The education group at your child's school designated to write and facilitate your child's IEP are not psychiatrists or physicians. If your child is diagnosed with an emotional disturbance such as ADHD, bipolar disorder or conduct disorder, this group is only interested in the parts that may hinder their learning. They can take symptoms and behaviors off at any time and aren't made to tell you. They can just tell you their determinatin of "current behaviors" for you to agree to and not tell you they took the other behaviours off.
If your child has a conduct disorder such as Oppositional Defiance Disorder, you know that symptoms can pop up at any time as they grow, as they changed meds, and as they experience any type of traumatic event. Medications can amplify them or squash them, but they still have the disorder and things can change. That is why it is important for all the symptoms/behaviors to remain on the IEP. Without that, your child is not protected.
My own son was diagnosed with severe ADHD, Major Depressive Disorder and Oppositional Defiance Disorder. He had physical aggression as a behavior on his IEP. Before his ARD, they called me to go over the "current behaviours" in which I agreed. Because it was over the phone, I didn't have the behaiours in front of me and didn't think about anything being removed if they didn't tell me about it. They removed physical aggression. My son had gone off his meds a week later. He thought he didn't need them anymore because he felt better. While is head was down, the behaviour teachers made disparageing comments about him thinking he was asleep. One of the behaviour teachers then pulled a chair from underneath him. When he tried to hide and go to a corner, a safe space listed in his behavioural plan, they denied him from doing so by pushing him, holding him and subsequently restrained him. He kicked, scratched, while they tried to restrain him.
Because he became physically agressive during this, they had him arrested. Physical aggression was no longer on his IEP to protect him. It is my clear understanding and gut feeling that they weaponized his BIP/IEP to remove him from school. The undertrained coaches set as "behavioral teachers" didn't want the extra effort of working with my son, so they found a way to get rid of him.
This experience highlights a significant issue in how IEPs are managed for students with emotional disturbances. It’s essential that all potential symptoms are recognized and kept in the IEP to ensure comprehensive support.
Key Points:
- Comprehensive IEPs: All symptoms of ADHD, ADD, Bipolar Disorder, and Conduct Disorder should remain listed in the IEP. This ensures that any potential symptoms are recognized and addressed promptly.
- Role of Educators: While educators observe and report behaviors, they are not equipped to determine the presence or absence of psychiatric symptoms. This is why ongoing input from medical professionals is crucial.
- Legal and Educational Protections: Students should be fully protected under IDEA and state laws, ensuring that their educational environment is accommodating and supportive of all their needs.
- Inclusion of Medical Reports: A psychiatrist’s or physician’s report should be a mandatory part of the IEP process, providing a complete picture of the student's needs and potential symptoms.
By maintaining all potential symptoms in the IEP and incorporating regular input from healthcare providers, schools can better support students with emotional disturbances, ensuring their educational rights and needs are fully met.
#kidsdreamsmatter #emotionaldisturbance #iep
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