my son has speech problems and is a slow learner why wont the school system help?

Danielle - posted on 08/30/2011

I'm surprised. My son has a speech problem (he's 9 now.) Is there an Early Intervention program in your school district? They provided a van to and from school for my son who was in the program.

Teresa - posted on 01/27/2010

All special needs children have the right to an education in the public school system from ages 3 to 21. It's the law and has been since the 1970's... PL 94-142 and PL 93-957 I think. It was revamped in 2004 and is now called the IDEA. All you have to due is notify the school system that they are in violation of your child's civil rights. If there is not a suitable placement for your child at a school within the county, then they must pay for private school if necessary and provide transportation. Bear in mind though that it doesn't mean they have to pay for a private school just because you want your child to go to one. There are many wonderful special education teachers in public schools who do wonders with our children and at times it is parents who expect their children to reach milestones before the child is ready. I know this from experience because I am a special education teacher in the public school system as well as the parent of a special needs child. We have to remember that our children are different, that their brains and bodies are wired differently, and it takes a consistent effort from everyone, teachers, parents, and children for them to be all they can be.

June - posted on 01/26/2010

What I ended up finding out was Florida has the McKay scholarships for children with special needs. I found a TBI/AUtistic/ Learning Disability school. The tuition is 17,9 however McKay covers a little more then half and I make payments monthly. Like a car payment. He has 2 teachers and 4 boys in his class. He started there Jan 09 as a Kindergartner and is now going into 4th grade. He's still behind in reading but mostly on target. He makes A's and also they deal with the behavioral aspects just as much as education which has I think helped him learn faster. Hope you have a McKay type program for your state. Best of luck!!

Shelly - posted on 01/23/2010

my son is 7 now and is deaf,has learning difficulties and chronic lung disease and when he started nursery he went to a special school and he could not speak at all within 6 months of attending this school he was singing nursery rhymes they made such a difference but i can relate to your transport,my sons taxi was provided and the first was a big huge bus and he couldnt communicate with complete strangers picking him up,then after the school term the contract came up for renewal and another driver came with a smaller bus and used to let my childminder struggle with my son,a school bag,an oxygen cylinder and a car seat and not get out to even open her door.we then moved house and he got yet another new driver and this one was great he loved going and his escort was amazing too but then he gave up the contract because the money wasnt right and so we had yet another new driver in a car who were a couple and they treated my son as if he was their own and this was all before he was 5.i rang the education authority and even got his consultants and health visitor to write to them but was met with a brick wall,these people do not care what problems our children have they are treated as just a number and it is very frustrating.my son is in mainstream school now and is a little behind in his work but can hold his own.hang in there it does get easier.x

Heidi - posted on 01/21/2010

See if you can contact Warmline for your county. they have a great support network and people that can help you know how to best fight for your son.

Shannon - posted on 01/21/2010

I just found out that the child find lost my sons IEP! Then I did my own research and found a better school with all the same specialists that he needs and im trying to get him enrolled today if they have the room for him. Im keeping my fingers crossed. I guess child find is also having a meeting today about my son, they havent been much help so far so I dont know what good itll do and yesterday they said he was placed at the school thats an hour from my house Im like I said no to that school! This is getting way frustrating. I have talked to advocates and they said that if I ask the school to pay for him to go to a private school they have to pay for it or homebound services. I hope something happens soon!

June - posted on 01/21/2010

Oh I forgot to mention I hired whats called a child advocate to go with me to the IEP meetings and she got everything I wanted for him. The part about an hour bus ride. Way your options, is it the best disability school in the district or surrounding district. If so it is so worth it. I know its a long day for him but the pay out in the long run will be worth it if he is placed in the best school too suite him difficulties

June - posted on 01/21/2010

I have a son who is now 10. He missed a lot of his milestones from birth to age 5. He walked late and talked late and did seem slow. At age 4 almost 5 he was catching up a little. When I placed him in Pre-K I said I wanted him to be in a special needs class. I got his Dr's letter for recommendation and after that he spent 2 years in Special needs class with speech therapy and language therapy includes comprehension. He is flourishing now. It seems he caught up. Just make sure you stay on top of the school to give him the max hours of speech and so forth. Its worth the fight.

