[dimasmom]

I am wondering what other parents do with the new school year starting. In the past I have met with the new teachers either in the spring or in August, to discuss my sons special needs. I've always prefered they hear it directly from me, as the schools "professionals" really don't understand issues related to neglect.

My son is doing so well now, that I was planning to forego the usual teacher meeting. His full time aide, will now float between a few other grades to meet the needs of some other children. To my sons perception she is no longer there for him, but is a general aide used through out the school (in reality she is still listed as a full time aide in his 504 plan). We felt that the best time to use her with the 5th grade was during math, when frustration can cause my son to shut down.

It's been a long time since we've seen any issues related to RAD (resolved for over 2 years now). Bipolar has been extremely stable lately. Great OT working with him for Sensory Integration, and he is finially getting speech therapy for Auditory Processing (all outpatient). School has a new OTR this year. She is aware of SID and willing to colloborate with outpatient OTR (previous school OTR refused to do this). So finially we may get some of his needs addressed in his 504 plan, which will be updated in October.

Now that school is only 8 days away - I'm having second thoughts. Wondering if I'm expecting too much to send him in with teachers who haven't had any briefing on his needs. Things like free access to oral stimulation (aka - candy), need for extra movement opportunities naturally built into the day, access to lined or graph paper when he cannot do the written work on paper handed out in class, etc, etc, etc. I know the aide will fill them in, and I think she's done a great job - but she has had absolutely no training in any of his special needs. And I'm not sure she really understands the things that I think should be priorities.

Just wondering what other parents have done. I want so badly for my son to just head off to school like every other kid, but also don't want to set him up for problems. At this point, I am leaning towards setting up a meeting just before school starts.

DimasMom