Transition/IEP question

[isign]

DS is almost 3 and was dx'ed in April with high functioning ASD. There has been a huge breakdown between EI and the school district. The district has an old ISFP from another county that does not have any of the services DS receives documented except for special instruction (long story, most of his services are private). I took all of the paperwork from our developmental ped to the school district about a month ago. We met this past Thursday for 'testing' and to start getting the IEP ready for preschool. I don't really want to send him - we plan on homeschooling - but I was told his services through the state would discontinue if he doesn't go.

So the ladies doing the testing (an ST, OT, psychologist) decided that he doesn't seem to have ASD, and the language delay (he's around the same level as my 21 month old DD) they seem to think is because he had a hearing loss. (he had fluid on both ears, ENT said no way to get rid of fluid - no drugs - and
tubes were needed. Tubes were put in and surprise - no fluid). They say he will get the same help as an ASD ruling, and I at first agreed - whatever it took to get him the help he needed. However, the more I think about it, the more it doesn't sit right. I'm waiting to hear from the teacher about the IEP meeting and we'll go from there.

Any advise?

[buttercup]

Find the Parent Training Information Center for your state and region. These PTIs provide you with information about education, advocacy and any other related information: http://www.taalliance.org/ptidirectory/index.asp

The one in Florida has a great online tutorial about IEPs(relating to federal law) just so you get a better understanding: http://www.fndfl.org/Tutorials.asp

[khaoskat]

I would fight them. I am not sure what state you are in, but in Ohio, there are special scholarships for children who are on the Spectrum that allow you to take them out of traditional school and put them in special schools or obtain special services for their spectrum needs.

[BookGoddess]

Your child has a diagnosis of autism by a qualified professional and the school district's staff disagree with the diagnosis? What makes them more qualified to disagree with the dx?

I'm not familiar with the services in your location, but where I am, the kids on the spectrum get more services than those who are found eligble under developmental delays. You really don't want him found eligible under some other "lesser" IEP category if he has ASD. The services and intensity of services are just not the same. Here, it's an opening for the school to give fewer services.

[kme]

I would fight to get the services under ASD. A qualified medical professional gave him that dx, he has a right to services as such. A dx of "Developmental Delay" or something similar may give him the services as a preschooler but may not extend beyond that. Here in VA that label is only good through KG.

Other than the psychologist (and the school psychologists I have dealt with are questionable - no offense, just sayin') the staff you mentioned are NOT QUALIFIED to say your son does not have ASD. Maybe they need to have that pointed out to them.

Good luck!

[isign]

Thanks for the help! I'm in South Mississippi. Unfortunately, I don't have very many options. We don't have any special schools in our area. It's this or the therapy is all private, which is fine, but he really needs more structure. He does get OT one time a week & ST twice. I really want him to get more OT. I've found Teaam, our local autism group, and am starting to get involved. The leader passed my info on to the PTI and we're playing phone tag.

I talked to his OT yesterday, and she said that she saw the ASD when he first started, but not so much now - we started in April. He is a totally different child when he has OT, so much calmer. I think because he doesn't have sensory avoidance, the school district just isn't seeing it. He's very social, very friendly. He is very sensory seeking, makes decent eye contact and likes people. To them, all of these seemed to indicate that he doesn't have ASD. I see it when he gets distressed, when there is something new. He doesn't flap, but he does a noise like he's blowing air into his cheeks.

While I disagreed with the outcome of one of the tests his develop ped did - ADOS test, DS wanted nothing to do with the room, the person or the toys - I do agree with the DX.

He will turn 3 next fri, and I still have not heard from the teacher, no IEP meeting, no info from the school. Doesn't this legally have to be in place by his birthday?

[khaoskat]

Originally Posted by isign

He will turn 3 next fri, and I still have not heard from the teacher, no IEP meeting, no info from the school. Doesn't this legally have to be in place by his birthday?

Legally it must be in place by his 3rd birthday, but with him turning 3 during the summer, and school not starting (unless it is different where you are) for another couple of weeks, they have a bit of leeway.

I would consent to the services they are going to provide right now, but at the same time go to the next step - fight the diagnosis. They cannot trump your physician/dev.l pediatrician. You have the evidence in your favor with the developmental ped testing, results, and diagnosis..

A good on-line resource is wrightslaw.com

[isign]

I talked to the special instructor today. She said this is common and here, they can have the DD ruling up till age 10. She said the most important thing is to make sure that he gets the services/accommodations that he needs. She said they will most likely focus on speech/language and then social/behavior.

Our school district started school last Thurs. For summer birthdays they write the IEPs before school is out. We moved from another county in April. The other county had already started writing his IEP, and had planned to have everything done by the time school started, and we'd tweak it according to his summer progress.