Fwd: Should restraint and seclusion be included in IEPs?

[Guest guest]

CEC SmartBrief

October 25, 2010

http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/zooMpWAgqjebkzkIajcehUalPclG

TODAY'S HEADLINES

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

* Students with disabilities plan for their futures

* Pa. autism school finds success with education, therapy programs

* Special educator to use assistance dog in the classroom

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

* New assessment for teaching candidates could lead to national licensure

* Teacher-effectiveness data for N.J. districts posted online

* Fla. special-education teacher hits the ground running to raise money for

supplies

HOT TOPICS

* 4 tips to get children with learning difficulties to read

* Do e-readers help improve reading for students with disabilities?

* How will new D.C. officials reform special education?

* More students with intellectual disabilities are ready for college

* Michigan: Detroit is not meeting special-education requirements

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

* Can cell-phone use withstand the pitfalls and improve lessons?

POLICY NEWS

* Should restraint and seclusion be included in IEPs?

* Advocacy groups file suit over mental health cuts in California

* Chicago program improves homes for people with disabilities

EYE ON EXCEPTIONALITIES

* Study: Statewide autism rate may be stabilizing in Wisconsin

CEC SPOTLIGHT

* Experimental teaching and you

* The value and future of the LD construct

Follow the link below to read quick summaries of these stories and others.

http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/zooMpWAgqjebkzkIajcehUalPclG

------------------------------------------------

If the link is not " clickable " , simply copy and paste the link into the address

line of your Web browser (e.g. Firefox, Internet Explorer).

Let us know what you think! Email cec@... with your comments,

questions, or suggestions.

Tell a friend! Want to share a one-time sample edition with someone? Follow the

link below.

http://www.smartbrief.com/cec/cec_passiton.jsp

This CEC SmartBrief was created for RM10@....

WIRELESS VERSION:

------------------------------------------------

http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/zooMpWAgqjebkAhUajcehUalTlKW

UNSUBSCRIBE:

------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe, please follow the link below or email cec@...

http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/zooMpWAgqjebkzhUajcehUalLDeT

CHANGE E-MAIL ADDRESS:

------------------------------------------------

To change your e-mail address, please follow the link below:

http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/zooMpWAgqjebkzfgajcehUalJywS

CHANGE E-MAIL FORMAT TO HTML:

------------------------------------------------

To change the format of your e-mail to HTML, please follow the link below and

use our " My account " tools to manage your subscriptions:

http://www.smartbrief.com/subscribertools/login.jsp

Legal and Privacy information at

http://www.smartbrief.com/about/privacy_legal.jsp

SmartBrief, Inc.

1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000

Washington, DC 20005 

[Guest guest]

Well, that message was confusing...might just be my computer though. In answer to the restraint seclusion thing.... Only if it is done correctly. My son absolutely needed to be restrained for his safety and the safety of his teachers. The school he attends is a public elementry school and as far as I'm concerned they should be the model for all other schools. They have a specialist there to observe the child if restraint is used. They make sure the restraints are done properly and that the child is not in any physical distress. They immediately contact the parents and le tthem know what is going on. All the teachers have been trained in the correct way to restrain. Now I've been told this by other schools but it was very obvious that they either forgot their training or were never trained. They send home documentation of what type of hold was used and for how long and for what reason. So, as awful as it is yes sometimes restraint is necissary

[Guest guest]

I'm sorry, but I cannot understand this.  Even when my son was severe, I would not have allowed " restraints. "   In my opinion, if they find it necessary to use restraints, something in the program is very wrong.  Unfortunately, regrading most schools in Texas, restraints is just an out for them as they don't know what they are doing.

I can say these things.  My aunt was severe MR, deaf, and mute.  There were some difficult times, but she was NEVER tied up like an animal.I am, as you can guess, AGAINST restraint --especially when school personnel in Texas are so poorly trained.  I hold a firm belief in that if services and supports are truly appropriate, there would rarely be a need to do such a thing to a child.  If these children had the ABA they need when they are young -- if they get the intensive programming they need, then restraints would not be needed.  Interventions must begin early and be intensive.

