What will school do about son whom is starting kindergarten severe behavior problems? ?

Question

My son whom has a mood disorder is starting kindergarten in a couple weeks. I am wondering if the schools will be able to handle him. I do not think they will be able to accomodate him. I requested an IEP, they did the testing, told me he did not seem to be delayed and they needed to get to know him so they would see how his disability effects his education before they can give him one. He does have a 504 plan in place for when school starts which includes a 1:1 aid, behavior intervention plan, therapeutic hold if necessary, a safe place, and meds.

I am wondering what they will do though when he hits, kicks, bites, licks, spits on teachers and kids? What will they do when he innapropriately touches little girls as he has been doing at preschool? (Children with early onset bipolar disorder are often hypersexual.) What if he tells teachers that he is going to touch them as he has said in preschool? What if he rages, cries, or is manic? What if he has anxiety issues and says his belly hurts, his stomach is sick?

Would they send him home? This would be the wrong thing to do because he would quickly learn that when he says these things Mommy will come get him and he would continue to say and do things to be able to come home. He does not want to go to kindergarten. He is depressed and anxious about this. I am worried about him too. Can somebody please answer these questions for me?

Like I mentioned he has the 504 plan in place, and will be reviewed for IEP eligibility in October. He is six years old so he has to be in school. Last year we delayed it until this year. Home schooling is not an option for us as I need to work full time, and dad is disabled. My son gets SSI for his mood disorder.

Answer 1

An answer to your important question.

Please call with any problem, anytime:

Girls and Boys Town "National Hotline"

Phone: [phone]  (toll free)

Email: [e-mail]

Answer 2

this is not a nice think to do to a children's.you and only you create a monster, that will not be controlled air all.

you going to have plenty of had troubles whale he grows older send him in the army ma by they do something to strait him out

Answer 3

What does the BIP state should happen for those behaviors?  The BIP should address every one of those behaviors that you have listed and state specifically what is to happen.

Answer 4

i'm afraid a regular school will definitely not be able to handle him.  my son was kicked out of 3 preschools before he got settled into one, and that gave us a lot of emotional turmoil, too.  

now, he's 7 and is in a big school --it's a regular school but with a remediation and intervention program integrated into his individualized curriculum.  so he gets the therapy he needs without having to stop schooling.  his self esteem and social skills are being addressed there, too.

it would be better to find a school for your son that's just like the one my son goes to.  there are no discriminations there.  and all the teachers have special education backgrounds so they are more patient and they'll keep you abreast with your son's development.

the school's called Reach International.  i don't know if they have a branch where you are.  but i wish you and your son all the luck.

Answer 5

Oh yeah, I had a grabber in my class once. Can't tell you anything else about that, of course, except that the student did seem to get better about that sort of thing as they got older. I'll be honest with you. Some schools are better able to handle that kind of thing than others. And if they have experience with this sort of behavior, they can't really really tell you anything about it, anymore than they can tell other parents about your son's disability.

Section 504 protects your son's rights as a disabled person, and the services he's getting are what I would expect from the school. The question before, and the question in October will come down to this: Does your son require specially designed instruction in order to benefit from a Free and Appropriate Public Education.

I honestly doubt the answer is going to change between now and October. Moreover, the research shows that students who do qualify for Special Education learn more in the general education classroom than they do when pulled out in a special classroom.

If your school is insisting that a 504 is the best approach for the school, you should know that they would probably get more money in their building if they went against their conscience and found your son IDEA eligible. Section 504 does not come with any additional funding. If the school sticks to the Section 504 answer, that's coming from their heart, not their pocketbook, and I'm inclined to agree.

You should listen to the This American Life episode I've linked below, especially "Black Hole Son" .