AD/HD - Schools Diagnose?

--- Do schools have to diagnose AD/HD?

Techniquely no. Schools DO however have to "identify" AD/HD though!!

Schools have the federal responsibility under the "Child Find" law to test to "identify" AD/HD in children they suspect may have this disorder. If the school suspects AD/HD, they should recommend and do a full psychoeducational evaluation. Then a parent can then take the school's evaluation to their medical doctor, either Psychiatrist or Pediatrician, for an official diagnosis which will be needed for eligibility of IDEA (special education) purposes. If a parent cannot afford to go to their medical doctor, then the school must pay for the doctor's visit as well for diagnosis, if a diagnosis is required by a medical doctor. In GA, diagnosis IS required for OHI (Other Health Impaired) eligibility. Anything needed for special education, including identification, must be provided at NO cost to the parent (FAPE).

A private psychologist could also do a psychological evaluation, if you prefer to pay for the evaluation yourself. Keep in mind, if you have a private evaluation done, the school only has to "consider" the information. They can, and sometimes do, just consider it, and then toss it if they don't agree. I always threaten with "Failure to Identify" if this happens, and allow them to do their own testing, if they will not accept the private evaluation.

If a school tells you they don't diagnose AD/HD, and you need to see your private doctor. You tell them, if it is needed for school purposes, then they must pay for it! They don't have to diagnose, but they DO have to identify. If it negatively affects your child's education (socially, emotionally, behaviorially, cognitively, or academically), they must pay for it. They have school psychologist who can test for AD/HD. Write a letter to the school Principal requesting a full psychoeducational evaluation.

As an Advocate, when I work with families whose child is suspected of having a mental health diagnosis, I always make sure my clients are working privately with a good Psychologist (for counseling and testing) and Psychiatrist (for medication management). A private psychologist can review school's testing and better explain it to the parents, and make sure the school did a thorough job and fill in when necessary. A Psychiatrist is needed for medication, and to write letters to the school. It is best to have both on board to use as witnesses, if at some point that is necessary.

Everyone needs to also keep in mind the statistics. 79% of children with AD/HD have at least one other co-morbid or co-occurring disorder. 90% have a Written Expression Learning Disability. It is more likely than not, that a child with AD/HD, also has a learning disability, executive function disorder, anxiety, depression, bipolar, autism, sensory integration disorder, fine motor delay, central auditory processing disorder, language disorder, etc. AD/HD is usually just the tip of the iceberg.................it seldom presents alone, which is why a full evaluation is necessary.

Children who have anxiety, autism, auditory processing, learning disabilities, SI etc. can also present with attention issues, but not be ADHD/ADD. Again why full testing is so important. There is no one test to identify AD/HD, and every professional working with the child should be looking for more than just AD/HD alone.

Carol Sadler
Special Education Consultant/Advocate
GA Advocacy Office PLSP I Graduate
770-442-8357
1105 Rock Pointe Look
Woodstock, GA 30188
CarolSadler@bellsouth.net
www.IEPadvocate4You.com
http://iepadvocate4you.blogspot.com

CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED
Information contained in this communication is confidential and privileged. It is not meant to represent legal or medical advice, but rather advice given based on my knowledge as a trained Parent Advocate by the GA Advocacy Office, Council of Parent Advocates & Attorneys, CHADD, LDA, and the GA DOE Parent Mentor program as an invited guest. Please do not forward without my permission. You are however, welcome to link to my blog.

Qualifying Bipolar Children for Special Education

This information below can also apply to children with AD/HD and High Functioning Autism/Aspergers.


Passing grades and doing well academically does NOT disqualify a child for IDEA (Spec. Ed.) services. This is specifically stated in the IDEA regulations. Negative educational impact can be in the area of social, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, as well as in academics. Special Education (IDEA) is not a place, it is a service.

Most children with Bipolar are very high functioning academically with high IQ's, and still need special education services for Pragmatic Language Disorders, Social Skills, Sensory Integration Disorder, Behavior, Anger Management, Organization and/or any combination of the above, depending on their co-morbid disorders and problems.

The parent needs to have their medical doctor (either Psychiatrist or Pediatrician) write the school a letter listing the all the negative educational impact the disability is causing. (ie, disrespectful to authority figures, disrupts the class, yells and is loud, cusses, fighting and arguing with peers, has no friends, immature, difficulty with organization, not turning in homework, takes 3 hours at night to do homework, loses things, doesn't fill in his agenda, has sound sensitivity, gets hyper in gym, lunchroom, or in auditoriums due to noise, doesn't like to be touched, has difficulty with transitions, has frequent somatic complaints and anxiety, leaves the classroom frequently to go to nurses office, has high anxiety, frequent suspensions, etc.............)

The parent should make the doctor a list of everything the school is complaining about and why he gets in trouble at school and have the doctor incorporate this information in his letter. List everything negative noted on report cards and in meetings/letters/e-mails. This is how you show educational impact of the disorder in the five areas I listed above AND why the child needs an IEP, not a 504 Plan. One of the important services in an IEP for a Bipolar child would be an appropriate FBA (Functional Behavior Assessment) and a proper "positive" BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan). Counseling is another.

