By Teresa Cooper@embracingthespectrum.com
My husband and I just learned today that our autistic son may be aging out of his Physical Therapy Services at our local school district.. We are not sure how to feel at this point because he has been part of this service for SO LONG. How and when is the right time to decide when your autistic son doesn’t need PT services anymore? I know…it is pretty intense right now. What day isn’t?
We have always been told that he would need to have some type of support, physically to get from point A to point B and he does still struggle in some areas because of how flat his feet are, but now he is done? Just does not compute yet. Still wondering….are they sure?
As a parent of an autistic son, who is also a person of color navigating this road and journey gets a little more complicated. Our world is and his WILL get tougher. There is more at stake, especially when it comes to his safety, especially now and what is going on in the world and his overall livelihood. The statistics are not in our favor either:-(. So we have to fight twice as hard. This evaluation is so very important because he will not get another one for another 3 years, when he turns 15. So this one is pretty significant. IEPs are complex and involved, but worth paying attention to. As a parent advocate, it is imperative that whatever is written on that IEP reflect’s your child’s strengths, challenges, and milestones as well. It is like a road map to his future and on going journey. So make sure it is correct and reflects who you know your special needs child is and whom he is growing into as a young man or woman.
So at the end of the day do what is right for your child and the rest shall take care of itself. Special needs children all have different levels and accommodations, especially when it comes to their physical challenges and abilities. I will close this post by saying we will look over our son’s PT evaluation with a fine tooth comb and decide if he is indeed done with PT services, if not then we will navigate that road together as we always have. Be Brave and Keep on Advocating, our kids can’t do it by themselves. So take a deep breath, exhale and get to Work!
By Mandu Usoro
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Mandu Usoro is a lifestyle blogger, freelance writer, experienced homeschooler and US Army Veteran with a BS Degree in Social Work and AA Degrees in Psychology as well as Health Care Administration. She enjoys spending time with her family, advocating for her special needs son and writing for fun and inspiration. You can get in touch with her on Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and at https://www.homeschoolspecneedstidbits.com/contact-us
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