School not interested about APD, who to speak to?

[incywincyspideragain]

I have a hunch but School say (and I para phrase ) 'he's bright he just needs to get on and do the work'
Where do I go from here?

incywincyspideragain

Does your DS have a clinical diagnosis of auditory processing disorder, if so the school, can not ignore a listening disability, especially as most teaching is done via verbal instruction. That would be classified as Institutionalised Disability Discrimination. And should be referred to OFSTED.

no - its a hunch, he has no dx of any sort but SA+ and IEP in place
I think we've chatted before he had glue ear for about 2 years I think (maybe longer) grommets done March 2011, key area he struggles in is 'sitting down and getting on to do his work' I'm not sure he understands what he is meant to do, he's 5, yr1.... teachers are doing reward charts and we are reinforcing expectations at home but its not going in, teacher commented last week she though he was 'slow at processing instructions' but is convinced he'll learn, I think if talking about it helped he'd have 'got it' by now
I'm wondering if he needs a slightly different approach but, like I say, they think he'll just get there eventually.... he's very frustrated and cross

incywincyspideragain
"he had glue ear for about 2 years I think (maybe longer) grommets done"
Otitis Media with Effusion (Glue Ear) is a cause of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
Download a copy of the Medical Research Councils(MRC) 2004 APD pamphlet and take copies to both your GP and School, yopu could also refer both to the MRCs APD web pages and you can find more UK based APD information

"'sitting down and getting on to do his work' I'm not sure he understands what he is meant to do"
following and understanding multiple verbal instructions can be difficult or impossible for those who have APD.

"teacher commented last week she though he was 'slow at processing instructions' but is convinced he'll learn,"
teacher demonstrating lack of training, and understanding of this type of problem. The teacher has identified the problem correctly but has no idea of the possible cause and therefore provides an inaccurate probable outcome.

The teachers need to understand first the APD exists, the nature of the communication problems living with APD can cause, and how teachers and others need to change their methods of communication to methods of teaching to match the communication needs of those who have APD.

You could also download the APDUK combine handout pdf which includes "Ideas for an APD IEP"
Unfortunately many teachers and support professionals have Professional APD, they do not WANT to listen. But providing research based information to support your case usually breaks down their barriers of ignorance.

You should also begin to request a referral of an APD assessment for when he becomes 6 years old.

incy,

SA plus is not legally binding and the support therefore offered on it is pretty much limited (and can be withdrawn). IEP does not mean all that much either; was that gone through with you prior to receiving it?. Also it should be reviewed termly.

I would apply for a statement from your LEA if you feel that his additional needs are not being met. You are his best - and only advocate.

IPSEA's website is good re statementing and there are model letters you can use www.ipsea.org.uk.

schools haven't got a clue about apd, my dd got dx of apd about 7yrs ago, school said they could prove she didn't have it. i had given them paperwork about dx, explained that there wasn't a way to self dx. the ht sat dd at a computer with picture puzzles for 2hrs and said she did well and hadn't got apd, only thing was is the picture puzzles had written instructions for each one and no sound, they wrote in dd records to ignore dx as they had tested her.

Attila I know that SA is efectively meaningless but I put it down to illustrate that they recognise he needs more support, he's had one since reception and all his targets are centred around listening, we meet once a term and I was in this week about his behaviour I have to say they genuinely care about making sure he is supported, my issue is the blanket idea that he'll just grow out of it and do his work. He is very very defient when asked to do an individual activity (ie writting in work book) I just think there is something else going on as this isn't the child I see at home, I believe that his needs could be met without a statement (at this time) if his needs were recognised and labelled - School are trying lots of things but I think a dx would help them concentrate on the right areas

dolfrog great links - you said to request a referal for assessment for when he's 6 - who do I request that from? and where are the assessment centres? (I would be willing to pay for private assessment rather than battle with an authority on funding)

davisother sorry to hear that your dd's school was so bad, did you manage to get any support? how did you go about getting dx?

Hi Incy

SA plus is used if a child has had any involvement with any outside medical services like for instance a developmental paed, an occupational therapist, a speech and language therapist to name but any one of three. It does not necessarily therefore mean that school have recognised that he needs more support; infact far from it given the comments in your initial post. They are just not getting it and infact probably don't want to hear your message anyway (their idea of he'll grow out of it is a complete falacy).

