Tuesday, January 17, 2012

My IEP Frustration


Ok folks. This is my venting post about trying to get an IEP (Individual Education Program) in the public school system. Let me preface this by stating that I am no stranger for fighting for my child. W was born addicted to cocaine, thanks to his birthmother, which in turn has caused him numerous health issues. He has had problems since his first day on this earth and I have been fighting for him since that day. Nothing comes easy. It almost seems as if you are the only one who is willing to go that extra mile for the child, that everyone else is satisfied with letting things sit at status quo. You have to push and push to accomplish any small task.

I fought with the pediatrician for 2 years to get W help early on when he was not meeting his milestones but I was told that all kids are different. He will get there when he gets there. When he was two and could not even say Mama, I finally found out on my own about Early Intervention on the internet and got him into Hand in Hand by myself. There he started all his therapy which started the ball rolling to recovery. This also started my uphill, grueling, every day battle for this child to become a normal functioning child. There were also many health issues I fought for. I had to beg to be referred to gastroenterologists and ENTs and neurologists. W could not poop without medication until this year!! He had severe sleep apnea that I finally got him to a ENT who took his adenoids out at 4 so he could sleep more than an hour at a time. He had not done that in his entire life!

I say this all not to evoke sympathy but to show you mine and Wade and W's resolve. We are no strangers to a battle. But this school system is like nothing I have encountered thus far. These people do not make any sense!! It is like talking to the wall and the wall just doesn't seem to get it at all! I don't know how anyone gets services unless your child is severely handicapped. I know these special ed. teachers care. They have to or they would find another career path. Maybe they are hardened by the strict guidelines the state has tied their hands with. But they just don't seem to care. When I bring that to their attention I get the response, "Look I am just trying to lay it all out there so you know what you are up against." Well how about a little compassion and a little glimmer of a teacher who wants to help me with getting my child to succeed! That would go a million miles toward dealing with all the bureaucratic crap we are up against.

So thanks for letting me vent. We have a meeting with the special ed dept., the principal, W's teacher, and Wade and I next week. I have a fabulous letter from W's psychologist to accompany his diagnosis paperwork where she basically tells them to get there crap together and "DON'T MAKE ME COME DOWN THERE!!" Gotta love Dr. Barnes!!

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