Re: Mad!Occup.Th.Comment!!

April 28, 2004

Hi Karyn,

It is just amazing to me that the IU is still getting away with this.

I remember Mel's OT telling me that her motor planning was so severe

that there was no reason to even try and give her therapy as it would

not help her any way. I was told just to accept the facts about Mel

and go on. She did suggest that Mel's aide start to allow her to water

all of the plants in the school to help strengthen her wrist. She

said maybe that would help her with independent typing. The scary part

about this is that this OT is still in the IU system working with

elementary age children. I sometimes see her while I am out shopping

and would love to discuss apraxia with her but unable to due to the

pending federal lawsuit.

What I am hearing now is that families are advising the IU that if

their child does not receive the recommended therapy they will be

contacting their attorney and allow their attorney to handle the

situation. I have heard this approach has worked with these families

as they are getting returned phone calls and the services they are

requesting. I hear that their approach is in a non threatening manor

but one of a nice approach and the IU is securing services for them.

Hopefully some of those parents are on this group list and can advise

more about their approach with the IU systems.

Take care,

Robin

On Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004, at 08:57 US/Eastern, Karyn wrote:

> I got a phone call yesterday from the IU OT that's workiing with

> Jordan....his first comment was " He really doesn't need me. " HUH????

> He explained that he " seems to do well on all tasks. " When I asked

> him if he noticed that he has a motor planning disorder he said " Yeah,

> I did notice that. " When I asked him if he was doing anything about

> it, he said " no...why? " <sigh>

>

> We have yet another IEP meeting for Friday. The pediatrician gave us

> a very poignant letter, questioning why " the medical dx of this child

> is being ignored, in order to accomodate the convenient diagnosis of

> an incompetent SLP, who, after 1 1/2 years treating this child, could

> not strengthen his skills enough to get him to pronounce the letter

> S. " He went on to ask how 3 promiment medical people who have

> diagnosed this child, could ALL be wrong, since they all concur on his

> dx, yet a SLP who has been working for 2 years, can be 100% right, yet

> produce no measurable change in the child's speech patterns. " Wonder

> what their answer will be to that??????

>

> Well, that coupled with the OT " s comments of yesterday, I'm

> ready.....think I should bring a gun????? I'm infuriated at the

> levels of incompetence, and sickened at the fact that, as they claim

> in regards to medical dx's, " we don't have to listen to them. " Well

> no, then dont' listen to THEM, BUT YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO

> ME......<sigh> Chalk another one up for the great state of

> Pennsylvania!!!!

>

> Oh and BTW, according to all THEIR testing, he's doing

> " phenominally " ....exceeded all of their goals (yeah, right.) He's

> definitely ready for Kindergarten (sure, just push him out of your

> system so you're not responsible any longer), and they feel other than

> 'occasional' speech services, he'll do great (sure....when you can

> understand what he says...... and of course don't ask him to say

> anything other than 4 words at a time, because it breaks down to

> garble that even cousin It couldn't understand.) So...according to

> the PROFESSIONALS at the IU......he's right on target! boy am I glad

> these people REALLY don't treat kids!!!!!!

>

> enough rambling....hope you all have a wonderful day

>

> ~k

>

April 28, 2004

Do you have an attorney yet willing to help you with this fight? I am

told there are only a few good attorneys in this state that are able to

fight this type of fight.

Robin

On Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004, at 12:23 US/Eastern, Karyn wrote:

> Robin wrote:

> " What I am hearing now is that families are advising the IU that if

> their child does not receive the recommended therapy they will be

> contacting their attorney and allow their attorney to handle the

> situation. I have heard this approach has worked with these families

> as they are getting returned phone calls and the services they are

> requesting. I hear that their approach is in a non threatening manor

> but one of a nice approach and the IU is securing services for them. "

>

> My husband basically told them that on the phone.....we received the

> " invitation " in the mail this morning, and of course she has three of

> the program directors showing up at this, and the director of speech.

> Seems to me they are going to fight this going down.

>

> At my last meeting, I printed out Mel's story and handed it to the

> service coordinator, and told her this is what happens when an IU

> doesn't want to recognize a medical diagnosis. She wouldn't even take

> the papers....just said " well, things happen, our only concern is

> educational. " They couldn't care less.....but we're ready this time.

> Either they give us what we want or we sue...not only for services int

> he future, but for damamges as to what he should have had in the

> past.....I'm ready to go ....

>

> I have been assisting parents of ADHD kids, do IEP's for years.

> Obviously and IEP for an ADHD child is surely different than that of a

> speech delayed apraxic child. So my experience, although great in

> some areas, is nil in others. I think I asked for what he should have

> had, and they gave me what they THOUGHT he shoudl have had, and made

> no bones about the fact that our doctors are all " full of hot air. "

> It just amazes me.....

>

> ~k

> Re: [ ] Mad!Occup.Th.Comment!!

>

> Hi Karyn,

>

> It is just amazing to me that the IU is still getting away with this.

