Conflicting interests,paediatricians and local education authority?

Question

Do you think it will have any bearing to a special needs childs interest, if the same peaditricain that he sees sits on the special needs panel in a local edcuation authority?

I only this because a friend of mine did not get a diagnosis for her son who is clearly on the autistic spectrum range from this peaditrician and could not get the help he needed for school.I on the other hand went with my son who and has now been diagnosed as having aspergers syndrome,but this was only after disclosing the fact that my son was now home educated as we where not listened to in regards to his specific needs in the school sytem.

I am a bit puzzled how you cannot be biased when you are working for 2 different authorities ,the edcuation authority and the local health authority.

Not too sure if they get paid for sitting on this panel maybe someone out there may be able to shed some light on this area.

Look forward to your thoughts and ideas.

Answer 1

If I understand you correctly, your friend's son shows signs of autistic spectrum disorder, but their pediatrician did not diagnose that.  

They should get a second opinion on the boy's health.

They should also examine all of the other tests that the school may have administered to determine if the child qualified for services or not.

They have the right to appeal any decision made by the panel.

The special ed teachers should have provided a pamphlet that outlines all of the rights that parents have pertaining to any question regarding the laws that regulate special ed.

They can also check out   http://www.wrightslaw.com/

It is a site devoted to informing the public about everything pertaining to special ed law.

By the way, schools are usually the first place that diagnoses a learning or behavioral disability, not a doctor.  The special ed teachers are qualified to give batteries of tests to discover a child's potential ability,  his present level of capability, and a behavior rating.  Doctors often use the tests given by the teachers to make their medical diagnoses.  

Autism or Asperger's syndrome, ADD, ADHD, or types of depression are indeed diagnosed only by doctors.

Answer 2

When things like this go to panel it should be with people who have no idea who the child is so that no bias is involved when decisions are made. Your friend can push to get the school to statement him or put him on the SEN register and then he will receive help this way just keep pushing. I dont think you do get paid to sit on the panel it is part of your job.

Answer 3

You could put this question in writing to the panel and the people/organisation in charge of it (presumably LEA) to ask if it is appropriate.  You could explain it exactly as you have here and state that you realise that there is a conflict of interest here.  They would have to ask them self if it was, consider re-investigating your friend's case and respond to you, if you go through this formal route.  You could also go the the local news if you get no joy following this.  

Worth a letter?!

Answer 4

Absolutely.

Whether or not a child ha disability is purely a matter of medical diagnosis.  Schools have no business interfering with that process in any way whatsoever.  The school's job is to educate children.  If the child has a disability, its the school's job to address that child's needs.  That's wha twe pay them for.

There is no need--ever--for the "education authorities" do be poking their noses in the diagnostic arena.  And it is a conflict of interest.  There's not a major school district in the US--and few smaller ones--that is not subverting the diagnostic process to avoid carrying out their responsibilities to students.  They should be prohibited--by law--from having anything to do with determining if a disability exists or what its nature/severity is.