Round and round we go

The most frustrating thing, I think, about Namine being a quote-unquote “special needs child” is not her medication, fragile immune system, or even doctor appointments. Perhaps a year or two ago I would have said differently, but now that she is stable, it’s dealing with the school system.

The most frustrating thing, I think, about Namine being a quote-unquote “special needs child” is not her medication, fragile immune system, or even doctor appointments. Perhaps a year or two ago I would have said differently, but now that she is stable, it’s dealing with the school system.

If we get the runaround at the hospital – and now that we have been “frequent flyers” for nearly four years, it’s a rarity – we always have someone we can go to. The special needs doctor serves as the intermediary between us and every department we have to talk to. Unfortunately, there seems to be no one like that in the school system.

I took off of work early yesterday so I could go with Jessica to check out this school in Muskego. I thought it odd that the school, which Namine would attend for 4K, is located in the industrial park, but whatever. We got to observe the tail end of class, and spoke to the teacher once all the students had left. We were not impressed. The teacher thought that it was likely that Namine would be able to join the classroom “with the normal kids” (her words, and I did not appreciate the labeling so early on), but she said she couldn’t say for sure. Of course not. She told us to talk to another woman – in a different building altogether.

So we went to that school’s office to clarify things. Well, it turns out that this person didn’t know either. But she gave us the number of yet another woman to call. (How convenient.) As far as receiving therapy (speech, physical, and occupational) on the school premises, she couldn’t speak for that either. It is quite possible that Namine will attend another facility altogether – or perhaps she might go there merely for therapy through the school, as required by her IEP.

Speaking of Namine’s IEP, it needs to be redone. When it was written, Namine wasn’t walking on her own – she requires a walker, true, but can do so without assistance – nor was she talking, to say nothing of her increased vocabulary. They better not keep her in her wheelchair all day like they did at Country Meadows.

3 responses

  1. Michele Avatar

    Home schooling here we come!!

  2. They spin me right round like a record baby right round round

  3. Iliana Avatar

    Contact Milwaukee’s Branch of Disability Rights WI at 414-773-4646 or their website at http://www.disabilityrightswi.org. I know a few people who work for them, and they’re seriously dedicated people. If you tell them the problem, I have no doubt they’ll help you solve it.

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