to hear from you!

Also, if you have a good nuerologist to take him to in the area that might

accept insurance, let me know. Don't know if I want to spend the money on dr.

agin unless you all feel it to be totally priceless/worth it. Otherwise I could

spend it on his therapies. Money is tight these days....

Thanks so much,

Aliza