Need some IEP advice

Avatar for bari1
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Need some IEP advice
1
Sun, 02-25-2007 - 10:35pm

Hi all, I could use some advice. Here is the gist of a very convoluted situation. DS's(6 yr old) speech therapist mastered him out of social/pragmatic goals which she is the only one who feels he has mastered them. He will not have a conversation about a topic he feels is "stupid" or "boring". He has gotten into trouble on the bus and on the playground. Essentially when the other children won't play the way he wants them to play, he becomes verbally antagonistic. Additionally, he has started to become physical in school, though we have seen this behavior at home for a very long time. His classroom teacher and aide also feel that he is having social issues.
We took DS to the developmental pediatrician 2 weeks ago. He had "stellar" pragmatic skills there,...telling the doctor her teeth are crooked and barely making eye contact the entire 2 hours we were there. She suggested social skills training, and when I told her that his SLP mastered him out she looked at me like I had 15 heads. We will be taking ds for some private therapy and I would like some social skills training in school. DH is livid and wants a new SLP. This woman keeps sticking my ds on earobics, even though I have repeatedly told her that I own a copy at home. However, I realize that demanding a new therapist at this point will probably do no one any service(trust me, I know the other therapists available) and will really make it hard on ds. Is there any way I can have this SLP work on these goals even though she feels he has mastered them? Can I ask for a specific delivery model? Currently she only does pull out but I would rather she does a push in, which I think would serve my ds better. I think the criterion was rather high, but can I have the IEP amended to 100%(which I don't think is very realistic for any child)? He desperately needs these goals addressed.

TIA
Bari

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 02-25-2007 - 11:03pm

Well, is she trying to graduate him out of an IEP? If that is the case I would first demand a assessment prior to his exiting an IEP. Then when she does her reportshe will do one of 2 things. She will either find that he has pragmatic issues if she is a thorough examiner who uses observations, etc as well as standardized tests. If she says that he does not have pragmatic language issues or you agree in any way with her findings and finds him not eligible then I would request an independent assessment. I think you would have good grounds for an independent assessment based on how many others feel he is having pragmatic language difficulties.

This way you give her the chance on her own to fix this and at the same time are going through the right process by which to request specifics.

Even if she isn't recomending exitting him from an IEP you can request an assessment if you don't agree with her on his needs if you can't come to an understanding. Then again request an independent assessment if neccessary.

As you know, needs drive services. At this point it is your oppinion vs. hers. You are going to in some way need evidence of these needs if you and she can't agree on what they are. If you have proof of the need through assessment then you will have more weight with which to request specific objectives and intervention.

Those are my first thoughts at any rate.

Renee

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