Child with IEP and PTSD?

Question

Has anyone had a child with PTSD and had an IEP in school? The story is my step daughter had something happen a few years ago when she lived with her mom(don't know exactly) and now she has PTSD. When she came to live with us she was fine and then the school triggered it somehow. The school couldn't handle her so we sent her to another school within the district with teachers who were better trained for behavior problems. Well that didn't work so we withdrew her and had the school provide a virtual school program to finish the school year. The school even sent us to a specialist for kids with PTSD. The specialist stated since the behavior happens at school then when we put her back in everyone needs to be very careful. We had come to the decision that she would start out with one teacher 2 times a week in the building. In order to gain some feeling of being safe. The rest of the time she would work on the virtual school. Over time we would increase the school time. School is about to start and they don't even want to talk to us. Does anyone have any ideas on what we should do next?

Answer 1

1 - I hope that you are working with a good mental health professional (psychiatrist) to get at the WHAT of the PTSD.  Unless specific and narrow triggers are identified this will go from bad to worse with her being further isolated.

2 - Don't anticipate bad behavior - Some students learn very quickly what triggers get them out of what they don't want to do.

3 - with the person in number 1 - please explore or consider should your MD recommend some Anti anxiety medication.

4 - your approach with the school staff should be - here's what we know - how can we work together - it will be important that home and school coordinate a plan of service.

Answer 2

THey dont' want to talk to you because they do not want to deal with your child. This is VERY common all over the USA.

I'm not sure why you don't or can't keep her in the virtual school, this could be the best for her since schools are so bad with special ed.

''Well that didn't work so we withdrew her and had the school provide a virtual school program to finish the school year. ''

While she was in this program, did she have an IEP? Did the school help her with any special problems? THey were suppose to.

Now since you want her back at school they are ignoring you because they dont' want to deal with her. And/or they dont' know how to deal with her.

But according to IDEA law (special ed law) if they can't give a child the help they need, they are suppose to find someone or something that CAN help the child and pay for it themselves.

I don't know if  the 'virtual school' helped her with her problems, it just allieviated the school related stress. Is this her only problem?

Since she is going back to school they KNOW they will HAVE to help her and they don't want to or can't.  But they will HAVE to somehow.

'''We had come to the decision that she would start out with one teacher 2 times a week in the building. In order to gain some feeling of being safe. The rest of the time she would work on the virtual school.'''

In order for this to happen, the WHOLE IEP team , this means you and the school, will have to AGREE to this IN WRITING and write it into the IEP plan. And schools resist ANYTHING to help a child, as you can tell,  so you'll have to learn the special ed laws and the process, and follow it.

The best site for this is www.wrightslaw.com

Here's a message board with people who can help you with all the details on what to do --

http://www.millermom.proboards107.com/in...