Possible loss of services. Nees some insight and guidance.

This is going to be long so please bear with me! First the background:

DS has a diagnosis of PDD-NOS. He started with EI at 19 months with 19 hours of ABA. Back in April when we had our CPSE meeting DS was 2 1/2 and mainly non-verbal. Cognitively he was average to above average. He was shown to have scapula winging, low tone and qualified for OT, PT and Speech 3x. While he came off as a very engaging child he was very adult dependant and had near zero independent play. While everyone could see him in either an integrated class or self contained, they felt his attending needs would be better met with a full day self contained class (especially with all the pull outs). When DS started school in September he was nearly 2 months shy of turning 3 and was talking.

I just had a meeting with his teacher and his team (PT was unavailable) to give me a heads up. Apparently DS is doing well….very well….extremely well. She is working on how to justify summer services but does not think our school district is going to go for it. She also feels that even with his diagnosis there is a possibility that they could drop his services now (especially if she can find no justification for summer). His speech therapist said she can find no justification to keep him in speech (even group). His OT said she has no justification to keep him and that any core/body tone issues he has will be addressed with PT, which it would appear is the only pullout he would be retaining. While his teacher does not want to see him leave her class (especially mid-year) she could see him in an integrated class…half day (which is the only integrated option). She said his scores indicate that he no longer needs ABA to learn. She thinks he may be bored with the curriculum. She thinks he may also need older typical child interaction. However, his deficits with attending are still there (while largely improved). He finds it difficult to sit. He hides. She feels the school district may look at this as a behavioral issue and not a learning issue. She is concerned not just for now but their recommendation for the fall. She wanted me to consider the real possibility that he may not qualify for in school services at all come September. Last year she had a similar issue with our district with a child with less skills that my son, even with the diagnosis. She suggested having him re-evaluated again with a Dev. Ped to have backup with the district. (it is going to take me months to get an appointment)

A lot of what she says I can agree with, however there can be no dispute that DS has a disability. He is not able to interact appropriately with typical children his own age. He only wants to play with the adults. His attending to task is poor. He requires constant redirection. I was already resigned to him likely not having summer services but to lose everything is just insane. His teacher wants me to be prepared. So that is what I am doing. Getting my ducks in a row. Preparing myself. I am curious for some BTDT perspectives. Any guidance (either way) would be appreciated. I think my biggest fear is him losing his services, him starting school and being stuck with the label of the “bad kid” who cant sit still and acts out. He still has a year and half before kindergarten to work on these issues. I am not afraid to go the legal route if it would be effective or warranted. Insight?

Message edited 2/6/2013 1:11:56 PM.

Possible loss of services. Nees some insight and guidance.

I'm not sure what district you are in but him just having a diagnosis is enough to get him more services....they just need to be different that what he had. If he is not attending, stress that you have safety concerns and he needs an aide. If he needs constant redirection then he would need an aide. If he has social issues, ask for speech for conversational issues and social skills. Stress that he needs to be kept on schedule and needs consistency for him to function and demand he goes to summer school, if that is what you want. I would also contact your district SEPTA to find out what types of classes and services that are offered and to get some BTDT district views.

Re: Possible loss of services. Nees some insight and guidance.

I would consider switching schools. I know there is no way that my DS's school would put a child who needs constant redirection into an integrated class--they will not have time for that. They ask once, and the child is expected to not need to be asked again, and given no further physical or verbal prompts to stay on task.

Message edited 2/10/2013 10:05:41 AM.

Re: Possible loss of services. Nees some insight and guidance.

That happened to us. My DS had his IQ tested at the end of EI. It was 103 I think and they dropped all his services. He was in typical preschool at the time with his ed teacher going with him, 5X60. We then picked up SEIT and speech from the district, less services but something.

That was pre-k. When kindergarten rolled around he totally tested out of all services. I felt he still needed support because he's very inattentive, but they wouldn't give it. I never tried the legal route though.

You can get services for behavior issues.

Re: Possible loss of services. Nees some insight and guidance.

As a teacher and not a mom, try asking for a period where you can diminish some of the services and go back to committee to reevaluate. I would explain to the committee that removing all of the supports he has had at once could be detrimental. Has he ever regressed at all during breaks in programming? If he has you may be able to use that too. It may not work depending on scores but its worth a try.