> I remember Mel's OT telling me that her motor planning was so severe

> that there was no reason to even try and give her therapy as it would

> not help her any way. I was told just to accept the facts about Mel

> and go on. She did suggest that Mel's aide start to allow her to

> water

> all of the plants in the school to help strengthen her wrist. She

> said maybe that would help her with independent typing. The scary

> part

> about this is that this OT is still in the IU system working with

> elementary age children. I sometimes see her while I am out shopping

> and would love to discuss apraxia with her but unable to due to the

> pending federal lawsuit.

>

> What I am hearing now is that families are advising the IU that if

> their child does not receive the recommended therapy they will be

> contacting their attorney and allow their attorney to handle the

> situation. I have heard this approach has worked with these families

> as they are getting returned phone calls and the services they are

> requesting. I hear that their approach is in a non threatening manor

> but one of a nice approach and the IU is securing services for them.

>

> Hopefully some of those parents are on this group list and can advise

> more about their approach with the IU systems.

>

> Take care,

>

> Robin

>

April 28, 2004

I am the original poster of this thread and sorry to say I don't know what IU

means either. But if anyone has any comments about my original post, it would

be very welcomed. Also, for obvious reasons, we are looking for a new ot who

is sensory based, so please pass that info on to everyone! Thanks, carolyn

from nj

April 28, 2004

I got a phone call yesterday from the IU OT that's workiing with Jordan....his

first comment was " He really doesn't need me. " HUH???? He explained that he

" seems to do well on all tasks. " When I asked him if he noticed that he has a

motor planning disorder he said " Yeah, I did notice that. " When I asked him if

he was doing anything about it, he said " no...why? " <sigh>

We have yet another IEP meeting for Friday. The pediatrician gave us a very

poignant letter, questioning why " the medical dx of this child is being

ignored, in order to accomodate the convenient diagnosis of an incompetent SLP,

who, after 1 1/2 years treating this child, could not strengthen his skills

enough to get him to pronounce the letter S. " He went on to ask how 3

promiment medical people who have diagnosed this child, could ALL be wrong,

since they all concur on his dx, yet a SLP who has been working for 2 years, can

be 100% right, yet produce no measurable change in the child's speech patterns. "

Wonder what their answer will be to that??????

Well, that coupled with the OT " s comments of yesterday, I'm ready.....think I

should bring a gun????? I'm infuriated at the levels of incompetence, and

sickened at the fact that, as they claim in regards to medical dx's, " we don't

have to listen to them. " Well no, then dont' listen to THEM, BUT YOU HAVE TO

LISTEN TO ME......<sigh> Chalk another one up for the great state of

Pennsylvania!!!!

Oh and BTW, according to all THEIR testing, he's doing

" phenominally " ....exceeded all of their goals (yeah, right.) He's definitely

ready for Kindergarten (sure, just push him out of your system so you're not

responsible any longer), and they feel other than 'occasional' speech services,

he'll do great (sure....when you can understand what he says...... and of course

don't ask him to say anything other than 4 words at a time, because it breaks

down to garble that even cousin It couldn't understand.) So...according to the

PROFESSIONALS at the IU......he's right on target! boy am I glad these people

REALLY don't treat kids!!!!!!

enough rambling....hope you all have a wonderful day

~k

[ ] Mad!Occup.Th.Comment!!

I really sorry for venting but I am really mad!! The ot that has

been coming to see my daughter almost a year now is so unbelievably

bad. Besides the fact that she doesn't do sensory ot with a sensory

seeker, but when my daughter was looking out of the window, she

laughed and said it looked " almost like an orgasmic

glare. " !!!!!!!!!!! Now, the assistent director for special services

in town told my coordinator that she merely told the ot to watch what

she saids because " it can be taken out of context. "

I called this assistant director as well as the director to find out

what the other context is to that statement.

After several months of this ot coming to do ot in my home with my

daughter if you can call it ot, the caseworker asked her if she was

setting up a sensory diet. Her quick excuse was that she really needs

data. She said she was going to make a chart and everyone was to

mark down every sensory thing my daughter did. So, if she went on the

suspended swing or squeezed something, write it down. We all

objected because my duaghter is constantly (literally) doing sensory

stuff.

Anyway that was before December and the ot did nothing and never

followed through.

Now we had a team meeting on Friday and the coordinator asked her if

she could be more sensory and fun. Her reply was again she needed

data. Well why didn't she do it before? This is just her excuse for

everything.

Finally I said, no this is just a waste of time. I asked what her

point was and she said maybe we will find from year to year that we

are giving her too much sensory. This is absurd. My daughter craves

sensory and only gets better with more creative sensory imput.

I also told her that there is no pattern with my daughter. From day

to day, her needs sensory wise can change.

I am really mad and she is suppose to come today. There is no way

she is coming in that door. Thanks for listening. Carolyn from NJ

April 28, 2004

hi,

I may sound ignorant but what is IU? All I hear is terrible things aobut this

IU and where is it?

chris

Robin Ketchem <ketchem@...> wrote: