Today was IEP day. I do have an advantage over a lot of mom's of special needs kids. I used to work on the other side of the table. I have written IEP's and have taught special needs kids. Even with all that there is a part of you that gets a bit nervous. After all, we are talking about cold hard numbers of how my child compares with her peers. We discussed several forms of evaluations.
I do have to add that I look at these things as sort of how Ayden Jane functions on a poor day. I know that sounds strange, but the biggest challenge for Ayden Jane as it comes to answering questions, problem solving... basically using any of her cognitive skills is that when we do these tests I hand off Ayden Jane to someone she has never met and they proceed to a room she has never been in before .... I think that is basically like testing me in a room where the music is loud, the walls have flashing signs on them, there is an unusual odor and the seating is totally unfamiliar feeling and I can't get comfortable. Oh wait, I am supposed to do my best! And quickly because no body has all day ya know....
First up is IQ. Ayden Jane's verbal IQ is comfortably average. Her performance IQ is in the low/below average range. Looking at the subtests makes me wonder if she was concentrating at all on one of them...
Next was processing speed. HA!! No big surprise that it was low. Even the psychologist commented though on how much quicker in general AJ was the second day when she had her come back to finish up. Her processing speed at home is just fine, even quick. Out and about in places she is used to it is still good. In new places or when meeting lots of new people it just slows until she has time....
Academic Achievement/readiness showed her totally ready for Kindergarten. She placed in the 63rd percentile. I feel like with all the time we lost last winter just trying to get healthy that is an awesome score! Things are firing fast and she is learning quickly lately so she will only go up between now and the fall.
Checklists for Social/Emotional functioning by her teachers and myself did not report any issues. In fact, her teachers scored her better than I did!
We discussed speech therapy and decided to dismiss her. Hard not to when there just aren't really goals left to work on. We will definitely continue OT. Basically, AJ is listed as receiving consultative special ed. services under the category Other Health Impaired (OHI) with OT as a related service. Her special needs teacher will check in with her regular ed teacher and give strategies that can be used to help Ayden Jane in any areas she needs additional help. She will not receive direct services. She has made it through private preschool with no special needs services and is holding her own in the middle of the pack so I don't see the need to add things unless she truly needs them. Ayden Jane rises to challenges and likes to do things independently. As long as it does not stress her out, I say let her do it!
We discussed teacher and she will be placed with the teacher they feel will best fit her needs and she will have 2 kids she already knows in there with her. One friend from down the street who is 'quirky' just like AJ and Lilah, our PT's daughter! Yep, Jen will be in and out as she volunteers a bit and will be another set of experienced eyes on Ayden Jane.
Not sure I could have a better set up at this point. Ready to Rock Kindergarten!
I do have to add that I look at these things as sort of how Ayden Jane functions on a poor day. I know that sounds strange, but the biggest challenge for Ayden Jane as it comes to answering questions, problem solving... basically using any of her cognitive skills is that when we do these tests I hand off Ayden Jane to someone she has never met and they proceed to a room she has never been in before .... I think that is basically like testing me in a room where the music is loud, the walls have flashing signs on them, there is an unusual odor and the seating is totally unfamiliar feeling and I can't get comfortable. Oh wait, I am supposed to do my best! And quickly because no body has all day ya know....
First up is IQ. Ayden Jane's verbal IQ is comfortably average. Her performance IQ is in the low/below average range. Looking at the subtests makes me wonder if she was concentrating at all on one of them...
Next was processing speed. HA!! No big surprise that it was low. Even the psychologist commented though on how much quicker in general AJ was the second day when she had her come back to finish up. Her processing speed at home is just fine, even quick. Out and about in places she is used to it is still good. In new places or when meeting lots of new people it just slows until she has time....
Academic Achievement/readiness showed her totally ready for Kindergarten. She placed in the 63rd percentile. I feel like with all the time we lost last winter just trying to get healthy that is an awesome score! Things are firing fast and she is learning quickly lately so she will only go up between now and the fall.
Checklists for Social/Emotional functioning by her teachers and myself did not report any issues. In fact, her teachers scored her better than I did!
We discussed speech therapy and decided to dismiss her. Hard not to when there just aren't really goals left to work on. We will definitely continue OT. Basically, AJ is listed as receiving consultative special ed. services under the category Other Health Impaired (OHI) with OT as a related service. Her special needs teacher will check in with her regular ed teacher and give strategies that can be used to help Ayden Jane in any areas she needs additional help. She will not receive direct services. She has made it through private preschool with no special needs services and is holding her own in the middle of the pack so I don't see the need to add things unless she truly needs them. Ayden Jane rises to challenges and likes to do things independently. As long as it does not stress her out, I say let her do it!
We discussed teacher and she will be placed with the teacher they feel will best fit her needs and she will have 2 kids she already knows in there with her. One friend from down the street who is 'quirky' just like AJ and Lilah, our PT's daughter! Yep, Jen will be in and out as she volunteers a bit and will be another set of experienced eyes on Ayden Jane.
Not sure I could have a better set up at this point. Ready to Rock Kindergarten!
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