Ugh, I did not like the SLP in our district and a question

ToastieSimons

We started the process of transitioning to the school district yesterday.  We had our initial meeting to determine what types of evals would be needed, etc.

DS1 is 2.5, and does not speak.  He has no words or babbles.  He makes lots of "noise" and vowel sounds.   Our speech therapist does lots of play therapy and sign language.  We have noticed a lot more vocalization and attempting to sign.  He holds his hands out when he wants more but he's physically limited in being able to put his hands together to form the sign (he doesn't clap either).

Then she wouldn't believe us about his cognitive skills.  I'm not really sure what his abilities are because there so hard to test.  Some things he does are very age appropriate and others aren't.   If I tell him to take one more bite after he refuses a food, he always will.  Yet, if I ask him "where's daddy?" he doesn't look for daddy, etc.

We also discussed he only drinks out of a bottle and that at one time he could manage a straw occasionally but now he only wants to play with it.   Personally, I feel he has a strong emotional attachment to his bottle because anything that resembles a sippy cup is not allowed near him.  She asked if he drinks anything other than milk and when I said cheap junky juice she tells me to just put that in the straw cup and he'll drink it.  I had to tell her repeatedly that he would not drink it.  She said 'just make sure he sees you pour it".  It was like banging my head against a wall.  

She just had this attitude of "I know what your son needs, obviously it's easy just do it this way".

Despite telling them over an over again the struggles we've had with him for 2.5 yrs and everything that we've tried it just felt like she was telling us over and over again we've just been doing it wrong.

 

Also, within this 10 minute meeting they already said they don't want to service him and it's highly likely that they'll send him to a  school that specializes in kids with CP.  

 

Is this typical?  DS1 does not have CP, he has some similar features, but he has hypertonia, not spasticity and his tone is dynamic that changes with his excitement level.  I just kind of feel like they went into this meeting with an expectation of DS1 and aren't going to be open to seeing his actual skills.

After almost 3 years in EI I started feeling like such a pro and now I feel like such a newb again.   

I'm also struggling with this whole preschool transition.  It's funny how we start really feeling like we're 100% accepting of our situations and then something new starts and we realize how different things are than we hoped.  If DS1 was NT I would not be thinking about preschool and probably on the path of homeschooling. 

 

MaxandRuby

I feel your pain. The school PT and I did not agree on DS2's capabilities and this held up getting him into school (he turned 3 in Oct and he starts preschool on Monday).  She was GROSSLY overestimating his abilities and in the end I had to request an IEE and also stated that I wanted the PT eval from his private therapist considered. I am not impressed with the school my son will be going into at all and it sucks that I had to push things the first time around. But I could not in good faith or conscience accept what I knew to be wrong. 

Anyway and sorry for the tangent, I'm on a FB group called IDEA & IEP Tips - Parent to Parent for Children with Disabilities. I've only posted once but I like to see what others have to say and get tips from them.  You may want to look at it.

I don't think the school can actually state that they don't want to service your son. If this school is his least restrictive environment then that is where he should be placed. Auntie is much more knowledgeable then me in this area though so I hope she replies too. BTW - I record all of my meetings with the school which has come in handy for me later (just for remembering things that I forgotten).

bumpuser511563

Auntie does have great advice!

I think you may have to call the special ed department at the school district.

I don't think they can do that to you and your DS! I would be so mad! I have been so mad!

I may have begged for like a year and a half to get DS OT at his preschool.

I made the call to the school district this past January over a number of things the school did wrong.

DS does qualify under another OT evaluation and the school OT told me I did not think it was that bad. I am the mom, I know DS. I have requested 4 evaluations including OT. And I have requested observations before we discuss a behavior plan.

I am ever so glad I did this for DS. I may have been labeled a crazy mom but I don't care.

When comes down to it, I don't like the school social worker because she said no to my behavioral therapist. 

 

 

mommyof4boys

I'm in the same group  SPAN might also be helpful.