My son is newly diagnosed at 6 with ASD high functioning, and has never been on any IEP or 504 plan. The school wants him on a 504 instead of an IEP. Any suggestions on what I can do to help the site specialist and others involved see the value of an IEP over a 504? I am new to this, so any advice would be welcome. Thanks!

Since the pandemic, one of the twin girls with autism would become extremely hot after taking her medication risperdone. I thought this was odd so I started watching her each and every time. She would get hot all over her body like she was having a fever. I did search online and have discovered that this is a common symptom of this medication. Has anyone else ever had this issue?

Mentally prepping for a follow up behavioral meeting plan. My son Is deaf and is in a total communication language enriched program half days and has ABA at home. My issue is that I need these services, the school district to support the ABA and he has already qualified for services. We started with what I guess is ABA behavioral plan but it doesn't seem to work or the staff isn't trained enough. My question is: who is responsible? District? How does your LO's behavioral plan look like? I need… read more

My daughter was born 28 weeks prem. She was diagnosed with ADHD and ASD in November 2023. She’s 5 years old and does present with poor executive functioning skills and has been doing OT for the past 2 years but now we need to start Speech Therapy to assist with her expressive language. Any advice on what sort of speech therapist with specific skills that they have done would help so much! Does DIR floor time and Ayes Sensory Integration assist in helping a kiddie with ASD. Thanks so much 😊

My 8 yr old ASD goes to General Ed some parts of his day, he has some inappropriate social behaviors, don't think school does much to help him with that, just redirect him, he goes with his Para, I would like him to be at his home school fully included with the proper support but don't think the school have the same plans but to keep him in the same contained classroom with very few exposure to typical peers, always segregated, he's my only child and the school is his best and only chance to… read more

Google the term Gebser letter. It allows you to put the district on the hot seat when your child is not receiving a free and appropriate public education. It can harm
the district Financially, and it also allows you to overcome a legal standard known as deliberate indifference which is a legal standard you must overcome if your case ever goes to federal court.

My son will be five next month but he doesn’t understand the concept of age or birthdays. Are there any learning tools or apps that would help him learn about counting/numbers, letters, etc.? I’m trying to enroll him in some kind of structured program and vacillating between ABA therapy, a special ed classroom or general ed pre-school/T-K. He hasn’t grasped basic concepts of learning and is mostly non-verbal. However, he goes to speech therapy several days a week and it has helped him. TIA for… read more

I am trying to outweigh the option of trying to keep my son in a public school vs. home schooling. He has been in 2 different classrooms this year and still is not able to thrive socially. He is able to obtain good grades, but is having a hard time focusing. I am looking at a special education classroom or an IEP as well. My son is having a hard time functioning in a normal classroom. Any suggestions?

My son is refusing to learn in class and is interfering with the learning process of others. I am considering homeschooling or online schooling with my son. My son does participate in social groups outside of school so that element will not be completely missed.

My son requires a lot of physical inputs for regulation. I need help from the community to help me landscape the suburbs where we can move into, which have good school districts with proven track record of assistance from the state for the services?