Archive for January, 2008
5 Tips for a Productive IEP Meeting
We had our IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting last week, and it went amazingly well! For those of you who haven’t been through one of these meetings yet, it’s basically a regular meeting where you and your child’s teachers and therapists meet to discuss the progress that your child has made. After discussing how your child is doing now, the real purpose of the meeting is to come up with some goals for the future, and to then get them into his IEP.
I’m feeling long-winded today, so I’d like to give you some tips for preparing for IEP meetings, and then I will give you our personal experience below.
5 Tips for a Productive IEP Meeting:
- Know when your child’s IEP is due! Do not depend on teachers to schedule these, otherwise it will always be a rush job. Put it on your calendar, and start making calls to teachers 30-40 days in advance.
- Prepare Personal Notes. Write down your observations of progress made at home, current problem areas, and any questions that you might have. Chances are that you will forget the important questions when you’re at the meeting, so go prepared.
- Invite Everyone! If your child attends any additional therapy, school, daycare, or even just has a babysitter, invite them all to the meeting. You want everyone to be on the same page in regards to your child’s development, and each person can provide a different insight to the progress your child has made.
- Fight Fight Fight! You are your child’s best advocate. If the plans that are being presented to you don’t make sense, or if you want more of something for your child, don’t give up. There is a possibility that you’ll need to fight your way to the top of the School District to get what you want, but you do what it takes. If you are still not getting what you want, it’s time to find an advocate.
- Follow Up. After the IEP meeting has finished, make sure that you follow up with everyone who was involved. Your goal is to ensure they all follow through with their stated goals, and sometimes they need a little extra push. Establish regular correspondence through email, notes, phone or even in person.
Here are a few other great resources:
- Tips for a Successful IEP Meeting
- Quick Tips For A Productive IEP Meeting
- Advocacy Tips and Techniques: Ideas by and from Parents and Those Supporting Parents and Children
- Redhead Momma - IEP Day
New Genetic Link Tied to Autism
One of our biggest worry as parents is “WHY” our children have fallen on the spectrum. What caused something to happen to our child? Was it genetics, vaccinations, or could it have been something environmental?
Well, scientists at UCLA have recently published their findings that links a specific genetic variant to the disorder. The test focused on the speech delay of children, as the most common early symptom Autism is the lack of speech.
UCLA scientists have used language onset the age when a child speaks his first word as a tool for identifying a new gene linked to autism. The team also discovered that the gene is most active in brain regions involved with language and thought. Interestingly, evidence for the genetic link came from the DNA of families with autistic boys, not those with autistic girls.
Their findings have suggested that this gene, called contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2), likely plays a “key role in the development of autism.” They also found that the gene was most prevalent in families with autistic boys.
“Autism strikes boys three times as often as girls,” said Maricela Alarcon, first author and UCLA assistant professor in residence of neurology. “This finding may partly explain why.”
I’m very excited by this research, and will be following it closely. I highly suggest that you read through the entire article, which was written by UCLA Health Services.