Re your comment:-
"I just think there is something else going on as this isn't the child I see at home, I believe that his needs could be met without a statement (at this time) if his needs were recognised and labelled - School are trying lots of things but I think a dx would help them concentrate on the right areas"

The first part of your sentence here may be indicative that his additional needs are simply not being met at school. Even with a firm DX I don't think they want to know even if his needs were properly acknowledged and labelled hence my suggestion of applying for a statement asap. On sa plus as well their options are very limited indeed particularly if they have no real understanding of the underlying issues.

Also your DS will soon be starting Junior school; how do you think he will manage there if the level of support remains the same?. You need to think longer term too.

My PCT doesn't have an audiologist who can diagnose and cahms have refused my referral to GOSH 3 times in the last year (how they over rule the pead is something I can't work out as I'd have thought pead would have sway but hey ho!).

From my research GOSH can see you privately. Some PCT's DO have apd diagnostic facilities though (like the one next door to me gggrrrr!).

Ring your local audiology department to see what the score is in your area, as asking for a referral to a local audiologist is just a matter of poppng into see your GP.

If the local audiologist don't do diagnosis then things get more complicated and you'll have to see the local audiologist and developmental pead first to get them to agree to a GOSH referral. I told you my story so you know to swerve cahms if they come knocking in the guise of a multi-dsciplinary meeting somewhere along the line.

GOSH do see people privately but the waiting list is pretty much the same as on the NHS. However if you are sure in your heart it's apd then it is more than worth going this route. (In our case apd is just one of several prominent wider asd traits, I'm chasing the full asd diagnosis). School recognise my lad's issues in this area and frankly are brilliant about it.

There are now apd assistive technology devices that can help in the class room (kind of like an ear mike the student and teacher wear). Abilitynet are worth giving a ring to ask about the options POST diagnosis. (You'll need the diagnosis to get school buy in and funding). This is an area I'll research once we've got over a few higher priority humps as I've got the gut feeling it could make all the difference to my lad at secondary level.

GOSH will see you privately and you can get an appointment with not too much delay.

You could also get your GP to make a referral to the audiologist in your PCT. This is easier done if there are supporting requests from other experts such as a SALT suspecting APD. After a lengthy wait, the audiologist might come back and say that they do not have the expertise and then refer you to GOSH, if your pead supports it.

After weeks/months of persistence by myself with our pead I finally got them to make an out of county referal to GOSH - APD clinic. All of the other professionals looking after my son knew nothing about APD and ignored my requests, infact they ignored that APD really exists to be honest. It was a lengthy battle which took approx 8 months start to finish for him to be seen and 2 visits to London GOSH and in the end we were told my son has traits of APD, so no DX was made. It was shock to us as we convinced ourselves this was his main learning difficulty, more annoying was the "told you so" looks on the SEN and ED Phy's face.
Good Luck

Thank you for all your thoughts

Attila How do I get a statement without a dx? I don't know what I'm asking for support with...

incywincyspideragain

The lack of APD awareness and recognition in the UK only goes to highlight the politics of disability in the UK and the politics of education in the UK.
Both are driven by money.
The disability lobbyists have their pet support and remedial programs which for some fund their very existence, and the recognition of APD would question the effectiveness and validity of some remedial programs, so they do not want APD to be recognised as they want to maintain their income.
The politics of education is about government funding, and the levels of tax we are asked to pay. Good quality training of teachers, education research, and meeting childrens individual learning needs cost a great deal of money, and since 1984 successive governments have sought to reduce the quality of teacher train to exclude SEN as a core teacher train requirement, so we now have generations of teachers who have no idea the individual SEN issues are. Sencos are for the most part are well intentioned pen pushers, or administrators, I have been on the now government run Senco forum for years, and their lack of even basic SEN knowledge is frightening. From what I can assess we do not have many actual speech and language Pathologists, but a great many speech and language therapists, so if they do not have a full understanding the pathology how can they hope to understand the effectiveness of any therapy they have been trained to provide.
And this is just the tip of the professional incompetance iceberg in the UK, the issues regarding UK medical professionals are too many to discuss or even list on a single thread.

So when we set up APDUK in 2002 we thought it would only be about lobbying the Medical Research Council to research APD, we did not realise that we would also have to be the national support and information and support organisation for the UK for the next decade or so. and that we would have to do it in our own time and at out own expense. AS some on this thread have mentioned the professional ignorance regarding APD is both alarming and frightening, and demonstrates the pure self interest of the respective professional bodies.

Sorry about the rant.

You need to get a n GP referral to the nearest APD assessment centre, and GOSH is the main UK training centre for those who will be qualified to diagnose APD, and as these professionals become suitably qualified hopefully there will be more regional assessment centres.