I am dying to know which school should be the model for all other schools. However, my vote would go with the school whose personnel are so adequately trained as to not need to resort to restraining elementary children.  A good private school in Plano that I know has never restrained even the most severe of its students.  If they haven't needed to, then perhaps public schools should look to this school as a model.

I worked in a special needs, publicly funded school thirty years ago.  We had about 1300 students.  I worked with severely affected kids (only ONE in the whole school at that time had autism).  I NEVER saw a teacher use restraint.  Obviously we have regressed.

This is just my opinion.

[Guest guest]

So if a student is about to run out the door and into the street and is beating kicking and biting the teacher or aide you suggest they do nothing? Sometimes restraint is needed to calm the child and to keep him or her from injuring either themselves or others. Yes, I agree restraint can be over used and teachers need proper training and supervision and parents should always be notified immediately. A good ABA program early on is certainly advisable but some children get so anxious that occasionally they become so out of control they are a danger to others or themselves. Restraint is always the last resort but done properly it is not harmful to the student. I would also like to see all restraint video taped with a full documentation of what led up to the behavior.

I know of aides and teachers who have had their noses broken, their arms broken, have been severely scratched, bitten, kicked and spit on. But to my knowledge it is not this behavior that causes the restraint it is more the likelyhood of injury the child will do to themselves that causes the restraint unless of course the child is grabbing the aide or teacher and will not let go.

Just like with vaccines restraint is controversial. But done safely with the right training I think it can be useful as opposed to putting these more aggressive kids in complete seclusion and taking away anything that might cause them to meltdown. For we all know if you walk on eggshells they most certainly will break. And if you let our kids make all the rules about what they will allow from their environment they will make so many that everyone else will have to keep 5 feet away or risk injury. Sometimes ABA is not enough and aggression can be caused by physical pain or uncontrollable emotional breakdowns. It's a tough call.

 

 

I'm sorry, but I cannot understand this.  Even when my son was severe, I would not have allowed " restraints. "   In my opinion, if they find it necessary to use restraints, something in the program is very wrong.  Unfortunately, regrading most schools in Texas, restraints is just an out for them as they don't know what they are doing.

I can say these things.  My aunt was severe MR, deaf, and mute.  There were some difficult times, but she was NEVER tied up like an animal.I am, as you can guess, AGAINST restraint --especially when school personnel in Texas are so poorly trained.  I hold a firm belief in that if services and supports are truly appropriate, there would rarely be a need to do such a thing to a child.  If these children had the ABA they need when they are young -- if they get the intensive programming they need, then restraints would not be needed.  Interventions must begin early and be intensive.

I am dying to know which school should be the model for all other schools. However, my vote would go with the school whose personnel are so adequately trained as to not need to resort to restraining elementary children.  A good private school in Plano that I know has never restrained even the most severe of its students.  If they haven't needed to, then perhaps public schools should look to this school as a model.

I worked in a special needs, publicly funded school thirty years ago.  We had about 1300 students.  I worked with severely affected kids (only ONE in the whole school at that time had autism).  I NEVER saw a teacher use restraint.  Obviously we have regressed.

This is just my opinion.

[Guest guest]

Trina,NO, of course not.  You stop the kid from running out the door.  i wasn't considering that " restraint. "   I have this vision in my head of children being tied to their chairs.  I have certainly had to " bear hug " my child a few times.  I've been on the floor of a store and bear hugged him until he calms down.

Even for this --school personnel should be trained in that, but the truth is, districts are tying kids to their chairs.  I am against this.   When should a student be tied up?  All I'm saying is I'd be livid if the district had ever tied my child to his chair.  But if a parent is in agreement with it, that's their child and their business.  I would not agree to allow it to be done to my child. 

Now when a kid gets older and bigger, and certain issues are not under control by then --I mean, my son had a psychotic episode when he was about six, I think.  It was bad and due to oral steroids.  He was small enough to " bear hug " and hang onto.  I guess if one is older and

has a psychotic episode, then you gotta do what you gotta do to keep them safe.I know we put latches at the tops of the doors to keep our son from getting out of the house without our knowledge.  Again, I worked with severe kids int he early eighties, and we never tied anyone to a chair or anything else.  I just believe there has to be a better way.  I am not talking about bear hugs with smaller children.  Older kids are more problematic, but I think we were talking about smaller children in the beginning.

