It takes a school district
Jun. 16th, 2008 10:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
taylweaverI want this to be a public post, so I am going to try my best to be vague enough that there is no identifying info in here about myself, my workplace, or my students. Please keep this in mind when you comment. (This does not apply to those commenting on the facebook feed - that is effectively friendslocked anyway)
So. As many of you know, I am a hearing teacher. This means I work with hard of hearing students one-on-one, kind of like a speech teacher, only I work with langauge reception rather than language production. My caseload averages about 16 students.
This year, I had a student in fourth grade who has had a very difficult life so far. He had a brain tumor around kindergarten or first grade and missed a year or two of school at a crucial time for him academically. He also had radiation therapy. His mom showed me where his hair is still missing from it (the bald spot is hidden under other hair on his head). He is an English Language Learner, which is to say that he speaks a different language at home. His mom speaks virtually no English. On top of that, he spent the past few years in foster care. This year, he is back with his mom - but living in a shelter. On top of that, he did not get an IEP (the document that gets a kid special ed services) until the middle of last year - probably because he was bouncing between schools while in foster care.
And so he comes in, academically behind, in a semi-appropriate academic setting for the first time in his life - but still without hearing aids. The school district can get him hearing aids, as part of his classroom FM unit, provided it is called for on his IEP - which requires medical clearance from an ENT or pediatrician, saying it is okay for him to wear an FM.
Well. This student has many specialists, but no regular pediatrician. And, on top of that, the mom was totally not getting that he still has a hearing loss. Each time I heard he was going to the doctor, I would try to send a note home. Nothing.
Then, the mom showed up to pick him up early one day, and the principal saw both of us, called us into his office, and tried to figure out what was needed. I can't recall the discussion, but I got the name of his endochrinologist.
Later, I went online and discovered that the endochrinologist was a pediatric endochrinologist, and therefore a board certified pediatrician. So, the next time he had an appointment, I sent a note.
In the meantime, the audiologist who evaluates kids for hearing services got his hearing tested - which took two appointments because they missed the first one. She also gave the mom a note to take to the doctor.
The kid came back from the doctor: no notes.
Then, I found out there was an IEP meeting coming up - and what a perfect opportunity. They were finally adding speech to his services - and he needs it. But it also meant we could piggyback on their meeting and not have to call another one to put the FM on.
So I called the audiologist who services the equipment and I dug out the phone number of the doctor when she asked for it. And, between both audiologists, they somehow got the medical clearance they needed.
The IEP meeting was last Thursday. Hopefully, the FM unit will come in by the start of the school year.
The family is working on getting housing that isn't the shelter, and he may end up going on to a new school if they find it. That means we succeeded just in the nick of time - because if we had not gotten this fixed for him, he'd be starting over from scratch in the new school. Now, no matter what, he will be getting the equipment he needs.
It took an entire year, and at least four adults working hard to make it happen, but it happened. And that feels good.
So. As many of you know, I am a hearing teacher. This means I work with hard of hearing students one-on-one, kind of like a speech teacher, only I work with langauge reception rather than language production. My caseload averages about 16 students.
This year, I had a student in fourth grade who has had a very difficult life so far. He had a brain tumor around kindergarten or first grade and missed a year or two of school at a crucial time for him academically. He also had radiation therapy. His mom showed me where his hair is still missing from it (the bald spot is hidden under other hair on his head). He is an English Language Learner, which is to say that he speaks a different language at home. His mom speaks virtually no English. On top of that, he spent the past few years in foster care. This year, he is back with his mom - but living in a shelter. On top of that, he did not get an IEP (the document that gets a kid special ed services) until the middle of last year - probably because he was bouncing between schools while in foster care.
And so he comes in, academically behind, in a semi-appropriate academic setting for the first time in his life - but still without hearing aids. The school district can get him hearing aids, as part of his classroom FM unit, provided it is called for on his IEP - which requires medical clearance from an ENT or pediatrician, saying it is okay for him to wear an FM.
Well. This student has many specialists, but no regular pediatrician. And, on top of that, the mom was totally not getting that he still has a hearing loss. Each time I heard he was going to the doctor, I would try to send a note home. Nothing.
Then, the mom showed up to pick him up early one day, and the principal saw both of us, called us into his office, and tried to figure out what was needed. I can't recall the discussion, but I got the name of his endochrinologist.
Later, I went online and discovered that the endochrinologist was a pediatric endochrinologist, and therefore a board certified pediatrician. So, the next time he had an appointment, I sent a note.
In the meantime, the audiologist who evaluates kids for hearing services got his hearing tested - which took two appointments because they missed the first one. She also gave the mom a note to take to the doctor.
The kid came back from the doctor: no notes.
Then, I found out there was an IEP meeting coming up - and what a perfect opportunity. They were finally adding speech to his services - and he needs it. But it also meant we could piggyback on their meeting and not have to call another one to put the FM on.
So I called the audiologist who services the equipment and I dug out the phone number of the doctor when she asked for it. And, between both audiologists, they somehow got the medical clearance they needed.
The IEP meeting was last Thursday. Hopefully, the FM unit will come in by the start of the school year.
The family is working on getting housing that isn't the shelter, and he may end up going on to a new school if they find it. That means we succeeded just in the nick of time - because if we had not gotten this fixed for him, he'd be starting over from scratch in the new school. Now, no matter what, he will be getting the equipment he needs.
It took an entire year, and at least four adults working hard to make it happen, but it happened. And that feels good.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 03:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 05:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 08:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 12:25 pm (UTC)Later, I went online and discovered that the endochrinologist was a pediatric endochrinologist, and therefore a board certified pediatrician.
Is this how it always works? If Dr. X is a pediatric specialist in a particular area, does that alwawys mean that (s)he is also certified as a "regular" pediatrician?
no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 08:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-19 10:36 pm (UTC)