I have worked in the field of Special Education for twelve years. During the past five years, I have seen a rise in the number of students entering into the public schools with the diagnosis of Autism. Autism is a part of a spectrum of special education. Children can be very mild to the very severe. Autistic children should not be feared. The key in helping a child with Autism is early intervertion and a strong support system for the family. Public Schools across the country are now offering developmentally delayed preschools. Children who show signs of delays in speech, fine motor activites and social emotional difficulties can be tested in placed in a special education class starting at the age of two. Early intervention can help with social interaction. Autistic children have a hard time with their peers and need to learn how to greet, start conversations, and learn about appropriate behaviors. The research I have read suggust that Autism is genetic. Autistic children can grow up to be productive members of society.

I resent being called a developmentally delayed child.

THIS IS ODD, MY GIRLFRIEND JUST DID A REPORT ON THIS ILLNESS AND NOW I SEE THIS ON A FORUM. IS VERY INTERESTING TOPIC AND WHOEVER WORKS WITH CHILDRE LIKE THAT IS AWSOME

I have done this kind of job myself for several years, and I loved it.
It can be so rewarding when they achieve things, both for them and for you.
I used to teach them music, but I had a very mixed group, I had people with Down Syndrome in my group, people who were slightly mentally retarded and autistic to very severely autistic pupils.
By the way, they were all adults.
The fact that they were a mix of different people, all with their own conditions, did not make my job any easier, and also, there are quite a few different forms of autism, all leading to their own typical disturbances.
One thing I did get, though, something which these days you rarely get in mainstream schools (where I worked too) is a great deal of respect from your students.
I had to be very patient at times, and sometimes I felt like screaming, but, as I said earlier, when they managed to do new things, it felt so rewarding.
The other thing was that those people would have done anything for me, even when they were in other classes, they kept asking for me, or at the beginning of a new term or year, the first thing they asked was if they were having music with me again.
Me and them both were devastated when I left the job, which I only did because the college I worked in was really awful and useless, and if it hadn't been for those students I would not have stuck it out as long as I did.
Even now, when i see a former colleague, I get to hear they still keep mentioning their music classes and still ask for me.

I have invested a great deal of time and energy in those people, but at least I can look back on it and say it was well worth it.

My son has autism and is receiving school services geared to teach children with autism. How ever he is being denied OT through the school, but receives speech services.

Now that I finally have an official diagnosis for him, and since private OT and private speech are suggested........can the school be expected to provide OT as well and why or why not?

I'm in WA state so I am na sure how it works where you are at Grace. However once your child has a diagnosis of their condition ( I hate that word!) then you can talk with the school and teachers for an I.E.P. ( Individual Educational Program) which will allow you and the school to tailor make and adjust your son's educational program to his level and needs. This can also include any OT he needs.
My daughter is also autistic ( medium range, non-verbal) and she recieves both OT and Speech through the school.

I hope this helped some.

Would it be beneficial to speak with a parent advocate group such as PACER? Would they be better able to answer my questions as to what I can expect from the schools as far as providing OT now that my son is officially diagnosed?

Would PACER also be able to help in getting my son's teacher to document his behaviors while he is at school. He's obviously having some behaviors in school, but at his IEP meetings his teacher says that he's not having behaviors. So if these behaviors don't exist, then why are we (my mom and I) getting emails and calls about things that are directly related to his behavior at school? If these behaviors are serious enough to call or email about, then why are they serious enough to document and place in his file at school? Am I missing something here? Even my son's case worker through the county has said that these are very good questions.

I can't give you an answer about advocacy groups, but chances are if your son's teacher doesn't want to cooperate by documenting his behavior no rule can make him. However you should have the right to request and get a meeting of the IEP team, which includes a representative of the principal, to discuss your concerns. Take copies of those emails and any other statements that people who have had a problem with your son are willing to write for you to that meeting to present as proof of a gap between their documentation and reality. But remember that your focus, your purpose must always be, and always appear to be, getting your son the help he needs. If you go into this with an appearance of petty revenge or wanting things done your way you'll get little traction or sympathy. Keep the focus on your son and be willing to be flexible about how his needs are met and you're more likely to see the resistance you've been experiencing evaporate.

All I want is for the things that warrant a call or email to be documented so that I too can be treated fairly. I don't consider it to be fair when I'm told that these behaviors exist at school, but then at the IEP, his teacher says something that is completely different. In some cases, I feel that it plays a role in why it's so difficult for me to get the needed services for my son.

I'm tired of the deception that his teacher has caused........it's not the truth. This is fair how? I simply requested that documentation of all things that are important enough to call or email about be documented and placed in his file at school. I really don't think this is too much to ask and I do expect it to happen. Can this request be added to my son's IEP and why or why not?

My son's county case worker knows about our situation and she says that when I ask why these behaviors are not being documented when it is important enough to call or email about.