Yes, I agree with you.  If a child is exhibiting b behavior that necessitates restraint --I am saying we need to look at what is causing the behavior and address THAT.  What I am saying is that most school districts in Texas are NOT going to do that.  They are using restraint (tying up kids in lieu of looking at the real causes) such as: poorly trained teachers and staff, little knowledge of autism and the eduction of children with autism, lack of appropriate programs, little to no knowledge of ABA or other proven methodologies. What was that song?  I think by Coolio...?

     " They say I've got to learn, but no body's here to teach me/       If they can't UNDERSTAND me, how can they reach me?       I guess they can't; I guess they won't, I guess they front/

       That's why I know my life is out of luck.../ " I am agreeing that if you have all the good things I mentioned above in place along with an appropriate BIP and people appropriately trained to implement it, then the need for restraint would be less, but what we have is teachers resorting to restraint because they don't know what the hell else to do.

I KNOW first hand what you are talking about.  I've been hit, bitten, kicked, punched, and afraid at times I might not be able to hang onto him and I just want to get him to the car quick.  I've used the " bear hug " many times.  I believe in corporal punishment administered by a parent who is " in control " at all times.  If you can't be a parent in control, then you shouldn't employ corporal punishment.  But when he was nearly biting my finger off, He got popped on the outside of the thigh three times before he released my finger. 

I used the " bear hug " to get supplements into him when he was younger, and I used it when I was working to get him over his food limitations.  but I was referring to the indiscriminate tying up of elementary age children to chairs just because a teacher or aide is not properly trained to handle certain behaviors.  This is being abused far too much in the schools, and it needs to stop.

Often, children act out horribly due to frustration.  I taught ESL and one yer they put a boy in my class who was ESL but he was deaf!  Rather than address his deafness and provide an appropriate program for him, they just dumped him in my room.  I kept trying to advocate for this kid, but the administration just acted " deaf. "   One day, out of frustration, this child started throwing desks in my room.  All the other kids ran up behind me and we backed out the doorway.  I ordered a child to go for help.  The whole time this kid is going nuts and throwing chairs and trying to scream.  I felt so sorry for him.

After a while, my other student comes back and says, " They said to tell you they are at lunch right now. "   I said, " You go back and tell them that we need help here NOW or I am going home! "   That got their attention, and they came to help.  Bear hug.  No one handcuffed him or tied him up.

Yet, no one ever addressed his real issues, and there I was wishing I had had the training to be able to help a deaf child.I think these teachers want the training, but the schools would rather spend it on paper and office supplies --that is where the bulk of our special ed budget goes after teacher salaries and aides.  Enough money could be saved by going paperless (send notices to those without the Internet via snail mail), but giving parents the paperless option -- and enough money would be saved from paper and postage to pay for proper training.  Yes, they are spending THAT MUCH on paper and postage.

This is why all districts NEED special education advisory committees made up of parents and special ed teachers and aides.The PTO's don't address our issues.  In a SEAC, these important issues like restraint and training could be addressed, parents would see where all the money is going, and the parents could have a say in how the money is spent and look at areas where money could be better spent.

I am against tying kids up, and we know it's going on, and too often it is simply due to improper training of district personnel. I know how poorly trained our district is regarding autism; therefore, had they resorted to tying my kid up, I would have been livid.

[Guest guest]

