BY DIANE NANCARROW, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist

Years of experience participating in individual education plan (IEP) meetings as a speech-language pathologist did not prepare me for my own child’s IEP. No matter your background, the experience is emotional. I wondered if the staff even liked my child and when it was over, I cried in my car.

Early IEP meetings for my son were difficult, but with experience and preparation I found I could get through them and find value in communicating with his team face-to-face.

Here are suggestions from teachers, counselors, psychologists, lawyers and advocates that helped.

1. Read IEP meeting invitation carefully
Call to reschedule if you can’t make the date. Note who is listed to attend, so you won’t be surprised at the size of the group and you are sure your child’s full team of professionals will be present. Let the school know if you will be bringing a support person.

2. Review all reports
It is vital to gather reports from all team members at least three days before the meeting. Read the summary first, then the rest of the report to see how the conclusions were drawn. Review recommendations for the classroom, support services, materials and more. Highlight anything you don’t understand so you can ask questions during the meeting.

3. Get support
Talk to your child’s case worker about what to expect and read up on services and accommodations specific to your district. Ask other parents from your child’s school for their advice. Bring a spouse or friend to be your extra eyes and ears or consider an advocacy service if you feel you need professional support and help.

4. Take an active part in the meeting
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If the vocabulary used is unfamiliar, ask if it can be restated in simpler language. Bring any questions and take lots of notes. Agree or disagree with the summary and recommendations. Remember that although labels can be scary, they allow your child to receive additional services and won’t limit their potential.

5. Advocate for the child you know
Remember that the school team sees your child in a different perspective and their remarks are based on deficits and deficiencies. Write your own short report that highlights your child’s strengths, personality and behaviors, so they know what a terrific kid you have.

When you’re done with your next IEP, remember it’s OK to cry. With the right preparation and mindset, it will not be from frustration, confusion or submission, but from relief. You have advocated, supported and communicated with the people who help your child develop skills for life.

BY KERRY PETERSON, MA, CCC-SLP, BCBA
Speech-Language Pathologist
Board-Certified Behavior Analyst

A good night’s sleep is critical for all children as it con-tributes to healthy growth, improved attention and learning, and reduced risk for illness and injury. “Good sleep” means the child falls asleep within a short time after being put to bed and sleeps through the night.

Children on the autism spectrum are even more likely to have sleep difficulties, such as taking a very long time to fall asleep, an inability to fall asleep on their own, and frequently waking in the night. However, our research-based methods can help all types of kids. In the absence of a medical cause for challenges, these steps may help your child get a better night of sleep.

Establish an appropriate schedule
If a child takes more than 15-30 minutes to fall asleep, it’s possible they are being put to bed too ear-ly. Be sure your child gets plenty of active engage-ment, sunlight, and exercise during the day so they are tired at night. Avoid naps as naptime hours can result in difficulty falling asleep at night.

Create predictable nighttime routines
These activities should be calming for your child and completed in the same order every night. Visual schedules are helpful to let the child see what’s ahead. If possible, move your child’s least-preferred tasks to earlier in the day. For example, if teeth brush-ing causes tantrums, do it after dinner but well before bedtime. Limit snacks and drinks with sugar or caffeine throughout the day and limit all food and drinks 90 minutes before bedtime.

Ensure an optimum sleep environment
Establish the bedroom as a place to sleep and be sure toys, electronics, and other fun items are out of bounds at bedtime. Cooler temperatures and dim lighting can encourage sleepiness. White noise or a fan may be better than music for helping your child fall asleep.

Identify sleep dependencies
These are items that we associate with falling asleep. While some are helpful as comfort items (such as a favorite stuffed animal), others are not conducive to good sleep, including being rocked to sleep, watching TV to fall asleep, and requiring the presence of anoth-er person to fall asleep.

Reduce interfering behaviors
If a child keeps getting out of bed and adults offer snacks, hugs, kisses, and attention, it’s likely they will get out of bed more often. Instead, reward your child for staying in bed all night by giving them a “great night ticket” they can trade in for a preferred activity during the next day.

BY AMY HENGSTEBECK, OTRL
KCC Director of Occupational Therapy & Sensory Programs
Occupational Therapist

When people talk about kids who are picky eaters, the conversation usually revolves around how to encourage kids to eat a better variety of foods, not necessarily why the child is a picky eater. And yet the “why” of picky eating can play a major role in helping kids overcome it.

It’s true that some kids are just fussy. They like what they like and they don’t want to eat other foods.

But some other causes of picky eating – the extreme version of the issue – are more complicated than that. For instance, if a child has a decreased awareness in his or her mouth, they can struggle to feel their food and can become overwhelmed and give up on eating.

If a child has decreased coordinated movements of oral structures, the child is not able to smoothly move the chewed food in their mouth and is at an increased risk of choking. Muscle weakness in the mouth can be another factor, which can cause kids to avoid foods, like meats, that require stronger jaw muscles.

In some cases, kids who struggle with certain food textures are found to have tactile defensiveness. This is when a child struggles processing touch and may lead the child to avoid foods like applesauce or yogurt, for instance.

So what do parents do?

Get an oral motor/feeding evaluation from a professional such as an occupational therapist or speech-language pathologist. During the evaluation, all components of eating will be assessed. These include structures used for feeding and the child’s strength and coordination. The professional will also evaluate how the child processes touch and what textures he or she avoids. In general, the child’s reaction to various foods will be recorded to determine the root of the behavior and how best to help.

Often occupational therapy can help address the sensory components necessary to “ready” a child for mealtime. Sometimes the implementation of a playful approach to feeding is recommended. This can include exploration of the food, preparing the food and interacting with it in various positive ways. Overall, therapy for extreme picky eating involves collaborating with the parent to help the child overcome the issue and enjoy a varied and healthful diet.