Additionally, I haven't met a Bipolar Child yet who doesn't need goals in Pragmatic Language and Social Skills.................... A Bipolar child may be smart enough to pass standardized tests for Pragmatic Language, but does not have the ability to demonstrate and appropriately execute and transfer what they should know. If a child is being suspended either In-School or Out-of-School for bad and disruptive behaviors, this in of itself IS educational impact, because he is missing time away from the regular classroom instruction and it is considered a change of placement...................

Part of this process should also be to appropriately identify all the problems and co-morbid conditions that may apply to your child. You should have evaluations or ask the school to test for: Pragmatic Language Disorder - Speech/Language Evaluation with both formal and informal testing, observations and information, Executive Function Disorder, Sensory Integration Disorder - OT Evaluation, AD/HD and Anxiety, etc. These are all common co-occurring conditions.

Carol Sadler
Special Education Consultant/Advocate
GA Advocacy Office PLSP I Graduate
770-442-8357
1105 Rock Pointe Look
Woodstock, GA 30188
CarolSadler@bellsouth.net
www.IEPadvocate4You.com
http://iepadvocate4you.blogspot.com/

CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED
Information contained in this communication is confidential and privileged. It is not meant to represent legal or medical advice, but rather advice given based on my knowledge as a trained Parent Advocate by the GA Advocacy Office, Council of Parent Advocates & Attorneys, CHADD, LDA, and the GA DOE Parent Mentor program as an invited guest. Please do not forward without my permission.

Lindamood-Bell & Dyslexia/Dysgraphia

The Lindamood-Bell program is the only program I know that can remediate Dyslexia & Dysgraphia in a short period of time, (usually 6, 8, or 12 weeks), depending on the severity of the child's disability.

Our school system could not teach my Dyslexic/Dysgraphic daughter to read or write (spelling and written expression was severely impaired). We gave them two and half years and until her 4th grade year to teach her and at that time she was 2 1/2 years behind in reading, spelling and writing, and her self esteem was in the toilet. The school system even tried to remediate the LMB way, and gave her 156 hours of 1:1 intensive reading instruction over the summer of her 3rd grade year as ESY including the LMB LiPS program, tested and retested her, and she only made minimal progress (except in the LiPS program).

Desperately, we ended up privately placing her in the Lindamood-Bell 12 week school day program, where we are happy to report that she made 2 1/2 years progress and caught up to grade level in reading. She also made between 2-4 years progress in spelling, writing and math. We eventually did file Due Process and settled. She is now going into 7th grade in public school, passed ALL her CRCT's with flying colors, and scored a 7.3 grade level on the STAR reading test, and a 7.9 grade level on the CCC Math (at the end of 6th grade). I can't speak highly enough of the LMB program. It has changed my beautiful smart daughter's life..........

I would highly advise anyone with a child who cannot read, write, spell, or compute math to look into the Lindamood-Bell programs for your children. www.lindamoodbell.com It is a very intensive and highly structured program, which is why it works. It is also, very expensive, but well worth the money.

Everyone needs to keep in mind that Torgesen's research states that "Children who's reading is not remediated by 3rd grade have a life long disorder, and if their reading is not remediated until 4th grade, it takes 4 times as long to remediate." Schools know this, or should. Reading needs to be remediated in 1st and 2nd grade. Do not allow schools to wait until 3rd or 4th grade, or longer to test and remediate with an appropriate reading program.........

Some schools may use or incorporate some of the LMB strategies. This is certainly better than nothing, but it does not compare to the real thing. One of the reasons LMB works is that the intensity (4-6 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 6-12 weeks) changes the brain. You are not going to get that change in the brain receiving one hour of reading service a day..........

Carol Sadler
Special Education Consultant/Advocate
GA Advocacy Office PLSP I Graduate
770-442-8357
1105 Rock Pointe Look
Woodstock, GA 30188
CarolSadler@bellsouth.net
http://www.iepadvocate4you.com/

CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED - Information contained in this communication is confidential and privileged. It is not meant to represent legal or medical advice, but rather advice given based on my knowledge as a trained Parent Advocate by the GA Advocacy Office, Council of Parent Advocates & Attorneys, CHADD, LDA, and the GA DOE Parent Mentor program as an invited guest. Please do not forward without my permission.

Copies of IEP's & Minutes

You learned a valuable lesson to never sign a document in the IEP meeting until you have had time to review it. The school will use it against you to say that you agreed with everything. Only sign the attendance form at the IEP meetings stating that you have participated, until you have received all final documents and had an opportunity to review them. You will also need to sign a Consent to Evaluate if you have requested testing.

Parents are suppose to be given a copy of the final IEP at it's completion. Rarely are we ever getting these documents at the end of an IEP meeting anymore, which is concerning. So how can we check for accuracy??

I always insist on a copy of the minutes before we leave the meeting, at least. Usually I have been provided a copy of the "draft" IEP and I've taken my notes. I never give Drafts back to the school when they ask to collect them. Tell them to give you a copy of the final IEP for comparison and time to review it, and you will return the draft, but until then, you must keep it. Remind them you are suppose to have a copy of the final IEP before you leave. (Schools on occassion have been known to alter documents, so it is important to review!!) Most of the time, I don't worry too much about not getting it at the end of the meeting, as long as I have a draft IEP and a copy of the minutes.

