Re: Their audiogram or ours? & AVT in the IEP

February 15, 2006

In a message dated 2/15/2006 10:44:45 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

.Schreiner@... writes:

The school is now asking for a copy of Sam's most recent audiogram.

Is there any reason that I should insist on the school performing

their own audiological testing?

I also have no experience with AVT, so I can't comment. But like Barbara, we

automatically share Ian's audiograms with the school, his TOD, the school's

audiologist and our pediatrician. I actually never ask that their audi test

Ian because, quite honestly, our district has a history of forum shopping. I

prefer the OUR doctors provide all relevant evaluations to the school. I

simply trust them more because I have personally chosen them. Asking that the

school do their own can mean having conflicting evaluations and interpretations

of the audiogram (which should be the same wherever it's done).

Our school didn't like the results provided by their own choice of

audiologist (and the same one they now contract with for Ian's care), so they

claimed

that since our insurance had picked up the tab, it was really not a school

evaluation and demanded to send him to yet another audi. At the time, we had

audiograms from both Columbia Presbyterian and Montefiore (2 big NYC hospitals)

as well as their first choice of audiologist. I called our lawyer and he

said, legally, since we'd paid, they had that right. So, they were going to

send

him to what I referred to as the Little House on the Prairie audiologist.

She could not understand why they wanted her eval since she didn't have 1/2 the

equipment that the hospitals had. And then, her results paralleled all the

others so they stopped asking for their own. (shrug)

Anyway ... I'd stick with the one done by my kid's doctor. Where my son was

the most comfortable and therefore where the results are likely to be the most

reliable.

Best -- Jill

February 15, 2006

In a message dated 2/15/2006 11:25:11 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,

.Schreiner@... writes:

The one thing I've always been told by friends is " don't share your

docs with the school " insist on their own evals. Of course, these

friends have children on IEPS for reasons other than hearing loss.

Depending on the issue being discussed, I suppose this could be appropriate.

But I much prefer to have OUR doctors provide all evaluations. There are

things about Ian and his issues that are simply none of the school's business

and therefore I do not share those details.

If we permitted their doctors to evaluate Ian, then they would be privy to a

lot more information and I could not chose to keep some things private. For

instance, they don't need to know that Ian had his tear ducts repaired, or

that he had a brachial cleft removed as a baby. Details like that have no

bearing on his educational needs, and I don't want them part of the school's

documentation. We control what information the school is permitted to have, and

it

is limited to only what they need.

Best -- Jill

February 15, 2006

Hi - I can't respond to the AVT question but regarding the

audiogram, if you're comfortable with your audiologist I'd be

comfortable with that. Actually, when either of our boys has a hearing

test, we have the report and the audiogram forwarded to their SPED

teacher, to their teacher of the deaf and to their pediatrician. I

trust our audiologist - she's on our side - so would prefer her

assessment to that of a school audi.

Hope this helps!

Barbara

khemarasmom wrote:

> Hi -

>

> We are just getting ready to " transition " to kindergarten with Sammy's

> IEP. Eeks!

>

> I am feeling really good about our local kindergarten and the

> enthusiasm of all to work with Sam. I went for a visit with a TOD and

> audiologist and both think the physical environment of the classroom

> is a good fit for Sammy.

>

> The school is now asking for a copy of Sam's most recent audiogram.

> Is there any reason that I should insist on the school performing

> their own audiological testing?

>

> Also, Sam has been in an integrated special needs preschool for 2

> years, and is doing well. He gets speech therapy and " auditory

> training " and various services from a TOD (1 hour per week) (she's not

> a AV therapist, she's the school district's " hearing impaired

> itinerant " ). For two years, we have also been taking him for auditory

> verbal therapy on our own at a local university. With Sam attending

> kindergarten next year, I'm not sure how feasible it is to keep taking

> him to this private therapy which is an hour from home. How can I

> try to work AVT into his IEP so that it is now provided by the school

> with someone specifically trained in auditory verbal therapy?

>

> Thanks!

>

> Mom to Gabe, age 7.5

> and Sam, age 4.5, profound loss right ear/mild-severe sloping loss in left

>

February 15, 2006

I don't trust school testing at all. If you like yours, keep it or

you're setting yourself up for a problem.

February 15, 2006

Thanks -

The one thing I've always been told by friends is " don't share your

docs with the school " insist on their own evals. Of course, these

friends have children on IEPS for reasons other than hearing loss.

We are pleased with our audiologist, and don't have a problem sharing

the results.

Just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing a reason why the school

should do their own testing!

February 15, 2006

> Just wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing a reason why the school

> should do their own testing!

If I've had the Audiogram to share with them, I've always done so, but I

won't pay to get one just because they want one. As for the AVT, there are

so many different possibilities that I couldn't even guess which one would

be the right one for your son. What is her training and track record in

being able to provide the therapy that your child needs? Is your child ready

to 'graduate' from AVT? Are the things your child needs to work on things

that the school staff can work on, etc. You'll probably have a rough time

getting AV Therapy mentioned specifically. What would work best is to get

the Goals as specific as you can so that the only person who can do them is

an AVT - or at least someone trained in AVT or being mentored by an AVT.

More specifics can be found here:

http://listen-up.org/oral/a-v2.htm

Kay

kay@...

The Listen-Up Web

http://www.listen-up.org

February 15, 2006