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Hello,
My 5 yo son has a very mild case of PDD-NOS. Sometimes he seems completely typical, other days he flaps, echos, and shows other symptoms of ASD. He is our biological son, but we also have an adopted daughter who is 6 months old. He has been in speech, OT, and PT since he was about 3 and has done very well with these.
He will be in a public school next year (Kindergarten), and his IEP specifies speech and OT, but he will need senosory OT in addition to the school OT and the school system will not provide it. We are willing to bring in our own therapist and equipment, but so far the administration has been unwilling to allow us to do this. They say they do not have the space, not even during aftercare.
What rights do we have in this? We are just asking for a place to do it so I won't have to jump through all sorts of hoops to get him to the therapist. Is it worh it to go in with guns blazing in full "mama bear" mode, or do we not have a leg to stand on here? I should say that so far we've met with the vice principal, but not the principal himself. The Vice said they would do whatever was on the IEP, but would not allow one thing more. FYI, we live in GA.
Thanks,
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I'm in NY but you may want to try the superintendent. It's been my experience that the higher up the chain you go, the more cooperation you get.
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I agree, I would go further up the chain. Our district has a director of special education that covers all the schools. You can also call an IEP meeting any time you want and ask that it be added in. All you are asking for is a place to hold the OT. Maybe they are under the impression that you want the SD to provide a OT as well. I think this is something that can be worked out and easy for them to provide. I would start with calling the IEP team meeting first and then go higher up if you need to.
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yehudit
He will be in a public school next year (Kindergarten), and his IEP specifies speech and OT, but he will need senosory OT in addition to the school OT and the school system will not provide it. We are willing to bring in our own therapist and equipment, but so far the administration has been unwilling to allow us to do this. They say they do not have the space, not even during aftercare.
What rights do we have in this? We are just asking for a place to do it so I won't have to jump through all sorts of hoops to get him to the therapist. Is it worh it to go in with guns blazing in full "mama bear" mode, or do we not have a leg to stand on here? I should say that so far we've met with the vice principal, but not the principal himself. The Vice said they would do whatever was on the IEP, but would not allow one thing more. FYI, we live in GA.
Thanks,
Do you have it in writing anywhere that his OT is being done in clinic for sensory???? Obviously I'm in a different state, BUT they can't know for sure that OT w/o sensory equipment is going to be enough for him until he is in that school setting. Being on the other side of the table at IEPs (Speech Therapist) I've seen a lot of parents bring this up and get it! I say go for it. At this time, he needs it and they can't take it away unless you agree to it in an IEP meeting (if he already is receiving these services which sounds like it is)....can you bring in a letter/assessment from the OT that can back up your claim that he needs this OT in order to better access the curriculum at school? This is the best way to "shove it down their throats".
Don't worry about mama bear stuff, I say go full force! In CA they can provide transportation from school to OT clinic to home....don't know about GA....of course CA is known to be the most highly litigious (sp?) state, so we pretty much know what should be done, and what "really is out there!!!!"
You're not "out there" Good luck
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Thanks, it sounds like we need to work on this from the IEP standpoint. Yes, I do have an OT assessment done last month that recommends sensory. I'd rather do that than confront a principal in a new school whom I've never met.
Thanks for your help!
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