Children with developmental delays

L

lesliemarie

Cathlete
I have so son which I am taking to the University of Utah Medical center for an official diagnosis, He was tested in school at the preschool age and discovered he is developmentaly delayed, Now the cause we do not know, that is why we are taking him to The Hospital an hour away to get tested and see why he is delayed, He is a sweet boy, Right now the school has him in regular classes, my question if for teachers, do you ever get a child like mine and if so how do you cope and teach children like this? I am so worried he is not getting his needs met, hopefully by next week we will know more and be able to help him better.
 
bumping for you. i also would like to hear thoughts.

i have had bad expierences when viola was diagnosed but then again that school just didn't accomodate to anybody with any sort of learning disability and their answer was always to put them on meds. well my understanding(2 years after we left) is that the principal was asked to resign b/c of her handling of these cases and the teachers' in general lack of knowledge of handling delayed children. i hope your school is well known for academics for all children and they can provide any assistance. don't let them intimidate you b/c sometimes that will happen to benefit them. see what the diagnosis brings and what recommendations your doctors have and push it from there. you usually have to fight like a hawk to get what you feel is right, but its a well worth it fight.

kassia

http://www.picturetrail.com/ldy_solana

"And do what thee wilt as long as ye harm none"

http://images.meez.com/user03/06/01/04/060104_10010099873.gif
 
Hi,
I have a developmentally challenged 16 year old son and have been through the “system” since he was 3.5 years old. I originally took him in for a speech assessment because he wasn’t talking clearly by that age (I was the only one who could understand him). They tested his speech, his hearing, and gave him an aptitude test which was very limited because of his age.

They diagnosed him with both a speech disorder and developmental disabilities. He had trouble speaking clearly (his resonance was off…he sounds like he was “muffled”) and he could only remember one or two directions at a time. If you asked him to do three successive things at once…he could only perform the first two and would become lost on the third.

I enrolled him in a school district pre-school that was run by a child study team. (Be sure to check out what your local school district offers for developmentally disabled children…you’d be surprised at what’s available). He’s received speech therapy and attended special classes since he was in kindergarten. He was mainstreamed into regular classes (with in class support from another teacher that helped him and a few others follow directions and take tests) until he was in the 8th grade.

After that, he went into a self contained class that was more specialized because he couldn’t keep up with the “regular” class assignments. Right now he’s going to be a junior in high school and has made significant improvements in aptitude. He’s now considered within normal intelligence range and although he can’t keep up with the “regular” classes, I see improvement in his cognitive abilities.

I guess my advice would be to research assistance that’s available to you and don’t be afraid to challenge professionals who only want to “classify” your child and not challenge him. I feel that if I’d have listened to them, he would have been in a more restrictive program and never been given the chance to “grow” and adapt.

Best wishes to you and your son, please let us know how his tests go.

Kathy G
 
Lesliemarie,

I am a regular education teacher at the middle school level. My current teaching assignment includes one inclusion class, which I team-teach with a special education teacher. At the beginning of the school year, we go over the classified students' IEPs and make note of each student's classification, learning style, and necessary accommodations. We also work together to develop and/or modify lesson plans and incorporate a variety of teaching methods to try and meet the needs of all learners in the classroom. It is not always easy, but we are very conscious about doing right by the students and challenging each individual as is developmentally appropriate.

IMO, inclusion is theoretically the right idea, but the truth is that so much depends on the way the adults interact and work together, and if that is not smooth, the students suffer. Some of my regular ed colleagues are not as receptive to having to make modifications to the curriculum; some do not want to relinquish control or share teaching time. Put simply, they just don't "get it," and the in class-support teacher sometimes has to fight an uphill battle to advocate for the child(ren). I have also seen in-class support teachers behave unprofessionally in a way that does the student no service. (Example: a friend in another district has a special education teacher who actually *does* the students' work for them.)

I don't know what grade your son is in now, but I would schedule an appointment with the school's child study team to discuss your concerns. Best of luck!

