I am a parent of a child who has significant behavioral and cognitive disabilities. He is a 13 year old with bipolar, add/adhd, expressive and receptive disorder, odd, speech delay, ID (intellectual disability) and myotonic dystrophy. Our son did not even talk at all until 3 yrs old, he made hand gestures and noises with his mouth. He was first diagnosed with bipolar when he was 5 yrs old. Because of his age they didnt put it on paper but started him on Risperdal, which he is still on. He was tested and diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy when he was 2 weeks old and this was passed down by genetics. For 6 years we had to argue with school officials and aea to get help with services. Finally when he was 9 years old we got tired of fighting and decided to pick up and take him to San Antonio Texas to live at a residential treatment center to get him help for behavior. Laurel Ridge had day school, daily individual and group counseling and we got to talk to him and see him everyday. Taking him there was voluntarily and as his parents we felt this was the perfect fit for him. Unfortunately after 6 weeks of living there our military insurance diagnosed him as cured because it was $44,000 just for 6 weeks and that was just too much money. . So my husband and I taught him at home at Texas Virtual online K12 online public school. We did an excellent job teaching him at home and he did very well academically. When the year was up we came back home to once again argue with the school district for services. They decided he didnt have the need. We thought who the hell do these people think they are to say he didnt have special needs. We are his parents and know him best. We took him to center for disabilities and development in Iowa City, Iowa and after seeing a biobehavioralist and a neuropsychologist they diagnosed him with ID, intellectual disability also known as mild mr. So after their diagnosis and my husband threatening a lawyer and suing the school they finally approved him for a special needs school who specialize in life, social and behavior skills. This is his 2nd year at the school and he wont ever be up to where he is supposed to be intellectually but he is a wonderful kid and his mental and physical disabilities will not define who he is as a person. I am starting this group so that I can connect with other parents who have children with special needs. Welcome everyone! I would love to hear your story.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 02:03:57 +0000
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