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Special Needs
MaxandRuby
member
IEP opinion wanted
MaxandRuby
member
We had our IEP meeting. I have not signed anything yet. DS2 turns 3 in 1.5wk and has CP. He has qualified under the Orthopedic Impairment category. Without going into a lot of detail, as I'm not sure what exact info I would need to give, the PT offered 30min per MONTH of direct service. That averages out to 8min per week. For someone who basically qualified solely due to being "extremely low" on the adaptive behavior skills, this just seems really low. OT was offered on a "consultation/collaborative/direct" basis for 30min per month 2x per week which averages out to 15min per week.
What exactly does a PT and OT do in regards to direct service?
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Re: IEP opinion wanted
Huh?! He qualifies for gross motor skills, right and adaptive? Here a PT does gross motor and a special education teacher does the adaptive. DS turned 3 over a week ago and I haven't signed his IEP either since the PT's recommendation was 30 minutes a week of direct services. Um, no. I think he should have an hour which seems to be more common from some other people I've spoken with.
In terms of your son, I'd expect more direct PT, even if some is also being provided within the classroom...hopefully there's some in the classroom and that's why they recommended less direct?
Honestly, I'd not agree to those parts of the IEP and ask for an IEE for PT and OT hoping that someone would suggest your child get more service than they are offering.
I would say way more direct PT, atleast 1 hour/week. I know from asking questions about our special needs preschool here, almost none of the kids get 1 on 1 time with the PT/ST/OT! I was pretty shocked.
I was a Special Ed teacher with one of certifications being in physical disabilities. 30 mins per month seems pretty normal for DIRECT therapy/consult. The PT will probably be working with all of the preschoolers, and preschool teachers on a more regular basis. Also, many times the day to day therapy is provided by the teacher or aide trained by the PT.
PT = gross motor and usually positioning
OT= is sensory and fine motor skills
Before signing, ask what other PT he will receive in the classroom.
Well this is the thing. They put ZERO gross motor goals on the IEP which I do not get at all. And the IEP states direct only (whereas the OT marked consultative/collaberative/direct). I realize that the teacher and the aides will provide the majority of the "therapy" but given that he was apparently so deficient in adaptive skills plus the fact that I disagreed with much of her evaluation, I'm really left feeling that they are trying to get by with the least amount possible. Every single person I have talked to (people in the special ed field, people who have worked with DS2 for a year) all feel that 30min per month is simply not enough.
The PT also declined to review the letter from the private PT at the IEP meeting (letter was recommendations on seating for the classroom and bathroom). I get that they don't have to include it in their findings, but I thought they had to at least read it. She also completely 100% put off making any sort of gross motor goals AND seating until she sees him in the classroom. This says 2 things to me: WTF seating do they plan on using until he "fails" at whatever they are hoping to get away with and 2. they are hoping to just have him use a regular kid school chair which WILL NOT work for him.
The more I look at everything in this IEP, the more I am disliking it. They had no toileting goals but I had them put in and in general their goals are vague and measureable IMO. I haven't signed this yet because I need to talk to DH in length at it and I am trying to determine exactly what plan of action I want to take (accept or push for more).
And tell me something - a lot of what I disagreed with in the PT's evaluation report was mainly verbage. I needed her definition of a few words before I could accept what she had written (which I still do not agree with). An example: She wrote that DS2 could maneuver his walker. MY definition of maneuver is that he can go forwards, backwards, and turn corners (basically go every which way) and he cannot do that. What is your definition of maneuver? She stated that he was able to keep "a good pace" with his walker. I had to have her define good pace. To me, this means moving the walker in a straight line at a decent speed without having to be prompted to move or me actually moving the walker myself (hand over hand) to get him to move. What is your definition of "a good pace"? Those are just 2 examples. I will give you her definitions once I here your definitions.
Sorry, I could not find this post to follow up until now.
I would never sign an IEP without observable and measurable goals. If the PT is not writing them, then you should take some in and add them to the IEP. As far as Physical Therapy services, they should be direct/consult/collab. This will allow the teachers/aides/parents to be taught what needs to be done.
With regards to the private PT letter - you can read it out loud during the meeting and talk about what you feel needs to be addressed in it.
Ex of a decent walker goal: Sally will walk, using the walker, in appropriate form, 10 feet in 2 minutes. Maneuver is not measurable, and therefore does not belong on the IEP.
Good luck