[font face="garamond" font color=deeppink size=+2]~Cathy [/font face]http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif

"Out on the roads there is fitness and self-discovery and the persons we were destined to be." -George
 
Lesliemarie,

You said your child was diagnised as developmentally delayed (was he diagnosed SDD, PDD, PDD-NOS, etc?), but you do not say if he is receiving special education services. A child with that diagnosis should have an IEP and be receiving services. Also, the school should be doing the evaluation (by the school psychologist) instead of you having to go pay out of pocket for an eval.

You really need to know your rights and be your child's advocate instead of just assuming/hoping the school is meeting his needs. A GREAT website that will familiarize you with special education law and yours and you child's rights is www.wrightslaw.com

I am a school psychologist and refer many of my parents to the Wright's website.
 
I am so sorry, the tested him at the preschool age, that is how we found out he was delayed, they then put him in special ed since then, he did the transitional kindergarten then they transitioned him into the regular kindergarten the next year, so he is in regular classes but gets taken out for an hour a day for special education, we don't know exactly what is going on, they all stopped short of telling me he is retarded since he was only 4 points above the cutoff for retardation, so we are taking him to see a specialist for kids with developmental delays to see what is causing it, I have hear that could be Autism or Aspergers. we will find out next week I think.
 
wrightslaw is a good website. we refer to it when need be, but we do have case workers and advocates now.

i have a list of websites about autism
http://www.angelfire.com/vamp/ldy_solana/Autism.html

its possible it could be autism if there are other factors invovled. for us it was viola's behavior-OCD like with setting up her things,routine,strange places/ppl sent her into meltdowns causing her to bang her head and squeal etc. if it is autism then your son is far from retarded, he just can't learn the same way and needs to be approached from a different method. they said the same thing about viola then the doctor did an evulation on her own a year after diagnosis and said she was average just like most other children,its just her approach to communication and teaching her is much different.

and as already mentioned get on their a$$ about what services they are giving your son. i used to be a bit intimidated by confronting these issues myself but dh and i are just gung ho now b/c viola has great potential that could fall to the wayside b/c its more convient and easier for the school to do things their way when we see differently.

its a hard battle, and i wish you luck no matter what the diagnosis is. but its really worth it when you start seeing the changes for the better.viola could barely talk in kingergarten now she yells at me almost like she is a teenager LOL. she has come a long long way and still have a lifetime to go.

kassia

http://www.picturetrail.com/ldy_solana

"And do what thee wilt as long as ye harm none"

http://images.meez.com/user03/06/01/04/060104_10010099873.gif
 
To me, it does not sound like a child with an IQ of 74 (anything below 70 is considered Intellectually Disabled or what used to be called Mentally Retarded) should be only given ONE HOUR of special education services. Also, the school should do a speech/language evaluation (if autism is suspected, this is required a part of an eval) and an occupational therapy (OT) eval at the very least.

There really isn't a "cause" for a developmental delay but they can tell you the specific areas that he needs support in. Also, a lot of children who are initially diagnosed with PDD or SDD eventually are diagnosed with autism or Asperger's.

IMO, the school really needs to do more. I can not understand why they are only providing one hour of sped services a day.

You are wholly entitled to be informed of EVERYTHING that is going on in your child's education. In fact, federal law states that they can not hold a meeting to discuss your child or add/take away services without notifying you of the meeting and having your consent to make any changes.

YOU NEED TO BE YOUR CHILD'S ADVOCATE!!! You need to be demanding, a pain, whatever you need to do to feel better about your child's education and the services he should be getting.
 
Leslie,

How old is your son? I have a 9 year old that has been struggling for years. I have home schooled my children for 14 years. When it came to Matthew, I didn't know what was going on with him. He couldn't grasp the reading at all. I put my youngest four in a Catholic school last year.

Matthew was put in the first grade and did quite well, until January. We had him tested by a public school psychologist and I was told that he has an IQ of 78. They also told me that he would not qualify for special education. For the score must be 70 of below. He did score well in his math.

We are putting him in a public school next year. They did tell me that they would work with him in smaller groups and individually. He is my ninth child and the only one I do have this problem with. My tenth child has a high IQ.

I can totally sympathize with you. I will definitely be keeping an eye on all of his schooling this year. Let me know how your son is doing and what you have learned about what can be done.

