Dyspraxia

The sad truth is that the school will not be able to offer her much. You need to pay for private services to get anywhere. Dyspraxia involves the whole body. There are so many things to be worked on first before fine motor can even be considered. You wouldn't put a roof on a house with no foundation.......Where do you live and I can suggest some brain based therapies which are very different then regular OT, PT. Dyspraxia is a symptom of something much bigger. Get to the core problem and not treat symptoms, like giving handwriting w/o Tears or something like that. It is a bandaid at best.

Hi! My son has a IEP at his school since before kindergarden. He is in 3 rs grade now. However my son does not have Syspraxia he does however have motor function and other delays as well and struggles at school. I would schedule a appt to meet with your children principal or asst principal ASAP and have them discuss the process with you. That should help get the ball rolling, you can also call the school board as well and have them direct you with someone who can explain more in detail what needs to get done.

I hope this helps a little.
-J. H

Don't let the school dictate what is best for her.

Questions:

1. Has she been tested for any deficiencies?

2. Why do they feel the 504 Plan is sufficient?

Push the subject - you are your child's advocate - I got an IEP for my son.

He doesn't have Dyspraxia - but he still needed an IEP.

On a side note are you giving her supplements?

The 504 plan is supposed to be used to help children with disabilities overcome hurdles that can make participation difficult. So if it does, in fact, allow her to overcome those hurdles and participate without such struggles then the 504 is appropriate. If she has issues that require more then a 504 can give or if she needs to be in a special needs class then an IEP is appropriate. Why do you feel the 504 is not sufficient, and an IEP would be better? Dyspraxia may cause other underlying issues that can be better addressed with an IEP, but the 504 plan may be appropriate to help her function well in class. I don't know as I don't have all the details, or know all her struggles.

Just get as much information as you can to find out what will help her and what she needs, and work with the school to make sure she gets those needs met. If the plan the school is pushing doesn't meet her needs then you have to fight for her. As someone else said you are her advocate, but the teachers are as well so you need to work with them. Go in and discuss your concerns and theirs. Find out if there are others involved that you can talk to and discuss concerns. Find out where they stand and what their concerns are. Do this all BEFORE you go into another meeting. You will be better prepared and hopefully you will have others that care for your daughters needs on the same page ready to bat for you.

I was a special education teacher before becoming a stay-at-home mom, so I am curious about this.. Who diagnosed her with a learning disability? If it was the school psychologist, she should be getting an IEP started. Was she tested outside the school? If so, you may need to see what steps need to be done to have it verified within the school system, which may mean more testing.. But at least then, you should be able to move forward. I have been out of the system for 3 years, and I know there were changes in the works as I was leaving, coming down from the federal level, but I would stay on top of them and ask what you need to do to have your child's needs best met.

Hi M. - Dealing with IEPs and 504s can be a very large challenge for parents. The big part is to start educating yourself about the law and regulations around both of these. Also check with your state department of education's website, many times they will have the state's special education manual online for you to download, if they dont call them and they should mail you a copy for free. Each state is different but the Federal law IDEA and Section 504 are above each state's manuals.

In the state manual there should be a section that covers eligibility and the process to get on an IEP or 504 for your state. Depending on the specific district and state some 504s are suitable for students others you will want the extra safeguards that come with the IEP under IDEA. When you (and the eligibility team/school) look at your daughter and her needs, they will be looking at any test scores or evaluations that have been done. Many times a child will have a diagnosis but they still must qualify with scores, etc. That is where some of the below info can help you with this process in understanding scores and how they work.

The next place to start learning is www.wrightslaw.com, the best money I ever spent was on their combo with the "From Emotions to Advocacy" and the "Special Ed Law" book along with their WebEx Training. The training along with the books was like sitting in one of their conferences. It will walk you through the process as well as how to document communication, progress, test scores, etc. There are wonderful examples of how to write letters when dealing with schools.

When dealing with the school - have they looked at all areas that are affected by her disability? How does this work for her handwriting, is this hampering other areas of her education, how is her social? Look at all of these, write them and any concerns out. If the main area is fine motor (like with writing) then she may only qualify/need assistance with that area (usually with an OT, they may have 1:1 service or consultation). If there are other areas of concerns, make sure that the school is aware of them (using the Wrightslaw style letters).

I also suggest that you check with your doctors/hospitals to see if there is a local parent support group (for parents of special needs kids) in your area, they will be a great resource as well as support as you go through this journey.

Feel free to drop me a line if you have more questions about this topic. God Bless

My son has Asperger's (on the autism spectrum) and has a 504 not an IEP. At first we were concerned too that the school district was not going to an IEP, however we have been quite satisfied with all of the accomodations and discussions that we have had with the school regarding his 504. We truly couldn't be happier with how he is progressing and enjoying school. I would talk to the officials at the school and find out specifically why they feel a 504 is sufficient. See if the accomodations that you want for your daughter will be available with the 504. If she is going to be getting everything that she needs under a 504, then it shouldn't be an issue.

Good luck,
K.

sounds like your child needs OT (occupational therapy)
contact the district's OT office and find out if your daughter can receive OT w/ a 504 or does she need an IEP.
that's the route I would take- what do you WANT/NEED and what will it take to get it? if it's 'just' accomodations then yes a 504 should be sufficient. BUT if it's services or special ed classes, then you might need an IEP.