Michele - posted on 01/21/2010

I have been in your shoes so I know your frustration. I am not sure what state that you are in. I am in Iowa. We have Area Education Assoc that is a buffer between you and the school. The AEA has teachers, therapists and counselors that evaluate you child and give suggestions to the school. I have also contacted different advocacy groups. If your child has a disability, the school is held to a different standard than if he were like the other kids. You can also file a complaint with the Board of Education in your state. the Board will investigate and take action from there. Also involve your doctors. For me that was the huge help. My son sees 5 different doctors and each one of those doctors wrote letters/demands to the school on my son's behalf. Don't be afraid to use whatever resources that are out there. You know your child better than the school. Voice the concerns to as many people as you can to get allies. The more that you have fighting for you, the faster the school will back down. If they violate the No Child Left Behind, they can lose a huge chunk of their funding.

Hope - posted on 01/20/2010

You need to call your school broad ! Schools are not always willing to help but the school broad will in most states that is . And there should be no reason why they do not want to help you but that they do not want to do the work to help you . My daughter was born with no roof in her mouth her doctors told us that it was the hardest fixs he has ever done . And because of this she has had all alot of speech problems . I take her med. history to the school broad and told them that she need help and she start speech at 3 years old. Now I do not drive and my husband is a truck driver so there is no way that I could get her there and intill she started school full time they paid someone to pick both of us up for speech . So I say to you do not stop at the school go higher up and for that does not work call a lawyer because if you let it go till he is old enuff then they are going to act like its your fault that you did nothing and no mom needs that feeling.

Geeta - posted on 01/19/2010

get legal help.These callous people need 2 b put in their places. God 2 do this 2 a child! Good luck. Also, if u feel ur child is a slow learner, pls get him tested by a competent authority...there IS a lot of help out there for children with learning disabilities , I'm sure. In the meantime , keep ur child's education on, from home itself, like reading, etc.All the best.

Shannon - posted on 01/19/2010

How do I report the school? I think they have violated the no child left behind act. I called them and asked them for programs that will help and resources to people that could help me with his needs. I guess the lady I had been talking to about my son quite her job and no one called till this week to inform me that my messages where just now recieved from back at the begining of Decemer and they still havent given me any numbers or information on specialists that will help him while he has been out of school. I need help with this on legal actions I can take Im very upset with the way my sons been treated!

Jennifer - posted on 01/15/2010

Shannon check with the school board about a program where they come to your house. My son is also almost 4 and just started talking. When he was almost 2 I talked to his doctor about him walking on his toes and not talking like he should (that wasn't the first time) and they referred me to a program called Early Steps. They started coming and in no time he was trying to talk more. When he turned 3 he was aged out but the school board took over, they pretty much do the same thing except they come more. He amazes me how much he can say now. He also knows how to correctly play with toys esp. puzzles. Before they started coming there was no such thing as him doing puzzles he would launch the peices across the room. Now he sits down and does them. Good luck!

Nicole - posted on 01/15/2010

My son has not started school yet but because of his disabilities his workers have already started talking about schooling. What they have told me is that I will have to be his biggest advocate and do what ever is necessary to get him what he needs by your story you are doing what you should and they are not responding, if this is how they want to act then by all means you should talk to someone such as a lawyer. The school boards are supposed to do everything that your son needs to give him the options to be the best that he can be. good luck to you and your son.

