Special Needs Children

[Unregistered]

This is for the parent of the deaf child....I applaud your efforts with the schools. The public schools are required to provide your child with a free and APPROPRIATE education. If she needs an interpreter, they HAVE to provide it. It is the law!!!! I had many bad experiences with my child who is mentally retarded (not autistic) in 2 different school districts and had to fight for him to get an aide for himself, they fought it tooth and nail but I won. Many childcare centers these days teach their staff sign language, so the schools should as well. They need to acommodate the child. You pay taxes your child has the right!!.

As for the daycare providers, I understand that you are having a hard time with particular children..Please keep in mind that we parents did not ask to be blessed with a special needs child. Imagine the life we live...We will NEVER experience the things that most parents do. We spend countless hours thinking of what will happen to them if we die, we will always have a fight on our hands whether it be from schools, doctors, childcare providers, etc. just on simple "no-brainer" situations. WE get forced into homeschooling our kids because of fighting a losing battle. If you need help, ask the parents for additional training, tap your resources. Please do not give up on our children. On the brighter side, you atleast get paid to care for the kids, we don't get paid money only hugs and kisses.

It is extremely hard to find quality child care when you have a special needs child, and it gets worse/impossible when they are over the age of 12 and can no longer go to centers.

Keep in mind the valuable lesson you are giving the other children. Don't think of their experience being lessoned due the SN child. Think of the lesson of tolerance of being different, acceptance, patience, caring, unconditional love etc. The typically developing children and the world will be better off for the lessons you are giving them for having a special needs child in their company.

Good luck to you all!!!!!


Susan

[MG&Lsmom]

Yes I would love to talk with you! We have come a long way, but this summer brings some new challenges I am not sure how to handle. He had a speech and OT (i think thats what they were called) come last summer for him, but he has now aged out and in 1st grade. Mom is trying to get someone to come in a few days a week to work on specific things with him that I may not know how to correct or have time to do. For example.... Two things.......pooping in his underwear & not caring (he's 6...its really hard to change a 6 year old!!) and he HAS HAS HAS to be 1st at EVERYTHING. If he is not, he gets upset and triggers him into a mad grumpy mood that he just doesn't snap out of. Now, I am not going to give him his way all the time just to avoid the situation, however I dont have enough hands or time to teach him in a way he will understand and follow. Thats just 2 examples....we wont even get into how his 8 year old sister instigates him just to purposely make him mad *sigh*

On the positive side...he is very verbal, speaks in full complete sentences, can express his feelings, knows when he does or doesn't want something, respects me and my rules, NEVER has been physical with any of the daycare kids (well, except his sister), in the last 9 months he went from being in pull upos 100% of the time, to underwear all the time. (the trick with accidents is in his diet, he cant have gluten...however I never know if hes snuck some of his brothers cereal or crackers or toast or whatnot)...he reads at a 6 grade level, VERY smart with his numbers and is 95% of the time a really sweat sweat kid (for me!!! Not for mom)

Anyways....heading to bed so cutting this off....I will look forward to the email!

Specifically about the services he had last year. Each year a child's IEP (Individual Education Plan) is updated by the TEAM at school. It might not be that he aged out, but rather that he would not significantly regress in order to qualify for summer services. It is imperative that the parent request summer services from the school district now. With ASD kids they take data for the weeks leading up to a break and then after to "prove" the child regressed in a manner that would significantly harm them if they don't receive services over the longer summer break. Trust me it is an uphill battle Instead of helping our kids, schools are only looking at their bottom line. My taxes or not, they don't care. Special Ed services are the most expensive item on the budget. They bully, threaten, and break the law all the time and unless you have the financial resources to fight back you will never get what your child needs. We just spend $3000 on an Advocate to help with school year issues. But we have to take them to court if we want our daughter to receive summer school.