Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional IEP suggestions needed

The school has finished their evaluation of GD5 (almost 6). We don't have the written report yet, but DD did talk to the school psychologist yesterday and they have backed away from the Asperger's dx. DD was told GD would qualify for Special Ed under General Anxiety Disorder. After testing, they keep saying they have just never seen a kid like her before. Nothing is firm yet but I'd like some advise on things to ask for in an IEP. In particular, GD sees everything as "life or death" or "end of the world" and reacts (over-reacts) to many seemingly little things including who she sits by, not doing well in a PE game, etc. She also has extreme fears (ie of the skeleton posters on the gym walls). We need to get the teachers to identify trigger points and prevent full-blown power struggles and meltdowns (normal school discipline methods have not worked partly because she's not trying to behave badly). Although she has been identified as GT & they finally get she needs more academically, I'm not sure if they will write acad. stuff into the IEQ since GT does not qualify here. So for now I'm hoping some of you with "high strung" kids and IEP's might have some ideas.

I'll post more about the report when we get it. Thanks for any insight.

Does your GD actually have a private Asperger's diagnosis? If so, she should qualify for the IEP under the category of autism. In some districts, this may give access to a different set of services. A school psych is really not qualified to give a medical diagnosis, so if you don't have one already, I'd seek one from a developmental pediatrician, an autism center, or from a neuropsychologist who has experience with autism spectrum disorders.

Since anxiety is a problem, and normal discipline methods don't work, have they done a functional behavior analysis? If not, I'd request one, in writing. They need to take data on exactly what triggers cause problems, and what the problems are, and then they should write a behavior plan that includes both direct teaching to help these triggers not be a problem any more, and strategies that everyone at the school will follow to minimize problems from those triggers.

Our school does not write gifted matter into the IEP, but it's a factor when they discuss classroom placement.

Best wishes,
Dee

DeeDee - No she does not have an Asperger's diagnosis. She had several behaviors that fit (obsessed with animals, fears, trouble with transitions/change, impulsive, some lack of eye contact at times) but not the real tests (social problems, lack of empathy, lack of imaginational play etc - in fact they talked about how creative & imaginative she is). That was just the only thing both the teacher & parent forms indicated as a possibility. No one who knows her believed this was her problem - she's too social, has lots of friends, a great imagination etc.

They had an outside team come in to the school who specialize in Autism/Asperger's including a speech therapist & a psychologist.
After their observations & conversations & tests, they do not see Asperger's. They say she will qualify for Sp. Ed due to "General Anxiety Disorder". They do want to pay for an evaluation by a psychiatrist of their choice (basically they think she needs anti-anxiety meds). DD is not sure whether she will go if the psych. is not familiar with gifted kids & since all the info will be shared with the school.

I have mentioned the idea of having them due that type of behavior analysis which I've read about. I think that is critical. Also her teacher this year has not followed through with the Behavior Plans they've tried for more than a week or two at a time max. No consistency or follow through have been a big issue all year.

Cricket3 - thanks for the empathy and sharing your experience. Actually we believe the key is helping her learn to manage/control her anxieties as well as her emotions. We have tried some of the techniques - breathing, counting, asking her to think of something she likes - but so far little success. She has actually gotten MUCH better than when she was a toddler and preschooler but still not where she needs to be. I do think age and maturity will help some eventually. Finding the right person to help her learn these techniques would be wonderful.

She actually is a fairly happy kid most of the time but certain things just stress her out - especially at school. I would love to hear how the hypnosis works out for you.

I'm glad to hear that your DD has gotten better with age.

For an anxiety issue, I'd probably want to see a psychologist or psychiatrist privately, and then have them issue a list of recommendations, in report-fashion, to include in the IEP. I don't think I'd rely on the school for diagnosis and treatment in this area. Just my two cents.

When my ds was in preschool and the special ed team was concerned about a possible social anxiety, they wrote into the IEP some very basic goals such as "smiles at another child". Although in that particular situation the team's take on my ds wasn't at all how either I or the teacher saw him, the point is that they wanted to set out "baby steps". That's how I would approach goals for the sort of IEP you're thinking of, though I'm not sure what those specific goals would be. Think of a longer term goal (sitting next to other kids or looking at scary things or whatever) and break it down into parts/little steps.

snowgirl - I agree with you. DD tried a play therapist but it was very expensive & didn't seem to be accomplishing anything. I think a private evaluation would be better and it's a good idea to ask for their recommendations for IEP. Now the trick is getting DD to follow through. The other problem is they may do the IEP before we could have her privately tested. I also appreciate the advise about breaking down the goals into little steps.

Cricket3 - That's one of the problems with GD too. She doesn't like to talk about anything that's bothering or upsetting her. So you have a point, it won't work unless she will cooperate. Play therapy is supposed to bring things out in play but she just wanted to play & talk about the toy animals etc. And in play therapy they don't really try to get to the "issues" but wait for them to come out.

No easy answers are there?

DS7 (2e autism) has similar issues and during your IEP meeting, I would recommend that you ask the school to do an FBA (like Dee recommended.) With that, the school can make a behavior plan which includes lots of little accommodations that will help your daughter. DS has a specific spot to stand during PE for example. All the teachers in school must follow the plan (legally.) The teachers are required to stand next to him and confirm he understands instructions. At the end of the class, the teachers go over a short list confirming he behaved appropriately in their class. For DS, repeated positive reinforcement is the way to keep him doing what he is supposed to. Each classroom (including gym and lunchroom) has a specific quiet spot that he is permitted to get up and move to whenever he feels overwhelmed. He has a special green card on his desk that he can hand to the teacher if he has an urgent problem or meltdown pending and he is not getting answered just by raising his hand normally. (Code Red!!!!) He also has seat, feet, and hand fidgits available in each room.