I think I will look on the website someone suggested to see what my rights are as a parent.

Good luck,

Cheryl
 
Cheryl,

DEFINITELY look at Wrightslaw! It is a great website. Peter and Pam Wirght are so incredibly knowledgeable. The website is easy to understand and contains a ton of information.
 
Hi,

I've been a special education teacher for 10 years and even got my doctorate in special education. I've worked in a variety of settings at all grade levels. If I've learned one thing it is to take advantage of any type of early intervention that you can possibly get. In most cases, gains are biggest in the younger years and tend to decrease as kids get older, although that's not a rule.

One hour does not seem like enough service for a child with in IQ of 74. It depends on what/if there is an underlying condition causing the depressed IQ as to what strategies and instuction will be most beneficial. Sometimes students on the autism spectrum test lower, sometimes extremely LD students test lower, and sometimes it's just plain old cognitive ability and the cause will remain unknown. You can end up spending a lot on testing and it is really only beneficial to test every few years. Things just don't change that much and it is very expensive. Have you worked with a psychiatrist or psychologist. They could help rule in/out autism spectrum disorders. With the correct instruction and activities in place, I have seen IQ scores rise and students perform well above their ability level. IMO your money may be more well spent on tutors, and additional activities and instruction.

Learn as much as you can about the special education and the special education system in your area and be an advocate for your child. There are parent advocacy groups in all states. Ours is PEATC and they work to assist parents navigate the special education maze. Sometimes school districts will do only what they have to, but will do more if the parent is savvy. Your child has the right to a "free and appropriate public education" and it may be your responsibility to see that he gets it. Remember there is a fine line between being savvy and a royal pain. I work with both types of parents and the savvy ones' kids get the best treatment.


Tracy
 
Hi,

I've been a special education teacher for 10 years and even got my doctorate in special education. I've worked in a variety of settings at all grade levels. If I've learned one thing it is to take advantage of any type of early intervention that you can possibly get. In most cases, gains are biggest in the younger years and tend to decrease as kids get older, although that's not a rule.

One hour does not seem like enough service for a child with in IQ of 74. It depends on what/if there is an underlying condition causing the depressed IQ as to what strategies and instuction will be most beneficial. Sometimes students on the autism spectrum test lower, sometimes extremely LD students test lower, and sometimes it's just plain old cognitive ability and the cause will remain unknown. You can end up spending a lot on testing and it is really only beneficial to test every few years. Things just don't change that much and it is very expensive. Have you worked with a psychiatrist or psychologist. They could help rule in/out autism spectrum disorders. With the correct instruction and activities in place, I have seen IQ scores rise and students perform well above their ability level. IMO your money may be more well spent on tutors, and additional activities and instruction.

Learn as much as you can about the special education and the special education system in your area and be an advocate for your child. There are parent advocacy groups in all states. Ours is PEATC and they work to assist parents navigate the special education maze. Sometimes school districts will do only what they have to, but will do more if the parent is savvy. Your child has the right to a "free and appropriate public education" and it may be your responsibility to see that he gets it. Remember there is a fine line between being savvy and a royal pain. I work with both types of parents and the savvy ones' kids get the best treatment.


Tracy
 
Get the diagnosis even if it means fronting the money. While you and the school district argue over who is covering it your child is getting older.

Even if the diagnosis comes back with a disablity covered by the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) services from the school district run out on the eve of the 22 birthday.

Lean on the medical practioner for a specific diagnosis. We had a doctor hedge on calling my son Autistic at 4yo. I finally exploded at the doctor and told him that if you call him autistic and he's not whats the worst thing that happens, he gets services and he can't be drafted. My son is 19 now and yes he is autistic.

Mainstreaming is not a black/white policy. Obviously children with varying abilities could be partially mainstreamed.
 
I just want to add to my initial post since I think I did not articulate what I was trying to get across from the perspective of a regular education teacher. A regular ed teacher, at least in my state, does not have substantial formal training in special education, so we work closely with special education teachers to deliver appropriate instruction and support. Through experience and professional development, we become better-equipped to teach special populations (including the gifted), but it is not an area of specialization in your standard teacher prep programs.

