it is IEP season!!!! Let's chat!

[justjacqueline]

I was so glad she came over to the mainstream or whatever you would call it classroom this year! I knew because she had been in special ed she would have a knowledge of special needs like ADHD even though a lot of people don't consider that a "special need" kwim? We had a rough year but it would have been worse if he had not had her!

[kai_e]

We had DS1's IEP last week. It went really well. He has met/exceeded all of his goals and has come along so far with speech.

I am also grateful that they identified his oral sensory seeking habits and he will begin working with the OT after his summer session is done.

We do need to go back to the ENT since his tubes fell out and even though he hasn't had an ear infection since they fell out, his SLP is still worried about his really nasal inflection. His dentist, pedi and ENT never found anything anatomically wrong with his mouth, nose but a second glance couldn't hurt anything.

[VinhThiMom]

I know NOTHING about IEPs. DS just got his dx of ASD and anxiety. I'm not even sure what kind of help he'll need. He's intellectually gifted, but socially awkward. He doesn't answer questions (he'll answer with "I don't have to say" "I don't care" "It's stupid"-even to the simple question of "How was your day?") and his anxiety rears up if you push him for an answer, causing a screaming meltdown.

He's switching from private K to public for 1st grade in the fall. I've contacted the county's special ed and office and they just said when I go to register him this summer, take his diagnosis report and talk to the school. I have no idea what I'm doing.

[Shaunam]

Question: If your kid has sensory issues and anxiety, what sort of things are in their IEP? I have no idea what to even ask for. He'll continue getting his therapies outpatient through the local hospital.

He's also possibly high functioning ASD and possibly dysgraphic, maybe a little ADHD thrown in as well. Those are just maybes. We're working on getting everything sorted out before school starts in August so we have any and all diagnoses straight.

[Shaunam]

Originally Posted by VinhThiMom I know NOTHING about IEPs. DS just got his dx of ASD and anxiety. I'm not even sure what kind of help he'll need. He's intellectually gifted, but socially awkward. He doesn't answer questions (he'll answer with "I don't have to say" "I don't care" "It's stupid"-even to the simple question of "How was your day?") and his anxiety rears up if you push him for an answer, causing a screaming meltdown.

My kid does this too!! What is up with that?! Drives me nuts! Aargh!

Ok, I know it's just the possible ASD in him, but most people just see it as having bad manners. When he's around someone he doesn't know well he refuses them politely. "I don't want to talk about this right now, please". So I don't think it's an issue of manners. With me he's like "Ugh, just leave me alone!"

[mibarra]

Originally Posted by Shaunam Question: If your kid has sensory issues and anxiety, what sort of things are in their IEP? I have no idea what to even ask for. He'll continue getting his therapies outpatient through the local hospital. He's also possibly high functioning ASD and possibly dysgraphic, maybe a little ADHD thrown in as well. Those are just maybes. We're working on getting everything sorted out before school starts in August so we have any and all diagnoses straight.

It depends. They must need specialized instruction, and it must affect their education. A medical diagnosis does not necessarily guarantee an IEP, there must be an educational impact. There are services such as counseling and occupational therapy, but here these are related services only, which means they must first be in special ed.

Even with your diagnosis (and I would share all outside reports with the school so they don't redo anything already done), they may still want to do additional testing, because outside evaluations do not always include everything required by state regulations for services at school.

Your first step is to share all the information with the school, discuss options. One thing to think about is what does your child absolutely NEED to be successful in school. What hill are you willing to die on, so to speak.

[Amanda L]

Subbing . . . I have one starting school with an IEP already in place and another we are working on getting a 504 for.

[L&A'smommy]

My daughter had her review back in March. Her IEP is pretty simple though since she only needs a couple of things. I'm sure it will change after her Neuro Psych Eval coming up soon.