Asking about meds/therapy in LSC meeting

[Anonymous]

Legally, are FCPS teachers and administrators allowed to ask if our child is taking medication or in therapy?

[Anonymous]

Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope.

That’s what I thought. It felt very invasive when they asked. I unknowingly answered, but I immediately started regretting it.

-OP

[Anonymous]

Yes, they are allowed to ask. You are not required to answer. As a school psych, it is helpful for me to know what outside services a student is receiving. When I'm doing evals or starting counseling services, I always ask. It's okay (but uncommon) if someone doesn't want to answer. An LSC meeting seems like a perfect place to ask this question.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the PP. They are definitely allowed to ask. They aren't technically allowed to suggest it, but lots of parents really WANT to hear those suggestions and benefit from hearing "you can talk to your pediatrician about this". And of course, you are within your rights not to answer. But consider that the team would like to know these things in support of your child, especially if they are new changes or things you are putting in place to help with school related challenges.

[Anonymous]

In MCPS I thought it was only the psychologist who was allowed to ask? Either way, it is okay to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In MCPS I thought it was only the psychologist who was allowed to ask? Either way, it is okay to ask.

It’s OK to ask about therapy. Not meds.

[Anonymous]

Yes, they can ask and why wouldn’t you answer? If you are going to be a team with the school they need to know. You can say that you want the information to be confidential unless someone needs to know, which should be a given. If I don’t know that your kid is on meds I don’t know to watch for side effects or to make allowances if they missed it one day (for something like Ritalin). The kids will tell us anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In MCPS I thought it was only the psychologist who was allowed to ask? Either way, it is okay to ask.

It’s OK to ask about therapy. Not meds.

What do you see as the difference? I think it's fine to ask about both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In MCPS I thought it was only the psychologist who was allowed to ask? Either way, it is okay to ask.

It’s OK to ask about therapy. Not meds.

What do you see as the difference? I think it's fine to ask about both.

unless it is specifically related to services at school, neither question is appropriate. But the medication question is least appropriate since nobody in the room is qualified to opine on medication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they can ask and why wouldn’t you answer? If you are going to be a team with the school they need to know. You can say that you want the information to be confidential unless someone needs to know, which should be a given. If I don’t know that your kid is on meds I don’t know to watch for side effects or to make allowances if they missed it one day (for something like Ritalin). The kids will tell us anyway.

Yeah right. You aren’t actually part of the medical team and have no medical training to “look for side effects.” You’re just nosy and judgmental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope.

this is writing please

[Anonymous]

There really is only one legitimate reason to ask about medication, and that is to assess whether the current abilities and functioning may be higher than baseline due to medication, in which case the team would have to assume that true baseline functions are *worse* when unmedicated.

Under disability law (ADA, IDEA or 504), the law requires the school team to evaluate the student in his her “unmitigated state.” That is to say that the law requires us to assess the student on their baseline abilities and functioning without the benefit of any medication, accommodations or special instruction.

If your kid is on medication, you may, but you do not have to, disclose that. But, if your kid is on medication and doing well and you disclose, doing well while medicated is not a reason to deny eligibility, accommodation or services.

For you teachers who think you can spot side effects or missed doses, I call BS. You have no idea what is going on - there are a million reasons why a kids attention could lapse beyond taking or not taking medication that day. You should just assume that a kid who has ADHD will have attentional lapses that are beyond his control sometimes, and you are legally obligated to accommodate that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In MCPS I thought it was only the psychologist who was allowed to ask? Either way, it is okay to ask.

It’s OK to ask about therapy. Not meds.

What do you see as the difference? I think it's fine to ask about both.

Do you also disagree with school medical forms? School nurses should often know medical diagnoses for kids even if they don’t need to provide services at school.
unless it is specifically related to services at school, neither question is appropriate. But the medication question is least appropriate since nobody in the room is qualified to opine on medication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In MCPS I thought it was only the psychologist who was allowed to ask? Either way, it is okay to ask.

It’s OK to ask about therapy. Not meds.

What do you see as the difference? I think it's fine to ask about both.

Do you also disagree with school medical forms? School nurses should often know medical diagnoses for kids even if they don’t need to provide services at school.
unless it is specifically related to services at school, neither question is appropriate. But the medication question is least appropriate since nobody in the room is qualified to opine on medication.

Yes. I disagree with school medical forms. There is nothing the school needs to know medically about my child unless it’s a life-threatening condition. Schools definitely don’t need to know my daughter’s last menstrual period.