SPD info for teachers?

No, he doesn't have an IEP and we've been assured that he does not qualify for one because he does not have a diagnosis in addition to the SPD - such as developmental delay or an ASD. I think if he had any other qualifying issue - such as a speech delay - they would treat the SPD also. But here, they are much more interested in screening out kids than in helping all of them. Both the school district and the regional center have said that DJ does not qualify, despite the fact that the SPD makes it very hard for him to function in a classroom setting. Next year, when he starts kindergarten, I'm hoping to get a 504 plan in place for him. I think what works against DJ getting services is that that outside of a busy, noisy, indoor environment, he functions very well. In a testing situation, you are going to see a child who is engaged, quite verbal and able to follow directions very well. But put him in a classroom, and you see a child who bounces off the walls, disrupts other children and can't finish anything.

you know, any "impairment" that significantly with a child's learning can be listed under Other Health Impaired on his/her IEP. just because they've never done it before doesn't mean they can't do it now. both 504 and IEP provide for protections in the classroom. some schools take IEPs far more seriously than a 504 plan. the trick is the "significant" wording. is he behind? is he having trouble keeping up due to the SPD? will it continue? i would contact my district's special ed. coop if you have one. if not, then i'd be talking with the SPED grand pooh-bah for the district. i'd lay out what the issues are and see what their input is. no one wants kids erroneously identified. and sorry to say, but there is now an emphasis against identifying AA boys--it's been used as a catch all instead of done correctly. if DJ actually needs the protection of an IEP, then you need to know--and the district will be happy to help (even if only to avoid lawsuits). good luck, Oak. you go, she-bear!

Oak - I so feel your pain. I have the same challenges with the Queen. The school district here is more into ruling children out than trying to figure out how to help the child. For now I have given up on the school system helping the Queen. We just started our 2nd year of in-home Preschool. I am seriously considering Home Schooling when she starts Kindy. I so wish I had some advice. Just wanted you to know I feel your pain. ((((HUGS)))))! I hope you get the help DJ deserves.

I don't know if there is a coop here, but I'll look into it. That's a good suggestion. We are also planning to go back to the developmental neuropsychologist who observed him last year to get a more complete evaluation and some advice on how to proceed. She was the first one who told us that DJ was going to need added enrichment all throughout school.No, he's not. And that's the thing that really concerns me. If he was behind, I think we'd be in a stronger position from which to push for classroom accommodations. But DJ is about 3 years ahead of his chronological age in terms of academic skills across the board. By next year, I expect the gap to be even greater. So, put my very energetic, very determined, very independent child in a classroom. Add SPD issues that cause noise to drive him crazy. Then give him a curriculum full of information he learned years ago, just for good measure. And what do you get? I see storm clouds brewing. But our district doesn't want to deal with SPD on it's own. (So you're right, we need to push on that one. But we can't say it's affecting him academically. Only behaviorally.) And he's also going to need a completely adapted curriculum. Without both of those things, he's going to have a miserable time - and they are going to have a miserable time with him.Parenting - I'm sorry you are stuck in the same frustrating position! And from your description, the Queen has more significant SPD issues than DJ. Are they telling you the same thing? It has to be SPD + Some Other Diagnosis to get any accommodations?

Oak - here our schools have provisions for kids who are gifted because they have similar challenges as kids who have LD's. Our district has several schools that have a program where the GT kids go so they can learn at an accelerated pace and also be in an environment that recognizes their needs. A friend of mine's son was in this type of classroom and while he still struggled a little bit, he did much better than he was doing in a regular paced classroom.Do you have this option?

They were teaching us here in my Special Education teaching program that IEP's cover gifted/talented, as well. You may want to see if your school district has the same thing.

Crick - I've checked into that and they do - but it doesn't start until 3rd grade. What I've heard from other parents is that they are very resistant to testing kids or doing a lot of modifications before their own G/T program starts. So I'm planning on talking to the special ed department once we know which school he'll be going to and I'll also talk to his teacher once he's assigned. But what I don't want is to come across as some pushy, obnoxious, "Isn't my kid special?" kind of parent - which I think is often the perception when you come in saying that your kid is gifted. And then no one listens to you about anything!I hadn't considered an IEP for G/T . . . There's a thought. I'll look into that, too.

Oak - Yes, I am getting the same song & dance routine here. The Queen was tested at age 3. At the time she was in regular daycare & behavior was off the charts. Despite the school witnessing the behavior, they said, "All you need it Super Nanny & that will fix this problem." That statement is why I don't trust the schools here. I didn't realize Super Nanny could fix SPD. :hissy: A few months after the incident I figured out it was the noise level & the number of kids that was getting to her. So, we switched to in-home Preschool. Her teacher told me last week she suspects the Queen has ADHD. I have been waiting for someone to bring ADHD up. Ped won't diagnose ADHD until age 6 but if I am worried about it will refer us to a Psych. For now I am holding off on ADHD official diagnoses. My guess is the older she gets the more the noticeable the symptoms will be. A couple of things I learned, one Montessori school told me the school district here will turn a child down the first time but they will call the school district back & then the school district will grant it on the 2nd eval. It has also been suggested to me that I ask for a transfer to a neighboring school district that is well known for Special Needs. I don't know how to do that transfer but will look into it.

so why not advance him? sometimes super bright kids need to move up to be with their intellectual peers. g/t IEP? sure thing--it's totally doable. the problem is that few people see the SPED spectrum for what it actually is and schools are generally not that forward thinking. :flower: i had a kiddo who, when he was in kindergarden worked his way through the 3rd grade curriculum on his own. he was tested, allowed to skip the grade and seemed to enjoy the stimulation he got in the classroom. the social aspect was a challenge, but that's evened out now that he's a rather young and incredibly handsome freshman. he was a joy in the classroom. there are many ways to get what you need. the trick if finding someone who's willing to listen and do for him.