Ooh, ok I didn't mean restraints like tying them up etc. We just moved to Texas and to a new school so my son was totally freaked out. He tried running away and into the street. That's why he needed restrained. The teacher sat "criss cross applesauce" and put my son in his lap and pinned his arms and legs until his flight response calmed down. He kept uttering reassurances to him every so often to let him know everything was ok. He asked my son if he wanted him to let go so my son could get up and when my son said yes he let him up, they held hands and walked into the school together. Another time my son was scared and trying to flee and his way was blocked so he was trying to kick and bite....he's a big strong kid. I think it was ok that they restrained him for this. It was the same type of restraint witht he same results. That happened twice the first week of school. Since then he has felt very secure and happy at the school. Way less fits, way less demanding to go home and no running away. The sole role teacher who restrained him is crisis prevention. He doesn't have a classroom. He has a small office where the kids he helps can go for a break or for fun time. So my son has his regular teacher, his co-lab teacher and then the spec ed crisis guy ( and his two assistants). So there's never a time when a crisis can't be handled properly. After the restraint was used the teacher spent the rest of the day with my son doing fun things and reassuring him that everything was ok. They weren't angry and they handled everything wonderfully. So, day to day they do their job right and prevent these things from happening but because of the situation that was causing my son's outbursts I think they did the right thing. In our old school he was in a small spec ed room because that's the only place he felt safe. There was one very underqualified teacher and a bunch of other students and additional responsabilities for that teacher. So the times when trouble arose she wasn't able to handle the situation the correct way. They basically taught my son if he kicked and bit he got to go home. Then they taught him that he was bad and a criminal. In the few weeks that we've been in this new school my son has changed so much for the better. He knows he can't hit and go home. So he's not been hitting anymore. He also trusts that the teachers he has are going to take care of him and he feels safe. He's in a mainstream classroom and loving it for the first time. His academics have improved his confidence has improved and his behavior has improved. This is what happens when things are done right. We had 5 years of things being done wrong, including improper restraint. So I'm sorry if I gave off the wrong impression. I think restraint is 100 % wrong done by unqualified personnel and for the wrong reasons. It should not be a preventative measure either. They should be doing what they need to be doing to prevent the need for restraint...not using restraint because they aren't doing their job. My son is high functioning and is able to tell us what goes on, so It hink that's important too. I don't think I'd feel the same way about restraint if he was nonverbal or lower functioning. For my son this was the right thing done correctly. It was the wrong thing big time when done incorrectly...in fact we had a teacher press charges on my son because she grabbed him to remove him from the classroom, he got scared and mimmicked hitting her to warn her away. She then attempted to put him in a hold...she did it wrong she scared the crap out of my son and he bit her. So...only if it's done correctly and for the right reasons by qualified personnel. Otherwise big fat no on the restraints. Sorry to have upset you

[Guest guest]

Very well said. I'm embarassed that it took me 8 years to realize what you just said. I let my son call the shots because I didn't know what to do. The school let him call the shots because they didn't want to put in the work. So my son ruled everything and was consequently not very happy and not productive at all. Now that he's had firm boundaries set he feels happier and safer. He's progressign so much so quickly now. He's not being held back by his fears and behaviors anymore. He stayed after school for tutoring for the first time yeasterday! That never would have happened before...we tried and it was ugly. He stayed, he was ok with me coming in and interrupting study time to give him a drink and then for me to leave again. I NEVER thought that would happen. Last night he told me "You know what Mom, I like tutoring. It's going to help me a lot in class". Unbelievable:) The teacher doing the tutoring is the same one who used the restraints. Every day when he says goodbye to my son he tells him what a great job he did that day and gives examples. He hugs my son...my son is a huge cuddle kid. He's this gigantic almost 12 year old that would love nothing more than to be carried around and loved on like an infant:) So as we were leaving and my son was hugging his teacher I noticed his body language was happy and comfortable and enjoying the hug like he does when I hug him. It wasn't an akward obligatory hug. My son trusts and loves these teachers. It's amazing!

[Guest guest]

Haven I completely agree with you. Many teachers are using restraint instead of doing their job. Many teachers are using restraint improprely because they haven't been trained. I don't think there is ever a reason to tie a child to a chair. What can we do to fix this? Who do we go to to make some changes? I tried so desperately for 5 years at our old school and nothing ever happened. Now that we're at this new school I'm like "this needs to be the model for all other schools". They are really doing it right. A six year old ahving a psychotic episode is tolerated a lot more than a big 11 year old having an emtional outburst. It goes from awful to worse as they get older in a school that isn't handling things correctly. My son went from being tollerated and loved to being disliked and treted like a criminal...and basically being turned into the criminal they were treating him like. It's not ok and it happens everywhere. What do we do? Does anybody know? I'll e-mail, call, write letters...but to whom?