That's all I can think of from the top of my head. It took a lot of tries until we got it working right, and I'm sure next year in a new school we will have to tweak it again, but it is worth it!

The psychologist we go to when needed uses stuffed animals that DS turns into kids and teachers in school. DS would never talk about things that bother him, but he is able to talk about them via the animals with the psychologist. (I tried the technique at home, by the way, and it did NOT work...his psychologist is a magician LOL.) DS says, "I am not talking about S or D" (suspension and detention) yet the psychologist somehow gets to the root of the problem.

Nan

Nan - thanks for all the information. Those are some good ideas about the types of things that could be included. Hopefully an IEP will force the teachers/staff to follow through unlike having just a behavior plan they can ignore at will. Did talking to the psychologist help him?

Sounds like the FBA is a key component - does a behavioral specialist usually conduct this? I'm not sure anyone at the school could do it correctly.

GM, The behavior specialist at our school did the FBA. I have heard of school psychologists doing it also.

Talking to the psychologist helped DS like you wouldn't believe!!! DS has been to her for 3 or 4 separate issues and it only takes between 1 and 3 sessions before he doesn't need to go anymore! We are really lucky because she is a gifted advocate and has loads of experience with ASDs. Nan

We had our private autism consultant conduct the FBA (at our expense, sigh); there was nobody among the school staff who understood how to take meaningful data, or what to look for. The results were very much worth the effort in showing the school what was going on that they weren't understanding, and how to prevent behaviors they don't want.

DeeDee

Thank you both for the imput - I'm not sure if the school psychologist would be experienced at that or not - I know no one else on staff would be. I guess the only thing to do is ask.

They had a new Positive Behavior Plan which just petered out after 2-3 weeks; the teacher just will not follow through. Her current stance is that she behavved well for 2 days so she is capable and should do it every day. Now she is holding the threat over her head of taking away her role in the Kindergarten play unless she behaves "perfectly" all day every day (2 weeks to go). I wouldn't mind so much if the teacher was doing what she was supposed to be doing. This has gone on all year.

I really wish we could find a psychologist like yours, Nan in our area. I'm so glad she is able to help him.

GM5, in your shoes I would talk to the principal and have them get that teacher to follow the behavior plan. It is cruel to punish a child because they have a disability, and it should not be allowed to happen. A threat like that is terrible for a child who is already suffering from anxiety; if it were my anxious kid, I know he would not behave at all while under such a threat, not because he didn't want to, but because he'd be terrified, and feeling worse and worse about himself.

A positive behavior plan can definitely be made part of the IEP, and should in your case; at which point it is legally mandated and the teacher doesn't get to choose whether to follow it. She has to. An IEP is good protection for your child.

I will also add that girls are harder to diagnose correctly than boys. Yours sounds a lot like an 8yo girl in our extended family who is creative, imaginative, social-- and has an Asperger's diagnosis. (She is social, but it costs her a lot of energy and anxiety to be social, and she often does it "incorrectly," usually playing in ways that are not quite usual.)

Not saying yours does or should have an AS diagnosis, just saying you may do better with the school if you use private resources to really pin down a diagnosis accurately. Sometimes support from a private expert makes it possible to educate the school about the child's needs in a way that the family alone cannot do. This is how we have made progress with our DS.

It's wonderful that your kiddo has you as an advocate.

Dee

GM5, We get the same thing at school with DS, "He's doing better, so let's take away the services and accommodations!" Yikes!!! That's WHY he's doing better. And the behavior plan can't be optional for the teacher. Like Dee said, talk to the principal. DH went in for two different hour long meetings with the principal before we saw across the board enforcement of DS's plan...and his is a legal IEP/BIP. Frustrating! Nan

Thanks for the advice everybody. I am somewhat of a disadvantage because GD is my granddaughter and I have no direct standing with the school. DD & GD live with us and DD works afternoons and evenings so I take care of GD most of the time during the week. Her mom has been trying to get through to the school all year, with more regularity lately. I try to do as much research as I can, provide DD with books & info (a lot provided by this forum) and make suggestions when I can. I asked DD if she was going to bring up the stopage (again) of the Positive Behavior Plan and she wants to discuss it with the school psychologist (whose there 2 days a week) rather that confronting the teacher directly. Depending on how that conversation goes, I think she should talk to the principal (but she's not been very supportive or helpful). I was hoping that an IEP would carry more weight but I guess you still have to "police them".

Dee Dee - DD and I have talked about getting a private evaluation done but she has not decided yet. I hope we'll at least have a little more information once we get the written report. How much of GD's behaviors/anxieties are just extreme OE's, sensory problems which she has, or the way she's been handled all year at school who knows? We realize that there could still be another diagnosis in the wings besides generalized anxiety but Asperger's seems like a stretch for several reasons. However, either way she definitely still has some of the characteristics which need to be addressed.

It has really been helpful to me to see that others (dx or not) have similar issues. Thanks to this forum I have learned a lot and been able to inform DD about what I have learned from you all about advocating, 2E issues, IEP's and special education rights etc. Without you all, I can't imagine where we would be.