DS was in private OT/PT off and on from preschool thru first grade and they said that they don't diagnose disorders like DCD.They can use a medical code like "lack of coordination" for insurance billing purposes, but that's about all they do. The first person that suggested DCD to me was a pediatric neurologist, but she didn't actually document anything, and then a neuropsych did the actual diagnosis later. But that wasn't acceptable for the school for IEP purposes. They needed it to be from an MD. So I had to get documentation from the MD, when the MD was the one who sent us to the neuropsych in the first place, to be evaluated. It was all rather bizarre.
If you want weekly updates from teachers, definitely get that formally in an IEP or 504 because I think you will be frustrated by the lack of response. I'm lucky if I get prompt responses back from teachers, if I get any response at all. Sometimes I'll have 2 or 3 specific questions and they'll only answer one question and ignore the others. And I wasn't emailing weekly, it was more along the lines of once or twice a month, with a question.
One of the most confusing parts of all the evaluation pieces is that it's hard to know who diagnoses what and using what terminology. I wish there were a chart somewhere. I don't know if DSM diagnoses carry more weight when requesting education evaluation--it's all very mysterious.
Another thought re: emailing and check-ins. I'm thinking for next year, of trying to create some sort of MS Word template where the teachers could quickly check boxes on specifics and add comments as needed. Or maybe just a cut and paste format. If the specifics matched the 504 requirements, it might help everyone understand what we are trying to monitor and support. It might also help me (or you, any parent) to stay in the "from emotions to advocacy" head space. It's difficult to read emotionally-laden (negative) narrative stream without becoming emotional. Maybe that would be helpful for you, too, to design something very factual and specific.
(I am no expert for sure. Brainstorming with you.)
