Re: Help 20minutes a group ST a week

[Guest guest]

First, what state are you in?

Second, you wrote that the school district didn't feel he needed any additional

therapy to the 20/30 minutes is getting now. What is the district's

reason for reducing the 2 1/2 hours a week from last year to such a bare minimum

this year when, apparently, the diagnosis has not changed? I would try having

another meeting and bringing that up, and then demanding an explanation of that

- then you can use (hopefully) the answer as a springboard to reiterate your

demand for increased therapy now. You may want to check out some websites (and

I can't recall them right now - maybe someone else has them) that list

recommended amounts of therapy per week for various conditions, including verbal

apraxia - take that info into the next meeting. When there is evidence in hand

that shows more therapy is needed - and you say you have letters from your

private SLP and dr agreeing with that - it's harder for a district to say no.

That is not to say they won't in which case I would definitely follow the

procedure for seeking a due process hearing. You may wind up agreeing to

mediation as a prelude to a hearing and get the relief you are seeking at the

mediation stage. Check your district's handbook, that you should have been

given when you set up the current IEP, so that you follow all the steps and due

things within the stated time periods (and check the districts to make sure they

are doing things in a timely manner as well) - you also may want to seek help

from some organization in your area that provides advocates to help in cases

like this or the services of a special ed lawyer.

If you want to email me privately, I can explain some of this more if you need

it.

Sherry

Shilo <preston10@...> wrote:

I had a meeting today and I'm gonna give you part of my summary of it. If

anyone has any input on what I should do please do so.

I called this meeting asking for a increase of speech therapy. Barrick is

currently receiving 20 minutes of group speech therapy a week. He received 2 ½

hours a week last school year.

is 4.6 years old and has a severe speech disorder called Verbal Apraxia.

Most professionals agree that this type of speech disorder/neurological

disorder, requires intensive, frequent, one on one therapy. 20 minutes a week

doesn't even come close to the amount of therapy he needs.

During the meeting 's teacher talked a lot about things they were working

on in class. Although I am always glad to hear what they work on in class, I

felt I was being deviated from the subject.

From what I understood of the meeting there was a few reasons they felt

didn't need additional speech therapy.

1. ------ director of spec ed. stated that even though he's only getting a 20/30

minutes of speech therapy from SLP the speech therapist, that teacher

was following up with what SLP was doing and also providing therapy

My response to that was although I was happy Mrs. teacher was following up with

what was doing, I didn't see what that had to with not increasing

's speech therapy. SLP is the licensed speech therapist and it is her job

to provide speech therapy. Teacher has a job to do as well.

2. ------------- also stated that is receiving speech therapy privately,

and that on top of what was receiving at school, he felt was enough.

My response to this stated which I didn't express in the meeting, is that I

thought whatever private therapy I get on my own by the law, shouldn't apply to

what the school is providing.

3. The third and final reason I got, which they all expressed was that

was meeting some of his goals and some he had Mastered, I believe two of his

goals. One of these goals they were referring to as mastered was follow 1 step

direction with minimal cues.

ly I disagreed with them on this. Although I do think is making a

lot of progress, I don't think it is enough. I stated that yes I could see

following some directions in school, because he had learned the routine.

I strongly feel that it wasn't so much that he was listening and following the

direction and more that he was following a routine. Not that I believe

can't follow any directions, just most directions. I had expressed that at home

he wasn't following most directions, and only does well at home if it's

something we do everyday. Ex/ " go get your shoe's. "

I also expressed, trying to get back to the need of increased speech therapy,

that can't answer most yes/no questions. I also expressed that

can't have even a small conversation. That he will try to imitate what you say,

but has problems with spontaneous speech which is all part of apraxia.

When asking a question or giving him a direction he usually just repeats

that last part of what you say.

I also stated that I felt any doctor would agree with the severity of 's

speech disorder/neurological disorder and the definite need for more than 20

minutes of speech therapy a week.

I provided a letters from 's pediatrician Dr. Mcdonald, and 's

private speech therapist Private SLP stating so.

They don't feel needs more therapy, I of course do and think most

people and outside professionals would agree, but I don't know how to get what I

want. Any suggestions? I heard people talk about applying for due processing,

but frankly it sounds scary and I don't know what it involves, and I figure it's

just more people thats going to side with the school.

20 minutes of group therapy is enough for an V. Apraxic child, we might

laugh at that here but these people are serious and not budging.

Shilo mother of and Preston

[Guest guest]

Shilo,

Following Sherry's excellent advice, below are some web sites

that speak on how imperative one on one intensive speech therapy

is for children with Apraxia/Motor speech disorders. Your apraxic

child without doubt needs appropriate and frequent treatment- you

are your child's best advocate. Hope this info helps.

