If the school disagrees w/ dx...? | Autism PDD

When therapists get together and see your child dont need the help, the only way to beat them is going directly to the dept of education. You can also have a letter written from his doctors that he needs more therapy etc.... this helped me in getting OT fro my son cause his doctor recommended it 100%. They thought he didnt need it but he did. mosesjr39246.5433449074

Our dd was under the radar for autism by the school's evaluations both times~at 3 yrs/old and 6 yrs/old by a few points.....even though we had written evalutions from dev. ped/ped. neurologists that stated autism/pdd  they only gave her the label of provisional autism... she only qualified for 30 min. of speech a week

I didnt fight them because I was doing private ABA and speech and the school's ST was clueless on how to help her anyway.

Ask for an independent evaluation if the school states your child doesn't need help.  The school will not deny you the process.  That way you can get the help your child needs.  Dd was officially dx'd w/ autism today. After speaking to one of our
therapists, I'm concerned about the school's reaction. Apparently, our
district is infamous for denying autism dx's. What happens if they deny it?
Will they do another evaluation? Anyone know the process?

It's been a while since I posted on our IEP process....She had an evaluation 2
mos ago, school focused on very high cognitive score, ignoring other needs.
We are now in a recess (10 school days, happens to take us to end of
August).

Thanks!

Yes, but his label in New York, until he reaches kindergarten, is A Preschool Child With a Disability. Once in Kindergarten, he can get any one of the 13 classifications he qualifies for (in his case, that would be Autism).  However, a CSE (and this includes the parent) can choose to keep a child who is already receiving services under Preschool Child with a Disabiltiy as a CHild with a Disabilty in kindergarten instead of HAVING to choose another, more specific label.  This helps kids who can't yet qualify as Learning Disabled because they don't yet have an academic track record.  It's not important for kids in NY with Autism since every parent in NY whose child actually has a form of autism should want that as the label since it will give the child services that are not guaranteed with any other label in NY.  Other states don't have this, so in other states what the educational label is does not matter as long as the child qualifies for services under SOME label. 

Look at your son's IEP.  It will say Preschool Child with a Disability.

what do you mean by not being label until kindergarden? my son is 4 and goes to a special ed. school. he has a dx already. For children under the age of 9, it is possible to just get a label of Developmentally Delayed. In New York, no child CAN receive an Autism label until kindergarten, no matter what the doctor says. In fact, no child can receive a label of Blind or Deaf or MR before kindergarten, no matter what THEIR doctor says.  Some states DO label kids before kindergarten. But all states must ALLOW for the Developmental Disability label in preschool and for the primary grades if the child HAD that label in preschool.  It really doesn't matter at this age. Services are driven by proven need (evaluations, assessments, testing, professional observations, etc.)  Yes, doctors reports can be considered.  But the label really doesn't matter at such a young age. And GETTING the autism label doesn't guarantee anything extra. For example, ABA is not give to a child because he's autistic (tho that certainly be a factor) but because his learning style requires it. Pleny of MR kids get ABA, too.  I wouldn't fight the "label" fight as long as you're getting services for your daughter that are appropriate for her.  Yes, let them know.  But the label truly doesn't matter at this age. Getting the right services does. And that's driven by proven need.  Focus on that.We live in a great school district, and I think that mostly they do their best for all kids...However, the good old, "Let's just get started and THEN wait and see about getting an evaluation for _____" argument just holds things up!  If you KNOW that your child needs a service and can prove it with as much documentation, backed up by the law as you can...Keep On Pushing!

Did you have a comprehensive evaluation AND a neuropsych evaluation done?  Sometimes there will also be a Psych Eval with the ADOS given.  Find people who are on your side and start getting official letters together.  They can't deny you necessarily, and you may not need the school board.  Ask for a meeting and go prepared.  Check out the following from a previous post of mine...

To get educated regarding your child's rights and the law as well as to prepare for IEP meetings by documenting, documenting, documenting, I recommend:

"From Emotions To Advocacy...The Special Education Survival Guide"  Authors: Pam and Pete Wright, founders of www.wrightslaw.com

"IDEA 2004"  Authors: Peter Wright, Esq and Pamela Darr Wright (Same)

For research based information about educating your child and recommendations to support IEP requests:

"Educating Children With Autism", National Research Council,  Authors:  Catherine Lord and James P. McGee, eds.

"Educating Children With Autism" and "From Emotions to Advocacy" usually accompany me to every IEP meeting or "Special" meeting...I flag the pages that I might need to cite.  I especially have benefitted from quoting "Educating Children With Autism" in formal letters outlining my requests and reasons for why I think that they are required for FAPE.  You can get these books on Amazon...A must for every parent who is the chief advocate for their child.

Thanks for that info, AndrewsMommy (& everyone else too!!). I just
picked up "From Emotions to Advocacy" and have been working w/ an
advocate. I'll have to pick up the other book as well.

I wouldn't even call what she had a comprehensive eval, and no they did
not do a neuropsych one. I had even called prior to eval, asking about
this (dd was receiving behavioral services through EI). The diagnostician
said a psych is never at the eval, that once dd was in program if she
showed signs of needing that type of help, then the psych team would be
brought in.    

What's also crazy, dd had THREE qualifiers for spec ed (before
autism dx) & she is classified as a child w/ a disability. BUT, their
recommendation is regular preschool (not thru school) to which all of her
therapists/docs say NO! Our district has a bad rep for their program, it
was apalling to see in the ARD/IEP that most were unfamiliar w/ the law
(like, for example, the district is responsible starting at age 3 NOT age 5).
It's nuts!

This is great though, I've got lots of info to work with & study up on (next
meeting is last week of August). Keep ya posted. Thanks again!!
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