If the IEP or minutes is not accurate, you can send a follow-up e-mail to document what you disagree with, and ask that it be changed. If the school refuses to change it, your e-mail/letter will serve as a document of your request. I don't worry too much about minutes being changed, because they are one-sided anyway. I always have a tape recording of the meeting, which can be transcribed and used as evidence. I will call another IEP meeting if necessary if actual services, methodology, accommodations/modifications or placement is not recorded accurately, this is very important.

Carol Sadler
Special Education Consultant/Advocate
GA Advocacy Office PLSP I Graduate
770-442-8357
1105 Rock Pointe Look
Woodstock, GA 30188
CarolSadler@bellsouth.net
www.IEPadvocate4You.com

CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED - Information contained in this communication is confidential and privileged. It is not meant to represent legal or medical advice, but rather advice given based on my knowledge as a trained Parent Advocate by the GA Advocacy Office, Council of Parent Advocates & Attorneys, CHADD, LDA, and the GA DOE Parent Mentor program as an invited guest. Please do not forward without my permission.

GAO's PLSP vs. Partners in Policymaking

Response to question on GA Advocates Network. May forward to other lists.......


-Is PLSP GA a version of Partners in Policy Making???-


No, PLSP is very different from Partners. PLSP (Parent Leadership Support Project) is the GA Advocacy Office's (GAO) 10/12 week special education (IDEA)/ADA legal training program free to parents in GA. It was developed and is run by Leslie Lipson, who is a special education attorney for GAO.

This course teaches parents about the laws that apply to special needs children and the whole special education, SST, 504, ADA, school process. Leslie has professional speakers come in and teach on various aspects, such as an Attorney may speak on Due Process, Nancy O'Hare will speak on the GA Complaint Process, a Psychologist may speak on Evaluations and testing, a Reading Specialist may speak on reading disabilities and dyslexia, there are sessions on the whole process of IEP's, Assistive Technology, requesting records, Related Services, Mediation, FBA/BIP's, Manifestation Hearings, Transition, Standardized Testing, Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL), etc. Graduated advocates, like myself come back and run Mock IEP meetings with role play for training. You meet and network with some of the States leading disability professionals and advocates.

GAO provides participants with two of Pete Wright's books for free, and gives participants a copy of the GA Special Education Rules and Regulations, and many many other supplemental materials. GAO runs a networking list serv for PLSP participants and graduates, where they post requests from other parents for parent advocates. We also share experiences and information to help us all be successful Advocates. They provide subsequent legal training as necessary, for example, they had a follow up training course for the new IDEA. PLSP graduates are always welcome to come back to any PLSP session for additional training as well, or refresher.....

PLSP is exactly what several parents of disabled children, including myself, envisioned and reported to Leslie what we needed here in GA, 4 years ago. We recognized that there were too few special education attorneys in GA, disability organizations, and people helping and representing parents of disabled children. We knew we needed "experienced" legal help in the "actual" IEP school meetings, not just people giving us advice and information on the phone because schools tended to use legal/school jargon and twist information around, either intentionally or unintentionally, which confused parents. So this is what Leslie set out to do, train parents of special needs children to be Advocates (and not just for advocates for their own children, but for others as well).

She has done a fabulous job. They have graduated 7 classes, and trained around 200 Parent Advocates in the State of GA. They have held PLSP classes in metro Atlanta, Macon, and Athens. PLSP graduating Lay Parent Advocates, like myself, have attended hundreds of IEP meetings for parents of special needs children. PLSP has created another tier of help here in GA, before parents need actual attorneys. We are leveling the playing field in school meetings, and reducing the cost and frustration of the special education process for parents.

PLSP is a phenomenal program, and I would certainly advise any parent of a special needs child to participate. I might add that GA is one of the ONLY states doing this, we are quite fortunate!!

For more information on GAO's PLSP, go to http://thegao.org./training.htm or call the GAO at 404-885-1234 or 800-537-2329.

AADD's Partners In Policymaking is very different from GAO's PLSP legal training. Partner teaches participants to become more involved in public policy and the laws that effect disabled people on a State and National level. PLSP teaches legal training specific to special education (IDEA), 504, SST, and ADA.

AADD's Partners In Policymaking is also a wonderful program, and you can get more info. about it at http://www.aadd.org/html/gap.html

Carol Sadler
Special Education Consultant/Advocate
GA Advocacy Office PLSP I Graduate
770-442-8357
1105 Rock Pointe Look
Woodstock, GA 30188
CarolSadler@bellsouth.net
http://www.iepadvocate4you.com/

CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED - Information contained in this communication is confidential and privileged. It is not meant to represent legal or medical advice, but rather advice given based on my knowledge as a trained Parent Advocate by the GA Advocacy Office, Council of Parent Advocates & Attorneys, CHADD, LDA, and the GA DOE Parent Mentor program as an invited guest. Please do not forward without my permission.