It seems official

Post Reply New Topic

After I finally got the state government involved in evaluating my 2 year old son for his severe language delay, he was evaluated by three therapists (including a developmental specialist) on Thursday, and after they had a meeting this morning to discuss his "case" I have been called in for an appointment on Monday to draft his IEP. I am still not being told what they think is going on as they won't tell me until his appointment, (the social worker needs to have her supervisor present to discuss anything) but it seems he now officially has a "disability" as he has qualified for benefits and needs an IEP drafted.

Am I interpreting this incorrectly?

I think it just means that he is considered "delayed" enough in one area to qualify for services. My son at 18 months qualified for speech therapy because he showed enough % of delay to be considered "in need of services", but he has never had a label applied to him.

I often wonder if he is on the spectrum or is the speech delay the only trait he has?

In my state you must have a condition on "the list" to get an IEP. So, backing into it, it would seem your child is at least tentatively diagnosed with something on "the list." But not all those check-the-box items are disabilities; some are simply educational differences that the schools feel they need to address through an IEP.

I will warn you that I found the language used in our first IEP meetings to be utterly and completely depressing. Hearing how your wonderful child rates against statistical benchmarks can be difficult. Its one thing to see something as a parent, and another to hear it in a cold assessment from a professional. So, you have to stay focused on the fact that your unique child has wonderful traits none of those pieces of paper is designed to address, and on the fact that the whole process is designed to help your child, not judge or label him. The IEP is how you move forward and get your child what he needs. But, geez, those meetings can break a parent's spirit; be ready for it.

there is no way to tell yet. an iep is not in and of itself an indicator of a disability. an iep or 504 is required to receive special education services, but receiving services it not an iron clad indicator either.

all 3 of my children have ieps currently. even my nt has an iep for a lisp, so he receives speech therapy, but is not disabled in any way. my youngest is asd so he has an iep for st, ot, and some autism accomodations. my oldest had an iep for 6 1/2 years due to a severe speech impairment but was not considered disabled, then reached the point he didnt need an iep or st anymore; 2 years later, this past jan, he was given asd eligibility at school and we are working on getting an effective iep in place for executive dysfunction issues, and his eligibility now would indicate a disability as far as the school is concerned.

right now, i would suggest you just breathe deeply and practice patience =) i hate it when they wont give you information until they can look you in the eye, as if being there in person changes anything, but its standard operating procedure. always remember, no matter what they tell you, your son is the exact same child before and after the meeting.

if this is your first iep meeting, it may be good to ask for tips or advice in another thread. a lot of us have been through this process, and i am sure a lot of us have things we wish we knew before that first meeting.

whether you ask or not, i will tell you some things i wish i knew for that first iep:
1) you dont have to sign the iep right there, especially if you dont agree with it. you can ask for time to think it over, or sign it and write in (or check the box if available) that you disagree.
2) you can request they send you a copy of their reports BEFORE the iep meeting, so you are informed and prepared. this puts you on a more level playing field, so you arent being surprised at the meeting.
3) you have the right to have an advocate or friend or family member with you, if you choose. its good to have someone who is familiar with the iep process, or who can help you advocate for your child.

my son's first iep for asd, i was so shocked and surprised, i signed it even tho i completely disagreed with it and their conclusions. these days i always request the reports before the meeting, no taking me by surprise anymore!

Thank you everyone.
Thank you so much.