Are you saying that he skipped from kindy all the way to 3rd grade? I'm pretty much convinced that advancing him is a better option than putting him in kindy - but I wasn't thinking of skipping more than a single grade. That would make me a little nervous, I think. Granted, one grade doesn't address all of the concerns. (He'd still be a couple of years ahead academically and he's still got SPD.) But it helps a lot. My wife is not sold on the idea, but she's not adamantly opposed either. So, as you said, it's a matter of finding someone who will listen and be willing to work with us. On both issues. But no one said it was supposed to be easy, right? :) I'm sure we'll be feeling our way for awhile.

No, I didn't know that either. A purely disciplinary approach did nothing for DJ at school. Nothing good, anyway. Weren't they seeing the same behaviors at school - or worse since she was triggered by the environment? How would Super Nanny (I think I'm glad I've never seen that show.) at home fix her behavior at school? Of course, I've been asked to talk to DJ about his school behavior, too - more times than I care to recall. But at least no one has openly blamed his behavior at school on my parenting. Yesterday, he brought home a painting, a drawing of a baseball game he went to this weekend, some math work, a labeled diagram of a bug he learned about, and some metal inset work. I think that equals every single thing he brought home all of last year. Three cheers for noise canceling headphones and a quiet corner in the office. If only it had happened a year ago. . .

Oak, the young man i was talking about did all of the curriculum for 3rd--especially math--but they only skipped him a single grade. the social aspect was a little more difficult for him to overcome. he started high school at 13. but having a mid-year birthday helped some. thing is, he's big so the other kids see him as a member of the group. developmentally, he was still pretty childlike although he was doing all the same "dating" in jr. high as the other kids. his mom is a coach in the district and she kept very tight control on him--and the girls! it's been a struggle in odd ways, but never academically. i know of a student who was 10 or so when he entered high school. the plan was for him to work the curriculum in 2 years. he ate it all in under 9 months--all of everything including advanced math and science courses. then he went to college and earned his master's by the time he was 12. fearsome. if your child needs more academic stimulation, though, it would be not so good to not give it to him. i don't know what DJ's particular gifts and talents are, but a good GT teacher would make all the difference academically. behaviorally? not a clue!

I am in the same boat this year. My DD has had an IEP since she started Kindergarten for speech. She got OT for SPD. Now in 2nd grade, she has no need for speech anymore and her speech teacher has "fudged" as long as she can. When the IEP goes, so does the OT. I have contacted the "Parent Liason" from our county, and she will attend our next IEP meeting. From what I hear from people, this woman not only demands, but gets everything the child needs. When the schools see her enter a meeting, they know they will not be able to bully the parents. Try your board of education, or ask around to other special needs parents. The advice I was given from other parents who had been there/done that was invaluable. Like 1000 amys, my DD is also getting OT privately (medicaid covers it) twice a week, and really, she gets so much more out of it than she did from OT at school. My DD is a "seeker", and she uses things to get her through the day....... she rides her bike to and from school, which has made a HUGE difference. She bounces on the trampoline for about 10 minutes before she leaves. She has a wiggle disk (cant remember the real name) that she sits on at her desk that gives her input. She keeps a surgical brush in her desk and when she needs input she uses it on her arms and legs. Good luck!

I've started making some calls and I'm hoping to find someone who can help me navigate the school system. I'm not terribly optimistic since he has no other delays or academic issues, but I haven't given up. Our primary insurance won't cover OT for him, but he does have medicaid as a secondary insurance. So far, I'm being told that they won't cover it if our primary insurance won't provide it. I think they are operating under the assumption that that the lack of coverage means that they don't think he needs it in the first place. It doesn't help that my partner may very well lose her job - our primary income - in the coming year. (The community college district where she teaches is under serious threat of closure.) So that doesn't make it easy for us to pay out of pocket for OT either. Right now, it feels like I'm getting "no" from all directions. But I'm still working on it. I took DJ to a birthday party yesterday - one of those events that used to be a total nightmare for him. And it was both encouraging and sobering. He's better. No doubt about that. But there was still a big difference between him and the other kids his age. He made it for 1.5 hours before he totally fell apart. (Although I did have to shadow him and take him aside a few times to take a break. He gets hyper and impulsive.) But then he had a huge meltdown and needed to be calmed down before we could leave. The hosting mom asked if we needed an ice pack - and I let her go ahead and think DJ had gotten hurt and that was why he was screaming.Sigh.

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