New diagnosis of ADHD-ASD - at DC charter, questions
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
I've recently received a diagnosis of ADHD and ASD for my child who is at a DC charter. Child already has an IEP, but it is review time and these diagnoses are new (but not surprising, esp. the ADHD/ combined).
The report says child appears to qualify under IDEA under ASD, OHI (for ADHD), or Multiple Disabilities. Since we're in a charter (which runs as its own school system, essentially, there are no 'programs' or anything, but rather child is in a regular classroom with some push-in support and pull-outs for speech, OT, and counseling already). There are no 'programs' like I've read of on here for county schools or DCPS. I'm not sure disability code makes a big difference in our current situation, but I suppose it would if we moved to DCPS or a county/suburban school system (which is always possible, esp. for middle school, which would be before next triennial). What would be best? Does it indeed make a difference? Child has significant issues w/ Executive Functioning and is a bit anxious, etc. Overall child is doing well in school with supports in place, but working memory and processing speed are much lower than verbal comprehensive index (which shocked me when it came out at 99.9 percentile). I'm still processing the whole thing, but the eligibility meeting is coming up. I don't anticipate a fight on whether child is eligible, but not sure what code would be best and what to ask for in IEP, beyond what child already has (if anything). Thanks! |
Anonymous
|
My child has ASD, ADHD, and specific learning disabilities. When we had our eligibility meeting, they went through the checklists for multiple disabilities and it didn't fit, although I no longer remember why.
We ended up coding the IEP under ASD and that was clearly the right option. If we decide to move to montgomery county for a specialized program, it will be for the asperger's program. There aren't -- as far as I know -- specialized ADHD programs. |
Anonymous
|
14:05, thank you. Is the ASD code mainly a benefit for the potential move?
Our case would be Aspergers also I suppose -- no language delay. |
Anonymous
|
If you move - to another state or to DCPS (or even another charter) the code on your IEP won't matter that much because the new district will do their own review of your child to see if they agree and write a new IEP. Determining placement, be it in a neighborhood school in general ed with accommodations and/or supports or a more restrictive or specialized environment would be part of that discussion.
|
Anonymous
| Can't you get it coded as both autism and ADHD (OHI)? I realize that the code isn't supposed to determine the services but I think it's prudent to have the right codes. |
Anonymous
|
OP here, thanks.
I realize another district would have to do a new IEP when I get there but the current IEP would be what they consider in the initial placement, wouldn't it? Regarding having OHI and ASD, I suppose that is why they mentioned multiple disabilities. I'm not sure though. |
Anonymous
Not usually. They'd do an evaluation before another placement. Maybe if you moved in June they could do it over the summer. How many hours of related services and specialized instruction does your child get / require now? |
Anonymous
|
I can't see any school district taking a child who's been successful in a general education setting with push in/pull outs -- even if the IDEA code is ASD -- and placing them in a more restrictive setting right off the bat.
|
Anonymous
14:05 here. We get the services we need (mostly) and I don't think the code matters. We've certainly never been told a certain service is only for kids with a particular code. We get social skills instruction through the counselor and SLP and reading and writing support from a special ed teacher. |
Anonymous
| A different but somewhat parallel situation at our (former) DC Charter: my DC has both ADHD and major depressive disorder. In the IEP eligibility process, OHI (for the ADHD) and ED (for the MDD) were both considered. The team ultimately went with Multiple Disabilities--the logic being that the two conditions were intertwined. |
Anonymous
If I move to a new school district, they need to educate the child right away...how would there be time to do another eval before that (unless over the summer and I gave them a lot of heads up)? Previously we were considering a move to another charter; I know they weren't going to re-evaluate him, but would do an IEP mtg soon into the school year. I have no experience with regular school districts, though, so I don't know how they operate. But I figure, if we live in boundary and walk in the door, they have to work on existing paperwork... Child currently receives 170 min per week in specialized instruction (mainly help w/ writing/spelling) plus 30 min per week counseling, 30 min per week OT, and 120 min. per week SLP (pragmatic language, spelling/phonics). I'm not sure what may be in the cards w/ the new diagnosis or what to ask for... Sounds like the thinking is the code doesn't really matter. Let me know if otherwise. I'm also trying to figure out what else I should be doing...lots to think about and move on! |
Anonymous
| Thanks, 14:05 and 16:02. Perhaps Multiple Disabilities is most accurate and recommendable. |
Anonymous
there is a letter from OSSE somewhere on multiple disabilities, but I can't find it again! |
Anonymous
School districts receiving a child with an IEP from another jurisdiction have 30 days to create a new IEP or formally adopt the old one and follow it. During the 30 day time period they are supposed to follow the old one. In all likelihood they would put your child into a class that most closely matched the previous placement -- and do their evaluation/assessment. IT doesn't necessarily mean a full set of formal testing -- it could mean just having their own people review what you had from the other district if its less than 3 years old and gather some impressions from the assigned classroom teacher. Unless your child is struggling to access the curriculum now, the new diagnosis isn't going to change your services at your current school significantly. If your child has been flailing or failing -- academically or behaviorally -- then it might mean they rethink everything. |
Anonymous
|
Our kid has a very similar profile -- superior verbal comp and working memory, sub 5th percentile processing speed, Aspergers and combined ADHD. 170 minutes of pull-out sounds pretty good. I'd suggest focusing more on what's happening in the classroom and on the playground. He probably needs advance warning if he's going to be called on, so that the slow processing speed doesn't lock him up and cause panic. He'll need extra time and flexibility on tests and assignments. And is he included and participating? He may need the teachers to do some social facilitation/coaching. Maybe a social skills group, but I think that stuff really is best taught in actual situations than pull-out I think. We left DCPS for a private and that was the best thing about the move--they helped him make friends for the first time.
Stick with the ASD code. School systems understand that, and understand that they aren't going to get away with ignoring it. (You will see a lot of posts on this board speculating that that is why autism diagnoses are going up--it gets kids services.) |