IEP meeting last Thurs

[Jorgy]

Well, we found out through all the testing that Jake has no learning disabilities. What he does have is Auditory Processing Disorder. That I found out on my own by taking him to a private audiologist. The public school didn't want to test him and I don't always consider their tests as comprehensive. He also has a visual processing deficit. Those two combined affect his being able to hear, process and follow direction. It also hugely affects his handwritting. So, I am told he qualifies for OT, PT, Speech and Audiology programs. He will have to wear a headphone so instruction comes straight to him.
Problem is that the public school wants to take him out of his perochial school and enroll him in public so they can give him "maximin services". If he stays at his school they will only provide the minimum services required by law.
He is 9 and has friends in his present school. His sibs go there. It has small classrooms and a lot of 1:1 if needed. He knows every kid in the school and we know all the parents. It is as much a family as a school. He does not want to leave and we don't want him too.
If he stays at his present school, they will continue to work with him 1:1 and are willing to accomadate any special equipment he needs. They are also willing to follow any recommendations that the public school gives them in order to teach Jake. He can also stay in this school through 6th grade in which time he will have to go to a public middle school.
If he switches to public school, he will only be there for a year and then will have to switch to another school for 5th and 6th grade and then will have to switch to yet another school for middle school. These are all big schools with multiple classrooms when he is used to one teacher per grade. He is quiet so tends to blend into the woodwork also. I question how much 1:1 time he will actually get at the public school and if they will really do all they say they will.
I am switching to a nueropsych for him to do some comprehensive testing to see if he is REALLY ADHD and bipolar. I am starting to doubt it. Auditory Processing Disorder is very, very close to ADHD and he fits every symptom of APD.
Right now we are going to keep in his present school and take the minimal help the public school will give us. I am starting to look into what the private sector has to offer in OT, PT and speech.
Wish us luck and I'll let you know what happens!
Thanks, Sue

[Linda]

Sue...I wish you all the luck in the world. Our kids are sure complicated aren't they?

I think you are doing the right thing by doing the testing..Jake is lucky to have you...Good Luck...Linda

[tridlette]

Sue, you are doing the right thing for sure! There are people who can help with the services he needs, and you can even learn to help him yourself with so many of the services that the public school would give him.

If you spend the summer observing what he seems to be struggling with, then research techniques that you can do at home, he will benefit.

I have an OT come to the house once a week for Shaun. They play games... like Boggle, where they concentrate on writing 3 letter words. Or Concentration... where he has to put the round peg in the round hole... or Bullseye Ball... bounce the metal ball into a hole (like miniature SkeeBall).

They put golf tee's into play doh, work them through, and then he has to find them all, one at a time and pull them out. Now he started making it into a bowling game too. He rolls the play doh into tiny balls and tries to knock down the tees across the table.

He practices movements by writing his alphabet on the driveway with a squirt bottle or a hose.

You can also get beads from a place like Michael's, and practice threading them with a big cross stitch needle.

Perler Beads is another we found, making designs on peg boards, and then ironing them together when you are done, to see the product of your art.

Look for developmental games at places like Learning Express. They can be great fun, and don't even seem like therapy!

Sue, you are doing a great job for Jake. Keep it up!

[amcfanny]

Good Luck...sounds like you're a wonderful mom...doing all the right things.