Schools and Lyme - IEP/504s

October 6, 2010

Hello All - In reviewing recent posts on teens and Lyme... I realized that

you might be able to help with our current challenge. Our 3 kids were

very sick with Lyme starting in 2004, diagnosed in 2006. While we have made

great progress, and they are functioning " normally " in school as of last

year, we are still battling the illnesses, and had a full battery of

neurocognitive testing done late last school year.

We found huge increases in both of our elementary kids (grade 4 and 3), but

severe dysfunctions still, especially in the areas of visual memory,

visual processing, processing speed, and executive functioning/focus, very

typical issues with neuro-lyme and the coinfections they have.

We are getting ready to meet with our school to set up an IEP, and have a

meeting with a lawyer first. My question is this -- what kinds of

accommodations have you gotten from your schools that have helped? our

psychologist has recommended providing more time for them in tests, and in other

activities, as well as for assignments/projects. This is major - in both

classes, they do these " timed " math rotations, and their score is based on how

many they complete in the time period - they both do dismally in these, and

yet if you give them time their accuracy is very good. There is a lot of

focus in their class on whether they are in the " addition club " , " subtraction

club " and this makes them feel very bad about their performance -- this is

for a kid that has a top 2% IQ. He has also recommended support for

planning and organization, providing them with written instructions when they

are

being asked to copy things down off the smartboard/chalkboard - which is

also a problem - many times my daughter comes home with only half of her

assignment copied down - she just doesn't have the time (visual processing,

and even handwriting is hard for her). There is some discussion of allowing

them a quiet place to take their tests, to minimize distractions etc.

I would like to know what has really worked for your kids... and any other

advice regarding working with the schools... our school was pretty good

when they were very sick, but we have a new principal and a guidance counselor

that started giving off very negative vibes when we asked for the teachers

to fill out forms last spring as part of their testing -- I want to be

prepared. Thanks!!! - Wagner, _montcolyme@..._

(mailto:montcolyme@...)

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