♾️
Disclaimer
I am not affiliated with any information posted. I do not guarantee that the information listed can help. Be wary of anything you read that promises a "cure".
The Journey (A Brief Recap)
My child was diagnosed with a severe speech delay at 30 months and diagnosed with Autism at 34 months. He started early intervention around 30 months and a preschool with a special education program at 36 months. When he was 4 years old, we relocated to another state with his siblings and had to start some of this process over.
Check List (ages 4-7)
1. Enroll in a new Preschool with a Special Education Program
2. Provide Proof of Diagnosis with Medical Letters
3. Provide Proof of Previous Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
4. Attend Transfering Individualized Education Plan (IEP)Meeting
5. Meet with School Social Worker to provide background history
6. School Assessment with Speech Therapist
7. School Assessment with Occupational Therapist
8. School Assessment with School Psychologist
9. Preschool Teacher Assessment
10. Fill Parent Survey Assessments
11. He starts receiving Speech and Occupational Therapy Services
12. Apply for Medicaid
13. Apply for State Insurance (Non-Medicaid)
14. Phone Assessment with State Insurance Nurse
15. Attend the Annual Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Meeting
16. Attend Revision Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Meeting
17. Attend Exiting Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Meeting from the preschool program
18. Through the decision of the Team, Autism is added to IEP as the primary diagnosis (IEP previously only had speech delays /communication)
19. Through the decision of the Team, Access Point classes are recommended for Kindergarten
20. Kindergarten Registration
21. Arrangements for Specialized Transportation (with 2 Sibling Rider Requests)
22. Told by an ABA Therapy Service, the original diagnosis is clinical and insurance may not accept or pay for any therapies (I confirmed with the developmental pediatrician who provided the diagnosis. What?!?)
23. Assessment with a Licensed Psychologist / Board Certified Behavior Analyst for a more Comprehensive Autism Diagnosis (1 in-person visit with my son and 2 Zoom meetings with a parent, one for history, and one to discuss the results.)
24. 8/23/2021 - Mask Mandates in our school district go into effect due to staggering numbers of over 10,000 children in quarantine. Request for doctor's note to opt-out of mask-wearing due to Autism diagnosis. *
25. Begins Access Point Kindergarten
26. Fill out paperwork for possible ABA therapy and provide proof of Comprehensive Autism Diagnosis from a Licensed Psychologist / Board Certified Behavior Analyst
26. Schedule an assessment appointment for Speech and Occupational Therapy services
27. Schedule a pediatric visit with the pediatrician for therapy referrals
28. Pediatric visit with the pediatrician for therapy referrals
29. Schedule an assessment appointment for ABA
30. Attend 2 virtual meetings about my concerns with ABA and if there is such a thing as compassionate ABA
31. Attend Occupational Assessment (Tentatively 2x a week) *
32. Attend ABA Assessment (Office visit)
32. Attend Speech Assessment (Tentatively 3x a week) *
33. Attend ABA Assessment (Tentatively all day)
34. Figure out how to make school and therapy work. I'm waiting for copies of the official reports and recommendations. How do I get him to school and all these different therapies as a single mom (working full time) with a co-parent (working full time)?
35. Modified Kindergarten Schedule (Half School / Half ABA: 20 hrs)
36. Summer Schedule (Full-time ABA: 40 hours)
37: Unenrolled 1st Grade Year (Opting for full-time therapy)
38. Full-Time Therapy for Speech, Occupational, & ABA (school year)
39. Due to progress insurance decreases therapy from 40 to 25 hours. Progress includes urinating on the toilet, cleaning up items from the floor, using utensils to eat, sitting at a table, and sitting for longer periods without getting up.
40. ABA Decides to fade out (What the heck?)
41. Parent-Led ABA Therapy at home over the summer with minimal assistance from the ABA company. All services provided through ABA company including Speech and Occupational services end.
42. Begins Private Swim Lessons for Safety (15 mins a week)
41. Begins Access Point 1st Grade (1 school year behind. School services include speech and occupational therapies. No outside therapy services. As the school year progresses, regression begins. Potty training has stopped due to issues of urinating anywhere and frequently trying to remove clothing).
42. Begins Private Swim Lessons for Safety (30 mins a week)
43. Filling out paperwork for a new ABA company.
Notes
-------------------
1. Understanding as a Teacher: I am a teacher and I also teach children with exceptionalities. I understand the importance of wanting to stop the spread of Covid-19 and the delta variant. However, there are vulnerable populations who may not be able to get the vaccination or wear a mask.
2. Decision as a Parent: My little one does not understand why a mask is necessary and will remove it. At this time his father and I would prefer that the teacher and paraprofessionals working with him do not create a power struggle with him to keep a mask on his face. He is still learning to communicate and understand what words mean. Although he does not wear a mask to school, my older children do.
3. Choice as an Adult: Before the mask mandate came back, I decided when the delta variant came out, I would wear a mask to work, although I have been vaccinated. I have met teachers who caught COVID-19 before and after receiving the vaccination. I have been teaching with a mask for two years.
4. * : The first therapy places I did assessments for my son to have speech and occupational therapy did not work out. It was not a good fit for our schedules. Also, the office had some staffing shortages due to the pandemic. Eventually, I chose the current place he is at. While it was not an easy decision to try ABA, the current place he is at not only provides ABA but also allows him to get speech and occupational therapy in the same place. Instead of me having to figure out how to get him to 2-3 services in different locations.
Last Edited: January 6, 2024
Comments
Post a Comment