Is 504 enough for anxiety?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
9 yr old DS has had an IEP since he was 2.5 yrs due to speech delays, started in FCPS non-cat preschool. Got speech, OT, reading help etc. all through the years. He is now at grade level in his testing- 4th grade. Above grade in Math, good in other subjects, but still a little behind in reading.
However he has severe fire drill anxiety, throws up and needs to be told/taken out. He also needs social help with peers in classroom in large unfamiliar group settings. Overall needs help with flexibility to deal with unfamiliar situations and unplanned occurrences. In addition to fire drill support, he gets lunch bunch twice a week for peer/social skills in school. His re-eval is coming up. We moved and started new school this year, still within FCPS. School has been very supportive, but in his re-eval meeting they think he does not need IEP since he is at grade in his academics, and IEP is only for specialized instruction. They advocate a 504 to manage his anxiety and also recommend private anxiety therapy. The problem is that in private settings/social skills groups he gets comfortable after 1-2 sessions and does very well and gets dismissed. We have done CBT, social skills etc. He gets nervous only in large unfamiliar settings like his school which has 900+ kids. It is hard to emulate that environment elsewhere. I think the school has not seen the full spectrum of his anxiety yet over fire drills. He threw up at home in Sept before the weekly fire drills, and Oct they had it very early so he has been more relaxed. I did not get much time to talk to the teachers yet, we just agreed to the re-eval testing. So my questions are: What kind of support will he get with 504, will we still have access to special ed teachers? Should we insist on IEP as I think he only gets guidance counselors with 504? |
Anonymous
|
The answer is really individual.
He would not typically get support or access to special ed teachers with a 504. Given what you described, the 504 could cover the fire drill issues and an ability to go somewhere when he needs to take a time or to collect himself after an unplanned event. I think you need to document some social goals and try to keep the 504 for social skills / lunch bunch. |
Anonymous
|
I think your thinking about having access to the special ed teachers is important. I would fight to have him get something really minimal like a social skills lesson 2x a month for a 1/2 hour to keep the IEP. This could be push-in with the gen ed teacher as back up so basically it would not be a burden on the school. They could just keep a closer eye on him in group settings and make sure he speaks up and is able to work collaboratively despite his anxiety.
I'm biased because our experience hasn't been good with 504s. The guidance counselor who used to manage 504s at our school was horrible and hated doing the paperwork and hated SN kids. I would still continue with private therapy which it sounds like you plan to do anyway. Our DC is like this. He does so well in therapies that no one thinks he needs it but he has really severe anxiety about a lot of things. |
Anonymous
|
"He also needs social help with peers in classroom in large unfamiliar group settings. Overall needs help with flexibility to deal with unfamiliar situations and unplanned occurrences."
You should think of IEP goals related to these two things. |
Anonymous
| Can someone explain what the difference between a 504 and an IEP is in layman's terms? I thought I understood it but keep getting confused in conversations with our school. |
Anonymous
|
504 accommodations that don't really require staff time like more time on tests, the ability to get a warning about fire drills before they happen, seating near the front of the room. Can be used to request ramps for physical disabilities or alternate activities for PE to be able to access the curriculum.
IEP supposedly includes direct instruction by a staff member for issues related to the disability that have an educational impact like a 1/2 hour of pull out speech once a month. |
Anonymous
|
A 504 protects a students rights under the ADA, the Americans with Disabilities Act. Prohibits discrimination and requires schools to make 'reasonable' accommodations for people in schools (or workplaces or public places).
An IEP is for students with a disability that impacts their ability to access the curriculum and requires specialized instruction, typically from a service provider (speech therapist, occupational therapist) or special education teacher. It is confusing! Many students with IEPs also have accommodations that can be included in a 504 (more time on tests, preferential seating, etc). |
Anonymous
|
OP here, thanks everyone,
I will ask them how to continue the social skills/lunch bunch, he gets those twice a week. Does the 504 also get goals in writing and quarterly progress updates on a scale of 1-4? |
Anonymous
Nope. No goals in a 504 so nothing to report progress against. |
Anonymous
Exactly. 504 language is more like: Student will be informed of planned fire drills one day in advance and allowed to leave the building 5 minutes early. Student will be allowed to take all assessments, including tests and quizzes in a quiet room, away from distractions. Student will be allowed use of a calculator for all quizzes, tests and homework in mathematics. |
Anonymous
| We were able to get an IEP for anxiety under OHI. But we were able to show an academic impact from the anxiety. Anxiety can also be coded as ED - not sure if that would help get services. |
Anonymous
| No. An IEP is actual accommodations and interventions the school must implement and report on via goals and progress. A 504 is for stuff like "Susie has IBS and needs to be allowed to leave the restroom whenever necessary." |
Anonymous
| Does a 504 hurt your chances of private school admission the way an IEP does? |
Anonymous
| Does a 504 hurt your chances of private school admission the way an IEP does? |
Anonymous
That would totally depends on the private school. |