difficult child's IEP today with unexpected results

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
We had difficult child's IEP earlier today to discuss the possibility of temporary home teaching till she gets stable. I was told that to receive home teaching, difficult child would have to have another adult present in the house when the teacher is with her. Of course I work full time, so that isn't a possibility. Instead they recommended transferring her to a continuation school that caters to ED kids just like her. It's a very small campus of only about 150 kids or so, which would be good for difficult child's anxiety. She gets incredibly anxious in large groups of people so a smaller campus would benefit her. The classes are also small in size, about seven or eight students to a class. The teacher there is specifically trained to deal with kids who have emotional disturbances, mainly kids with severe anxiety issues.

They don't have a full time school psychiatric, but the psychologist at the school she is at now is on campus there on Thursdays. I was a little apprehensive about not having a full time psychiatric at the new school, but our psychologist assured me he would go and visit the new school more often until difficult child gets more acclimated. He also said that he is willing to have phone conferences with difficult child should she have an anxiety attack and he isn't there. The new school would be putting her on a modified schedule, with her starting school at 10:30 and finishing at 2:00. This would be a definite plus for difficult child, since her ulcers seem to act up and give her issues early in the morning on an empty stomach.

The only part that could be problematic is the fact that difficult child would be bussed to school every day when I'm at work. She would be expected to get herself up in the morning and be downstairs for the bus at 9:45. difficult child can sleep through war, so even if I set the alarm for her, there is no guarantee she would wake up. I am apprehensive based on that fact alone, but where she's at currently isn't working for her so I'm willing to give it a try. My mom is going to the prospective new school on Thursday to observe the classes she will be in and to speak with her teacher. I cannot go, due to taking more time off from work next Wednesday to go to court, so I am trusting my mom's judgement. If all goes good on Thursday, difficult child will go and visit the school herself next week to get her more comfortable with the staff. I am hoping and praying this school is the answer. I got difficult child's progress report in the mail over the weekend, and she is getting straight F's with a 0.00 grade point average. Clearly something has to be done, and I am hoping this school is the answer.
 

dstc_99

Well-Known Member
One question? why the hell didn't they think of this before?

That is ridiculous. You have been working there for years and they know you it isn't like you are some parent they have never seen. They could have recommended that **** months ago.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
I agree with you, dstc. They should have told me earlier what the school was all about. Instead they said they wanted to put her in a continuation school, which means kids who have problems with drugs and truancies. Of course I said hell no to that, but they didn't tell me that there is another program entirely for emotionally disturbed kids. Had they have told me about the program last year, I would have tried to have her transferred right away. So anyway lets hope this is our answer.
 

Bunny

Active Member
After all of the struggles you have had with her since you moved her into your district how could not tell you that they had this type of placement available? I'm hoping right along with you that this is the placement that is going to help her.
 

Castle Queen

Warrior in training
I too hope and pray this is the answer. I would want to visit the school myself just to make sure their claim that most of the kids have anxiety issues (and not some others that would contraindicate this placement for your daughter) is in fact true. What time do you leave the house in the morning? Can you make sure difficult child is up before then & pretty much ready to go? Maybe she could be given some sort of relaxing activity before she has to get on the bus.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
I leave the house at 7:00, drop off easy child at 7:15, and have to be to work by 7:30. That would leave difficult child with 2 and a half hours to do whatever she pleases. I know for a fact if I wake her up in the morning before I leave for work, she will climb right back into bed and go to sleep after I leave. I am planning on setting a very loud radio alarm clock to wake her up, and I am going to call her before she has to get on the bus. There is no guarantee, however, that she will hear the alarm or the phone. Then if she does wake up, she may not get dressed in time due to the fact that she is reeeeal slow. Hopefully it works out. She missed school again today because she didn't sleep last night. She is tapering off the Geodon and so far the Seroquel that psychiatrist put in it's place isn't helping. It's time for another medication adjustment.
 

dstc_99

Well-Known Member
CB,
I found that clock radios are easy for kids to tune out. IE: They like the music and or they just don't mind it enough to wake up. What worked for us was the old fashioned ones that have the two bells on top. They make a horrendous noise and I am pretty sure no one can tune them out! LOL Plus they are cheap and come in cute styles now so the kids like the look.

Do you perhaps have a neighbor in the bldg who could help? You could ask the office if there is someone who is a stay at home mom or retiree who might be willing to knock on the door and wake her up in the AM. They might be leaving for a normal activity anyway so it wouldn't be a huge ordeal. I had a neighbor who did that for me back when my insomnia was so bad I would sleep through the alarms and not get the girls up for school. You could also check with the school and see if there is anyone from your area who also attends and then try to set up a car pool. That would be a little more forgiving than a bus ride.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
Good idea, dstc. I'll get an old fashioned alarm clock. The one we have now is pretty loud but you're right, since it's music she may tune it out. Asking a neighbor for help isn't possible. Number one, difficult child would easily sleep through a knock on the door, and number two, we live in a complex that caters to mentally disabled people. Most of them are elderly and have some form of down syndrome or low functioning autism and I would not be at all comfortable with asking any of them for help. I think the alarm would probably work. Now if only difficult child would be willing to get up and get herself ready that would be great. The school psychiatric is very confident that she will love it there. He says the teacher she will have is great with kids who have mental problems, and the students there love her. My mom is at the school right now to observe and speak with some of the staff there. difficult child will be going next week to visit herself and get comfortable. I hope this is the answer. We had another bad night last night. difficult child didn't get to sleep till 2:00 and was completely out of it this morning. My mom is going to bring her to school later after her visit with the new school so she can at least attend part of the day.
 
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