Quote:
Originally Posted by Too Cute Teddy  Education Law states that your child has the right to be in the least restrictive classroom - if they try to put her in special ed classes and you disagree - fight it - supreme court cases have sided with the parents here, and you should fight to keep her in the placement you feel is best even if that means your district has to pay for a one-on-one to provide extra support for your daughter. |
This is so very true and please always keep this in mind, we MUST stand up for our children as the schools tend to push them aside when the difficulties start. YOU have the final say so when it some to holding your child back in school, the teachers are only allowed to make their suggestions and so many parents do not know they have the choice. I have learned many hidden truths within the school systems as my cousin and her hubby are teachers in our local school district and will tell me Ty's best intrest and what our rights are as parents when our school tries to pull one over on us. Also, in our district any teacher who has a student with a medically dx disorder/disease the teacher must got through so many hours of training on that dx!! I say all this due to my own experience with me dear son. Ty is 10yrs old and had been diagnosed with the following by 2 different professionals who have been recommended all around our state....
BPD1---Bipolar I (stands for one but thats just how it is always wrote) w/ ultra rapid cycling
Cyclothymic--this and the BPDI were the difference between the 2 docs, but he is obviously BP 1 with ultra rapid cycling
ADHD---Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
OCD---Obessive Compulsive Disorder
ODD---Oppositional Defiant Disorder
I personally have seen several signs of autism in him. But with the IEP's and other papers you sign there is a few that will "Label" you child as being mentally ill and it will follow in several different aspects of his life for schools, teachers, law enforcement and such and right now I cannot add or change his dx for I fear it will haunt him if it isn't going to already. He does not handle social situations at all and has a hard enough time. also if he doesn't stay on medication the things he gets in trouble for will result in more permanate discinaplary actions and such for him not treating his disablities by taking his meds. Just doesn't seem fair does it?
So we have faced some very challenging times needless to say. Ty is going into 5th grade this year and his grades are above state average in everything but reading/english/writing, it is at a 2nd grade level. But as others have mentioned he is very verbal, just has such a hard time putting his thoughts from his head to the paper and words in paper to his mouth. We have had IEP's for 3 years now which have required 4 meeting each school year with myself, my Mom (to help advocate) school priciple, school counsler, school dean of students, school special ed teacher, every one of his teachers, county certified counsler, and tri-county special ed associate. Needless to say these are very intensive and intimidating meeting for me. The school always pushes for putting him into special ed saying he is too much of a disruption to the class and is interrupting their learning. If it were not for my Mom and I he would be in special ed by now arguing that he IS learning at a steady increasing level. Please no one take offense as I am not saying this is a cruel way whatsoever about special ed. But we as parents MUST advocate for our children, because if we do not speak up for them the system will just push them aside when they shouldn't be. Ty has a special school day set up for him that instead of riding the bus (as he has been kicked off 8 times so far) that we take him to the school latchkey program at 8am where he is able to eat his breakfast and work 1 on 1 with the teacher assistant at getting his assignment book filled out for the day, taking his homework while walking with her to each of his diff teachers rooms and dropping it off( he can never find it and gets overwhelmed due to excessive unorganizational skills, in class and just ends up not turning it in and loses his grade when he had it the whole time) puts his coat/backpack in his locker and is ready for homeroom when the other students are just arrving for the day. This is stuff that should be done the first 10-15 minutes of class but when he starts behind he will stay behind all day. Also on his main 3 ring binder he has his schedule in the front plastic and it is all color coded with the folders in it for each individual class, consistinsy is the key
Also when doing his homework, which is when we can get him to do it after 4-6 hours of constant motivation a night trying to get him to sit still long enough to start.
but anyhow he does better with a timer. We give him a set time to get something done and when he can see that time is still moving (on a kitchen timer) even though he isn't/can't he does better. With homework if the paper is too crowded or "busy" we fold it to make it look like less of a challenge for him. In school for some tests he is allowed to voice record some longer answers or to voice them to the asistant who then marks the paper and the school is required to grade him that way. They wanted to have him use a head phone type machine where the teacher would pre record any tests since the tring to get from paper to mind and out of mouth is so challenging, and he would verbally speak them for an answer but the school would not let this be done outside the classroom, it had to be in front of the other children or during recess and I would not allow him that embarrassment or to not get his recess as children need time to release during school, as in recess.
Oh my I just realized how much I have been rambling and I apologize, I just wanted to share with you and let you know your family is not alone.
May I ask what meds they started your child on. Is the patch staying adhesive during play? We have done the med go round for to long now and it's time were due for a change as his current ones are not effective anymore
Ty is on Depakote ER 500mg and Propranolol 20mg for severe migraines. He has been on every single ADHD med incuding the newest one Vyvanse and always has severe side effects. Also have been on several atypical antipschycotics with only one being really effective and that too only lasted for less than a year(abilify). Please follow all docs advise when they order a blood workup as several of these medications, their levels have to be maintained in the patients body and they may need to increase or decrease the dosage.
Ok so there I go rambling again, lol! Please accept my apologies!! I have just been through a lot with my son and if I can ever help please don't hesitate to pm me or I can give you my email addy.
I could go on for hours but I'm not going to, lol!
I wish Cyan the very best this year and you so many stay strong vibes.
(((((HUGS)))))
one more thing, my Mom and MIL and I go to meetings held by
NAMI...National Alliance of Mental Illness, while this may not pertain to you it has wonderful family support groups.