Best Wishes,

Mustafa

A Review of Apraxia Remediation

For use when advocating for one-on-one therapy (versus

" group " therapy sessions) from insurance or school

" Children must be seen one-on-one, at least in the early

stages of treatment. " Kaufman, author of the Kaufman

Speech Praxis Test and expert on Apraxia, on The Kaufman

Children's Center for Speech and Language Disorders

website. http://www.kidspeech.com/

" Most clinicians agree that planning the appropriate

treatment approach and methods is crucial to the efficacy

of intervention. A variety of factors can facilitate

treatment of DAS. DAS is often characterized as being

resistant to traditional methods of treatment. Group

therapy decreases the potential of responses per session

for each child and therefore, the motor practice needed by

children with apraxia and dysarthria. " Treatment of Motor

Speech Disorders in Children by Edythe Strand in " Seminars

of Speech and Language " Vol. 16, No. 2. May 1995

Read Apraxia Remediation reviews at Cherab/Speechville.

http://www.apraxia.cc/

http://www.speech-express.com/diagnosis-destinations/apraxia/one-on-one-therapy.\

html

Recommendations of Frequency and Intensity of Speech

Therapy for Apraxia For use when advocating for increased

frequency of therapy sessions from insurance or school

http://www.speech-express.com/diagnosis-destinations/apraxia/speech-therapy-freq\

uency.html

What Speech Therapy " Looks " Like

http://www.speech-express.com/speech-therapy/speech-therapy-view.html

Guideline for Speech-Language Eligibility Criteria/Matrix

for Schools.(Speech Therapy Matrix How much therapy is needed?)

http://www.cherab.org/information/speechlanguage/therapymatrix.html

http://www.speech-express.com/advocacy-depot/speech-therapy-matrix.html

Speech and Alternative Therapy Resources

http://www.cherab.org/information/speechlanguage/therapies.html

They don't feel needs more therapy, I of course do and think

most people and outside professionals would agree, but I don't know

how to get what I want. Any suggestions? I heard people talk about

applying for due processing, but frankly it sounds scary and I don't

know what it involves, and I figure it's just more people thats

going to side with the school.

>

> 20 minutes of group therapy is enough for an V. Apraxic

child, we might laugh at that here but these people are serious and

not budging.

>

> Shilo mother of and Preston

[Guest guest]

Hi Shilo,

Regardless of the diagnosis -you can use the following

matrix as a guide for ST needs which was is also in the now closed

to the public area of ASHA for their school based SLPs

http://www.cherab.org/information/speechlanguage/therapymatrix.html

" Source: Illinois State Board of Education (1993). Speech-language

impairment: A technical assistance manual Springfield: Author:

Reprinted by permission. "

Following the other great advice I have a few other suggestions

which are not scary to do or say. First however one would have to

have not just the diagnosis, but the severity of the diagnosis in

writing from the professionals.

You mention you have letters from 's pediatrician and SLP.

You also want to know if there are other " soft signs " such as low

tone or DSI in case there are additional OT or PT needs for the

child. This is where the out of pocket private evaluations with

knowledgeable and respected OTs, and neuroMDs comes in as well as the SLP.

Well worth the money and time for so many reasons. I never had to

go to due process for either of my boys and we were offered all that

was appropriate after we too were told that " this is all that can be

done and this is appropriate " They don't call it an IEP (individual

educational plan) for nothing!

I would take all of what you have written here to your child's SLP

as well as a good neuroMD (pediatric neurologist or developmental

pediatrician) and OT for help as well.

It doesn't hurt to speak over the phone to a good special ed

attorney like Staci or Ted http://www.special-ed-law.com even if you

never need them. Just gives you a sense of back up just in case.

Some special ed attorneys will even see parents for an initial

consultation for free. Even if you don't ever plan on pursuing the

school legally in any way, doesn't hurt and can big time help to

keep a paper trail for all that goes on. For example when they say

to you that " 20 minutes of group therapy is enough for an V. Apraxic

child " and all the rest you have below (some which is just amazingly

lame, especially since they gave you the impression that " we might

laugh at that here but these people are serious and not budging. " )

Here is what to say to anyone from the school who says something you

don't agree with/not sure about:

I typically start with a point all agree on such as " We all agree

that we want mainstreamed and out of special services as

quick as possible, right? Especially since he is almost five and

may be transitioning to kindergarten soon. " (may not want to start him until

six as you know -but don't have to bring that up yet) Then as they

agree -can't see how they can't agree to the above you add as they

say the following (stay calm -and with a smile)

" So 20 minutes of therapy per week is appropriate for a child with

apraxia? That's interesting, I've never heard that before. I'd

like to know why and share this with my husband/wife/'s SLP. I want to

make sure I get this straight. Can you put what you just told me

and in writing for me with why? Thanks " Or you put it in writing and

quote them with the date and time and individual who stated it. If

it's not legal -they will not put it in writing, and if you put it

in writing -they will answer you in writing to let you know what you

misunderstood. If they don't -what you wrote could be used against

them in a court of law as evidence.