Andrea - posted on 01/15/2010

My son since he was 8 months old had speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy. When he turned 4 the early childhood development agency to a local school early childhood development agency. They then put together what is called an IEP and since he was 4 he has had his therapy through the school. If your child tests and qualifies for early childhood intervention I think they have to accomodate you as long as you have an IEP. If the elementary school can not accomodate your needs then the early childhood prevention team is supposed to find the correct place to place your child. I don;t know what state you are in but I would check into finding out who is responsible for early childhood prevention. My son even after he started regular school had the physical therapist and speech therapist come to him until the services were no longer needed. He also had bus transportation to his pre k early intervention to and from school. Good luck and I hope this information helped you a little. I know it is very frustrating and I hope you can get the satisfaction that your son needs.

Deb - posted on 01/15/2010

my child was diagnosed as mild moderately mentally handicaped. that was back in 1983- 84 i would think that would be a violation of the no child left behind act we lived in minnesota at that time. i was able to get him in at the local university and the student that were presuing this career worked with my child and they picked him up at my daycare and brought him back. also he should qualify for ssi for disabled children. If the specialists evaluated him and gave a age of his abilities buy toys for that age and just work with him: color numbers etc. im sure you are already doing that. good luck i know this is a tough situation

Jodi - posted on 01/15/2010

tell them that you want your son in the iep program. it will determine with type of programs will help him. also tell them that you want transportation for your son in front of your house. When your son get in the iep program you can put him into ay school of your choice.

Janelle - posted on 01/15/2010

i kinda have the same problem my daughter is 9 and has a speech impedement and 3 years delayed in learning . for 3 years noe she has been in a FA class funtional academics but thay dont offer the plane after 2nd grade. thay said for 3rd grade main stream of life skilles and everyone thinks she is to hi functioning for life skills. so we are makeing a move this summer to find a school were she will get the classes she needs and diserves im very upset with the school system i feel like the no child left behind only means the kids that dont have special needs im sorry you are haveing so many problems.

Claire - posted on 01/14/2010

I know this doesn't really help but our eldest son is 7years old and has slight Cerebral Palsy he also cannot speak and has slow development problems he goes to a special needs school where he is seen by ots, pts, slts and has a bus escort to and from school every day. Does your son have different ways to communicate with you that you understand what he wants and do you have any special needs schools where you are that can give him one-to one help with his speech hope this helps and good luck with everything

Linda - posted on 01/13/2010

My son has a genetic disorder and is developmentally delayed bc of it. He has been in the public school system since he was 3yrs old riding the bus. In our town our public schools have a pre-school only for disabled or delayed childern. He is now in kindergarten but continues to have an aide with him. The bus he rides is a special needs bus and also has an aide on board. Before he was 3 he was with the state 0-3 program with therapy. Check with your program in your area and they can tell you what schools have the extra programs that can help your child. Mine has a social worker, physical therapist, occupational therapist and speech therapist. He is in a regular kindergarten class but gets pulled out for his class for his therapy. I wish you luck and I would press for your child to get the help he needs. It may be harder if it is for preschool bc many are private but I would make the public schools help you come kindergarten. good luck.

Leni - posted on 01/13/2010

Is this a public school? Look up the Federal 504 Act for disabled children. My son has type 1 diabetes and he fell under this act, the school has to provide him a nurse at all times and all field trips, if his sugar is "lo" or "hi" then he is able to retest and days that he is absent for complications with his diabetes the school can not hold it aganist him. My husband and I went to the school and actually had them sign something like a contract for that reason, we were worried that he was going to be mistreated. It may be worth looking into for yourself and you child because if it's a public school and they are mistreating your child then they can lose federal funding.

Julie - posted on 01/12/2010

I had this problem when my daughter started kindergarten. I got a parent education advocate involved and learned that our kids have a legal right to the "least restrictive learning environment". With the help of the advocate, I took the school district into mediation....the last step before taking them to court....and they backed down and agreed to create a special program for my daughter. My advice is to not let the school try to bully you. Your son has rights and we need to fight for them. It all comes down to money with the school district....in my case, it would have been much more expensive for them to lose a lawsuit than to just create a program for Katie (my daughter). Since then I have had several of the members of the staff of her school tell me that I did the right thing in fighting for her. Good luck!