Early Intervention for Your Child
Chat Transcript... continued with Rita Taddonio, CSW Director of SPARK (Child Development program) at
Spence-Chapin Question: Do I have any other options other than public school after EI (free, I mean)?
Rita: Just the school system which, of course, is guided by the Individuals with Disabilities Act as well - but there is less money and the criteria are more rigid. The bottom line is you have to prove that the delay or disability prevents your child from being able to learn what is being taught in the classroom - so if you have an articulation problem, you are not going to get services.
Question: How hard is it to change the IEP once it's been signed? To add services?
Rita: For an IEP, you usually have to wait for the 6 month review or yearly review - but a lot depends on your school district.
Question: Should I ask for a new MFE? When the first was done, he'd only been home a little over 3 months and barely understood English, and by the time the review comes up next month, it will be almost 1 year home.
Rita: depends - do you think he has changed that radically or that they missed something in the original MFE?
Reply: He does not speak at all, it's not an articulation issue, he has maybe 5 approximations for words. He turned 5 this February. They only have him at pre-school in 1 group therapy session for 15 min. per week, no individual.
Rita: Oh no - he needs speech. You have to fight that. Are they saying it is transitional delay or what - how do they explain 1 group session a week?
Reply: They say it's an hour, but I've sat in on class, he gets 15 min of attention with 2 or 3 others in the same room as the class. The Speech Therapist is in there for over an hour, but she works with all 12 kids for that hour.
Rita: I understand that, but they need to pay for private if it's such a severe speech problem, don't you think? If they can't provide what he needs and you can prove he needs individual, they will have to pay for him to get private sessions.
Reply: OK, that's what I needed to know. Thanks! I really hate confrontation, but my son needs to learn to speak.
Rita: I'd get a private evaluation, and then go to fair hearing on the speech. You have to talk to the people in the school district office.
Comment: If you hate confrontation, you could start writing letters to whoever is in charge. For some people that's easier.
Reply: Yes, that would probably be easier for me.
Rita: That's a good point - and it is always good practice to put everything in writing, and keep copies, and date everything.
Next: Chat Transcript... continued
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