This is why once they are pushed to put this statement in writing

that " you misunderstood what we were trying to tell you Mr./Mrs.

, we were saying that 20 minutes of ST a 'day' is appropriate -

not a week. " or something like that.

(PS to that -You may want to going ahead start taping all your IEP meetings -

looks like you have a school that likes to play games.)

Of course again this all depends on what actually " is " appropriate

for your child. All this is covered in full in The Late Talker

book. The chapter this is in was also reviewed by special ed

attorneys and loaded with resources and quotes. Your question is

covered as number nine under the top ten reasons to celebrate 'The

Late Talker' book.

http://www.speech-express.com/latetalkerreview.html

=====

[Guest guest]

You are absolutely right to follow up on this. What I have learned in the

last year is that its the parents who complain and monitor their child's special

education in our district who are the ones whose children receive what they

are entitled to by law. There are other alternatives to due process, all of

which have pros and cons. Despite discouragement from the state, my husband and

I filed a complaint with our state DOE regarding level of services. Although

the DOE did a lousy (in our opinion) job of responding to our complaint, our

district increased services from 100 minutes a month to 3 x per week.

Although we don't have an official medical diagnosis, we have been told by

his current SLP that our son has delayed speech (not appraxia). His progress

was very slow and hardly anyone except me could understand him last year.

The first school SLP tried to state that as long as he was making progress,

it didn't matter how much. We argued this made a mockery of the IEP process,

since under this standard, any progress no matter how little would be enough.

Rather progress should be meaningful (and court decisions support this) and

sufficient to allow our son to participate in his kindergarten class, which he

will begin in the fall of 2004, in a meaningful way and understand sound

production so that he can learn to read, write, spell, and understand grammar

and

sentence structure commensurate with the other kindergarteners. You need to

related progress to your child's participation in his education.

o For example, the kindergarten language arts curriculum focuses on

learning the sounds of letters to read, and making connections between speech

and

printed language to learn to write.

o Kindergarteners are also asked to provide personal information and answer

" wh " questions in full sentences relating to stories and experiences, etc.

o Kindergartners must be able to engage in active and interactive

communication with teachers, peers, and other school personnel in an educational

environment. (i.e. tell someone they need to go to the bathroom, order milk at

lunch, tell someone if they get hurt at recess, socialize with peers, etc.)

We pointed out that in an " increased intervention model " (i.e. our son

received private therapy 3x per week during the summer) he made more progress

than

he did getting less than 30 minutes a week from the school district. His

school SLP recommended private therapy (from her) to supplement school speech

therapy which helped our case. Otherwise, the issue of how much private therapy

is

provided by the parents shouldn't be used against the parents. (Maybe you

should complain back to the school that it should reimburse you for what you had

to pay for privately--that might get everyone's attention.)

I also complained that progress should be measured by how his peers were

doing, not solely by how he was doing compared to himself.

The school SLP tried to say that as long as we as parents worked with him,

that would be enough and could replace speech therapy. We pointed out that

parents should not be the primary educators of a four year old and that

denigrated

the profession of an SLP. A university professor also told me that four year

olds are too young to understand why their parents are correcting them all

the time and that being the primary educators would be more appropriate if the

child was in his teens. (We don't mind practicing with him, we just wanted

someone qualified to work with him regularly.)

Look at your state's DOE website and review all the administrative

regulations for special education. See if any educational recommendations are

supposed

to be supported by research and demand their research. We never got any to

reserach the the school to support the lesser amount of time.

Remember, the standard is what's necessary for his education (see your state

administrative regs for the exact wording), not what the medical diagnosis is.

Arguably, a child might need a lot more therapy to participate meaningfully

in the educational process than what a medical diagnosis might suggest.

We copied the school board president and superintendent on all correspondence

so we'd get someone's attention.

If you file a complaint, you need to state what specific special education

regulations/law were violated and how. There are other alternatives to filing a

complaint or for due process; mediation is one. I was not interested in

mediation because I felt the mediators probably worked with the state on a

regular

basis and I was unwilling to compromise on the level of service--mediation

usually ends up with each side to compromising some although you can leave a

mediation with no solution. There may also be some other altneratives.

Good luck!