I have to post quick because I have to run out, but yesterday I stopped by my 7yr old son’s class unexpectedly. The teacher happily chirped “Did G show you his vest??”
My son showed me this vest filled with about 5-7 lbs of weights that he has to wear. They think it makes him stay in his seat. I was so in shock, that I didn’t say anything..but it kept me up last night. They NEVER said a word to me.
What is the legal/moral ramification of this? What would you all think? My son has not been diagnosed ADHD and has no IEP or 504.
Please help!! (This is in N.C. BTW)
I don't think it is a straight jacket..
It sounds like a sensory integration device that is supposed to help him feel more calm, but not restrictive…I would have been in shock too but before you go off the deep end…what does “G” think about the vest? Is it helping him? Does HE like it, does it make him feel more secure and calm and good about himself? Sometimes enthusiastic teachers will try things out to help kids without thinking things through and checking with the parents. I wonder if the SST (student study team) made a decision to try this out as an intervention. I wonder if the vest is just an innocent trial of a product that was made available to them?
Kind of reminds me the story about people running around getting stickers and thinking that they made them feel different when in reality it wasn’t the stickers that made them feel different it was what was inside them, they didn’t need the stickers to feel good about themselves. Perhaps when he wears the vest it helps him feel more secure and calm, I would defintely check out where it came from and how “G” feels about it before making huge waves of discord.
Vest Reasons!
OK, today was a very long day in regards to phonecalls and dicussions on this vest.
Some background on situation is that I have paid to have my son evaluated when he was 6…it was shown that he had OT issues..it was suggested then that he had Sensory Integration issues. When he entered 2nd grade, I turned ALL of this private testing over to the PUBLIC school and asked that they begin evaluating for an IEP immediately. (9/01) particuarly in the area of motor skills. After MUCH fighting and pushing testing was finally completed (3/02). They said NONE of the private testing meant anything.
Well today the OT called me and apologized that I had not been informed they were going to try the vest. She did it without an OT evaluation, and my son has never been formally screened by the school for OT. BUT….the OT teacher is in there every day because of a severely phyically handicapped student who has been main-streamed. She said and I quote! “From day one, my eyes kept getting drawn to G. It was obvious to me as an OT that this child had sensory issues and needed OT. I kept asking WHY this child was not being referred to me, and was told that it was simply ADHD and he did not need OT”
I am so sick of this fight. All I want is what is best for my child. All they want is to label him and put him in a corner. I have NO problem with the vest. I do have a problem that I have not been informed. I have a problem that I have fought to get my son accomodations and been refused because “The IEP isn’t done” WHOS FAULT IS THAT?????
Re: Vest Reasons!
Okay ,so in some respects the above poster made a valid point. Here is this OT, Bless her heart, that identified a need for your kid and went ahead and tried it. Now. Let’s get an IEP,and OT,right? One thing that she did do for you is,they can not deny the need anymore.Go get em grandma
Re: Vest Reasons!
Yes, I would definitely make friends with this OT. Because it really sounds like she, too, wants what’s best — *and* has some idea of what she’s doing! I would lmake *very* sure that *her* bosses know, in writing, that you appreciate her concern. In fact, that would be a way to address your concerns about IEPS in a way that is positive yet shining a bright flashlight on their neglect. Just write a nice letter and cc it up the chain of command… hmmm… think I’d write it to the OT… saying that you had been very concerned about the vest because you know that he has special needs, but that despite your efforts and requests since X date (whenever you’ve asked), and your conversations with them on Y and Z date to follow thorugh (and if you don’t have the exact data, don’t sweat too much and just be exactly as specific as you can… this kind of documentation is *really* good and also makes admins sit up much straighter and suddenly get around to dealing with you), there has been no evaluation.
You then say that now that you have talked to her, you understand that she thought this device would be helpful to him, based on her expertise in the field, and that like you she must realize that every day that goes by without addressing your child’s needs is a day that he is not receiving the appropriate education he needs and deserves. You say that as you discussed, you are glad she can appreciate your need to be informed about these steps taken to meet his special needs and you trust that she will continue to communicate with you regularly, and that very soon there will be a formal procedure in place to do so, because you are sure that the school will comply with regulations and follow through on the evaluation and IEP.
This could be the start of somethign good, especially if you’ve got good diplomatic skills.
Okay let me get this straight. No IEP no 504? But they put a vest on the kid to make him stay seated? I would meet with the principal IMMEDIATELY. I would inform him that not only is this abusive,but it flies in the face of every federal law protecting your child!!!!
With this being said,weighted vests or collars can be very benefitial to kids with sensory intregration disorder. But without a PLAN this is violating his civil rights and his right to a plan.