-I'm never a fan of them in general because the are so stressful
-I've only met the new OT a few times, the PT once and the Speech path 0 times. Yes folks that is right- I wouldn't be able to point out her Speech path or PT if you had them in a line up and held a gun up to my head
-I'm beyond frustrated with the speech path who I've spend the last couple of months playing phone tag with but could never get ahold of.
So I initially thought I was going to be attending the IEP by myself which really had me jazzed. I love my mom and I know she loves PB but we inevitably walk out of meetings like this with my mom telling me how I've been f*&king PB over by not doing all I can for her. Evidently spending time working with her everyday is not enough. My dad pitched a fit because he thought I was going to go in and make a big scene and really alienate the therapist who would in turn take it out on PB so I said my mom could go. On the way to pick up my mom I had the Sex Pistols & Rob Zombie blaring. I was absolutely ready to go to battle.
The speech path from Shriners had faxed a letter to my moms office saying that PB should have a minimum of 3 weekly 30 minute individual sessions and all her reasons to support this. Previous to this year PB always had one 30 min individual session and one 30 minute "group" session with one other student. I wasn't happy with the group but had always been assured it was a child who PB could work well and learn with. I knew that PB's group sessions this year had 2 other students which is what prompted the game of phone tag with the speech path. What I didn't know until yesterday is that PB is not getting ANY individual sessions- no child is because they are understaffed. Um yeah- not my problem. As soon as I get done with this post I'm making calls to get copies of all of BP's IEPs and speech path notes since she started the district at 3 years old. I'm contacting the school board, the local paper, Advocates for Access and my State Representative. Can you tell I'm not happy?
After a lot of fighting the speech path agreed to add an additional 30 minutes of speech for PB which of course will be in a group because the poor speech is so overworked. We have to re-evaluate in the fall. She admitted that PB is making progress with 60 minutes and that more therapy should show more progress so I'll fight the battle in the fall to keep the entire 90 minutes. I also got a call before walking into the IEP that the PTs wanted to take PB from 60 minutes a week, so 240 minutes a month, down to 30 minutes a month. They claimed that she's met all her goals. Yep she has- sounds like its time to write new tougher goals then isn't it? I did agree to let PT drop down to 30 minutes a week. The coordinator was a HUGE help in getting the additional speech time as she said one of PB's best traits is her friendly social nature and that if we want her to be comfortable in society that she has to be understood by members of society. Her teacher said that PB can be understood in the classroom but pointed out that she's been teaching special needs students for almost 30 years and can decipher almost all speech. I am so sick and tired of fighting for things for my daughter that should just be happening. I've said this before and I'll say it again as much as I hate the fact that PBs future is so up in the air the more help, intervention, therapy and skills she gets now will cost the state less in the long run. I hate that its all about the almighty dollar instead of people actually caring enough about this kids to help them succeed to the best of their abilities. SO, I'm done ranting for the moment and now I'm going to start making phone calls and I figure by sometime next week someone over at the admin offices will have my foot planted in their arse!
No comments:
Post a Comment