My comments regarding how successful inclusion is (or isn't) were meant to suggest that a two-teacher model does not guarantee that your child's needs will be met. It's a good idea to talk to other parents and find out about their experiences with certain teachers (and certain teams if your son eventually goes to a middle school structured that way) who you might want to request or avoid. I agree with the earlier poster that there's a difference between being a savvy parent and a demanding parent. But I also agree that, in this case, something seems to be amiss, and your son may not be getting the services he is entitled to. You should not be kept in the dark like this.

Again, good luck!

[font face="garamond" font color=deeppink size=+2]~Cathy [/font face]http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif

"Out on the roads there is fitness and self-discovery and the persons we were destined to be." -George
 
Our school, a middle school, had inclusion. I had a para professional in the classroom with me. She was in there for special children but helped everybody so all benefited.After talking with me, she would modify the work for the special ed students. Not all teachers want another person in the room with them.
I think you really need to be an advocate for your son especially with the school. Don't be afraid to ask questions and speak up. Educate yourself about your rights.
Ellen
 
I am working with the school, I am not sitting quiet and waiting for something to happen, I have become a good advocate this year. The school year started the other day, I went to the office after I dropped him off and made sure they remember he takes off from school, I asked and asked to make sure his new teacher knew that, Well the end of the day came and I get a call asking me if Brandon is home, I said no he is not, then I knew something was wrong. He got confused and got on the wrong bus and was missing for two hours, we had police looking for him and teachers were looking for him. I got upset at the school because I had told them he does this and they told me they will watch him, last year he had a bus buddy that stayed with him to make sure he got on the bus and got on the right bus.
I told them I am taking him to a specialist that is going to check him over and diagnose him. I keep bugging the school to see when they are going to start up his special hour a day, they told me they won't stick him in a special class because his score was 74,
He did really bad on the testing, his mat score was 69 and so was his reading, you can see by the test scores that his brain is not processing data the way it should be. he is supposed to be in speach therapy also.
I guess I am worried about his future, I want to get things going for him so one day when he is an adult he can function well.
 
WHOA!!! He "takes off from school?!?!" If that's the case, he really needs a catergorical assistant that is with him all day at school. They go to all his classs and walk with him through the halls. They are also there to help modify, explain, etc. I have many kids with a categorical asst. at my school.
 
he has done that since preschool, and I keep talking to them about having someone there through the day and they assure me he doesn't but yet they call me quite often from school saying he went missing again and everytime he does that my heart just sinks! When he is at school I think it is their responibity to watch him, and if they can't then why can't I have someone with him through the day, I am so exhaused by the end of the day with him, he gets so mad when something new, he hates new things and change,
 
My heart goes out to you. It’s tough having a special needs child. I also think they should be doing more if he’s coming up “missing.” I would be very upset as well.

My son doesn’t adapt well to change either. He becomes withdrawn and unsure of himself. He was also tested for autism when he was younger but he didn’t have it. His score when he was 3.5 was 90 which is considered “high functioning” but he still needs so much direction. It’s so odd that he does well with math but his reading comprehension is low. He has a memory like an elephant though, he can tell me stuff I don’t even remember, lol.

I think they’re all different and individual. It takes a lot of patience on the teachers, psychologists, and social worker’s end to figure out what his needs are….as well as yourself. Don’t let it get you down (I blamed myself because I thought maybe I did something during my pregnancy to cause this). He has a brother that is classified as “gifted and talented” and a sister that’s has an above average IQ as well. But after some long conversations with teachers and the child study team I realized that he’s an individual and that I can’t expect from him what I expect from my other children. By the way, he’s truly a gift from God. He’s the sweetest, most loving person with a huge heart. What he lacks in intellect he makes up for with heart.

((big hug)) I truly understand how you feel and want to encourage you to look beyond this and find the positive (no matter how hard that may seem at times).

Kathy G
 
Find out what you want for your child and then nag, nag, nag them. Keep on repeating what you want and they should do it. He sounds like he needs a full-time aide with him. How did they explain why he was on the wrong bus? I find schools very reluctant to spend any money.He is an adorable little boy that needs some help.
Ellen
 
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