Molly had to stay home from school for 3 days this week due to strep throat. They had to switch her to a more powerful antibiotic yesterday, and she’s finally feeling better with that. She was so happy when Mia brought home cards from her classmates! It was so sweet.

Micah wanted me to post a photo of these perfect pancakes. He has been tweaking the recipe. He even added a little eggnog! My hat’s off to him, because I don’t have the patience to cook new things these days.

The preliminary meeting at Molly’s school went well. We now know what to expect at the IEP meeting.

Molly’s score Wechsler Intelligence Scale scores were average (and above average in some areas, such as perceptual reasoning). Her academic performance has been improving since the start of the school year. She is inching closer to grade level. The overall test scores were average, and no one who tested Molly could recommend that she should receive academic services. This means she could not get approved for an IEP. She will continue to receive AIS services for reading and math. We will need to monitor her progress very carefully. Her struggles with abstract problem solving may become an issue when she enters third grade, but we can request to have her evaluated again for an IEP in the future. It was comforting to know that no one is completely closing the door on her.

There was no argument regarding Molly’s qualification for occupational therapy. Her motor coordination score reflected that of a child who is 4 years, 0 months old. In other areas, she was in the 5 – 5 1/2 year range. The occupational therapist is eager to devise a plan for her. This is what we really demanded from this process. Her Sensory Processing Disorder was our greatest concern. We knew she desperately needed OT, and she will be approved for it under a 504. That is progress! Molly has a great teacher who understands and accommodates her needs in the classroom. We will need to take this one step at a time, but I am confident that we are headed in the right direction.

I thought I was walking into a meeting with the school psychologist. Instead, I was greeted by six staffers in a conference room. I plunged head first into the world of special education, and now, I feel like I’m screaming underwater.

Everyone is working together. Molly’s teacher is amazing. She has many years of special education experience, and I can’t say enough good things about her. Despite the fact that she has only known Molly for about a month, she was able to provide so much insight from the classroom to support the evaluation’s findings. The school psychologist gave me a whirlwind introduction to the IEP approval process.

Molly’s evaluation definitely got my foot in the door, so to speak, but it can only be used as supporting documentation for the IEP. The evaluations need to come from the school, rather than a clinical setting. Still, we would not have gotten this far without it.

Molly is already receiving ELA support, so that teacher was able to provide insight into her reading comprehension and skills. I also met with the head of the OT program, who is very concerned about Molly’s sensory issues. We could still go on our own to have the sensory assessment through ENABLE, but their OT has nothing to do with the school. She would need to be pulled out of school to participate, so of course that is not an option.

In the end, everyone concluded that we need to get everything in order before seeking approval for an IEP. Molly must undergo extensive evaluations with several people in the school to back up the fact that she needs one in the first place. That is just how it works in NY. This process will take 6-8 weeks, and I was told we would need to sign an approval within the next two weeks to get started. Everything should be ready to present by the beginning of December. I am very angry that our wait continues, but I realize this is not the fault of the school. They have to follow specific protocol, and I’d rather allow them to spend more time doing it right than rush and get turned down.

I’m still learning how all of this works. I’m trying to familiarize myself with the terminology. I do believe that the staff will work for what is in Molly’s best interests. It’s just going to take time. Micah had to watch Will and Lily for me, so he was unable to attend. It was so difficult to walk out of a somewhat nerve-wracking meeting and try to bring him up to speed on what’s happening. He is also very frustrated. All we want is for our daughter to get the services she needs to do her best. She is capable of so many great things, and we love her so much.

Molly underwent an evaluation in the Child Development Program today. She saw the best specialist in the region, and it took us seventeen months to get the appointment! I couldn’t believe we were finally there.

The entire visit took almost three hours. The doctor took the time to listen to all of my concerns. I was armed with checklists and notes I had been taking for months. Molly was very cooperative. She thought it was fun.

Micah and I have spent the last three years banging our heads against a wall. We had a lot of concerns, and it felt like no one was listening. Molly’s school briefly placed her in OT in kindergarten, then said she was no longer eligible for services. I never thought she suffered from a disorder that would permanently impair/disable her, but it was clear that she needed some help. I spent countless hours doing research. I read books. Sensory Processing Disorder always resurfaced. It seemed like she had every trait.

The most important thing the doctor concluded was that Molly is capable of socializing, becoming engaged, and performing academically on level. The issue was getting her the support she needed to help her stay focused. Molly was officially diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder and Developmental Dyspraxia. The doctor is also 90% certain of ADHD, but he is going to gather more information before finalizing that diagnosis. We refuse to take the route of medication, however.

The uphill battle we now face is getting an IEP or 504 from the school district. The budget cuts and consolidation of schools have made it even more difficult. We can request occupational therapy through a disabilities group in the county. The other problem is that schools do not tend to regard SPD as criteria for eligibility for special education. We can only justify that with the ADHD diagnosis, so in a weird way, we are left hoping that is finalized.

It took a very long time, but I am finally confident that Molly has an advocate in this doctor. She will soon have access to the resources she needs to do her best. I am so excited about that! She is such a sweet little girl, and we want the best of everything for her.