So frustrated-CPSE meeting

I am very angry and it has taken me a couple days to calm down. On Tues I had DS's CPSE meeting with the school district. She noted that she had all the eval reports and determined that she will not recommend a center based pre-school at this time. She would say that DS qualifies for speech 3X's a wk and OT 2X's a week and "probably some ABA but I don't know yet."

His team leader asked why not a center based school (I should mention that DS is in a 1/2 half program but only started two weeks ago and also gets 6 hours of 1:1 ABA) The chairperson responded that DS was dx w/ PDD-NOS over a year ago (May 2013) and since that is no longer a DX she doesn't accept it as evidence of a disability. In his most recent psychological eval the Sanford-Binet test was performed and she finds this unacceptable.

Her quote was "all this documentation may be enough for some other districts but that's not the way I roll."

So now, I have to get DS evaluated AGAIN with the test she wants (ADOS), along with a PT eval and a hearing test.

DS has a very limited vocabulary, seldomly speaks and has no social skills with his peers.

I am outraged that I have to put my son through more testing and play a waiting game because the district didn't like the tests done and doesn't "accept" his PDD-NOS dx.

Frustrated and angry- that's me right now. The one who is going to suffer is DS b/c the district employs a person on a power trip.

Re: So frustrated-CPSE meeting

How old is your son? Who is the chairperson to say that she doesn't accept evidence of his dx? Does she hold a degree in psychology? Does she know anything about your son? Who gave him the diagnosis of PDD - NoS?
You can't diagnose any spectrum disorder without using the ADOS. PLus when we went though EI, the first thing they told us was to get a hearing test to rule that out.

Re: So frustrated-CPSE meeting

All I can say is you may need to look into an advocate, because if that is how your chairperson "rolls", it's frightening ! Will she chair all future IEP meeting in that school district ? YIKES ! Was the psychologist that did the eval there ? What was his/her recommendation ? In fact, how did the chairperson come up with 3 sessions of speech and 2 of OT,...ask for more ! Just because they state an amount doesn't mean that your child may not qualify for more. If your child's speech is significantly impaired, perhaps he has verbal apraxia...and needs frequent 1:1 sessions. My daughter had 4x speech and still does in Kindergarten. She also had 3x OT.

A child does NOT have to be on the spectrum to qualify for a center based program. What does being on the spectrum have to do with the entire thing ? A preschool student is labeled a child with a disability .... what that disability is may not even be clear at age 3. Get the district to fund an IEE with a highly reputable neuro psych if she feels his present evaluation wasn't sufficient ? lol I wonder how she would roll with that ?

I can't even picture myself sitting in the same room as someone who speaks like that. How disheartening :( There are clear guidelines on what districts HAVE to provide, how she "rolls" has nothing to do with it.

Feel free to FM me. Some districts are notorious for hiring people that use intimidation as their tactic. Remember CPSE meetings are 'negotiations".

So frustrated-CPSE meeting

Ds is 2 and turns 3 in October. The ADOS test was done a year ago and the dx was PDD-NOS. The chairperson found the dx invalid b/c the dx "doesn't exist." and she doesnt know if a center based pre-school is warrented b/c she doesn't know if he had a disability or not.

A hearing test was done a year ago. The report notes that the instrument that was put in his ear for sound waves was done 3Xs in one ear and only 2 in the other b/c he was pulling it out. The chairperson foud the test to be inconclusive as to the ear that it was only done 2xs instead of 3.

The psychologist that did the eval was there and noted that since the ADOS was done she used Sanford-Binet. The chairperson said an ADOS test done a year ago is invalid b/c the spectrum changed.

Is ther a place were I can review the guidelines pp mentioned? I want to be better prepared the next ime.

Re: So frustrated-CPSE meeting

Ugh, why is she so stuck on the diagnosis? It doesn't even matter at the CPSE level because all children are classified as preschoolers with a disability. Very bizarre. It sounds like he should totally be in a program. He needs a class that will be language emersed not just any old preschool/daycare.

Re: So frustrated-CPSE meeting

I think you did all required things. This woman sounds like a total idiot!!!!

So frustrated-CPSE meeting

I get so angered reading this. I agree with all the above posters. A diagnosis has no bearing on what services you receive. The services should be given with the need of the child. If you are planning on staying in this district I would hire an advocate and then tell your CPSE chair, "that's how you roll". I would also contact the director of special education in your district and report her. Can I ask what district?

So frustrated-CPSE meeting

The problem with getting him re-evaluated is that you are wasting precious time in finding a placement for him. If he had the ADOS done a year ago, why is she having it done again? I don't understand that because generally the district waits three years to re-evaluate. My DS had a PDD-NOS diagnosis originally, but he still meets the criteria for an ASD. What changed is the criteria for diagnosis in the DSM manual in the latest version and it sounds like the chair may not be too familiar with what it all means.

This sounds like something the CPSE chair in my district would say. I would appeal to the director of special ed. I don't think you should have to re-evaluate him if you have an ADOS from last year and now a Stanford Binet.

Also, I don't know if you know this, but with an October birthday you can keep him in EI until December if you want to. Ask at his current school if they would have a spot for him for EI for the fall and a spot for him to transition to in January for CPSE while you fight it out with the district. That's another way you can go.

Message edited 6/6/2014 2:35:12 PM.

Re: So frustrated-CPSE meeting

Re: So frustrated-CPSE meeting

DSM-5 is the most recent edition

Some links that might help:

http://www.autism.com/news_dsmV

http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorder%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

http://depts.washington.edu/dbpeds/Screening%20Tools/DSM-5(ASD.Guidelines)Feb2013.pdf

Re: So frustrated-CPSE meeting

Please look into an advocate. There is a grandfather clause because otherwise every child/ adult with pdd would be dropped.

Re: So frustrated-CPSE meeting