Complaint #637...

Seriously though, I don't think I should have to file a single complaint with Early Intervention. They should just do the job they are supposed to be doing and mainly, I think they need to be careful when choosing their contracted providers. This complaint just HAD to be filed though because it was going a bit too far...

To refresh your memory, check out this entry. From there you will see that the behavior analyst disagreed with the Developmental Pediatricians diagnosis from the very beginning and she just can't seem to put her opinion aside and provide the care that she is supposed to be providing for Jayden. Instead, she seems more focused on proving why she disagrees with the diagnosis. Last week she took it too far though. At the beginning of October, we asked her to switch his services from the clinic, to our home environment because we were still struggling with the behaviors but she had yet to see any in the clinical setting (play room FILLED with new toys). She agreed. She came the following week and only stayed for 15 minutes of what was supposed to be a 45 minute session. The following week, she cancelled 15 minutes before the session was to start, saying that she wouldn't be able to get out of her office on time. So really, no real excuse to cancel the session. She came last week and stayed the duration of the 45 minute session, but spent most of it telling me that he didn't need ABA therapy "because I work with kids on the spectrum and we never get as far as I've gotten with Jayden." To that I replied, "We have not addressed his behaviors and that's my concern." Then the finger pointing started. She said that maybe his speech therapist is boring. That his OT should be doing more behavior stuff with him. And this is the one that pissed me off...She asked if he gets into trouble at MMO. We told her no (but found out Monday that he has been getting into trouble) and she said, and I quote, "Well, it must be something about you two." I swear my face turned red. I wanted to tell her off right there, but I held back. I did say I don't believe it's just us and that the behaviors need to be addressed. Jayden ran to the potty at that moment and couldn't get his underwear down on time so I had to go help clean him up and she used that as her que to leave. I had no closure and she didn't tell me what her plan for the next session would be since she felt he didn't need the therapy. I just knew that she wouldn't come this week. So yesterday, 3:13pm, my phone rings. It was the clinic and I was tempted to pick up the phone and say "Are you cancelling again?" but I didn't. It was the receptionist from the clinic saying that the therapist called the clinic and told them to let me know that she wouldn't be doing home visits today. No reason why, just that she wouldn't. And when she cancels, she never makes up the missed session, so it's just a lost week. To me, it seems like she is not taking Jayden serious b/c she doesn't agree with his diagnosis. I said in my post above, that I would deal with her as long as she provides the service requested. Well, at this point she isn't, so I cannot deal with her or have her wasting my son's time. I filed the report yesterday and got a call this morning from the Dept of Education. The lady basically said that she is the only person in the state that does behavior therapy so they spoke with her and she told them that she is willing to come to my house at the scheduled times along with the speech therapist, so that she can show the speech therapist how to work with him. That's BS. I told the lady that the behavior therapist has not touched his behavior issues. Instead, she points the finger. All the lady could tell me was, she's the only person they have. This is why I have to get out of MS. After the phone call with the Dept of Education, Jayden had speech therapy. He did fine until the therapist showed him a picture of a camera and he is obessessed with my p&s camera so he ran to grab it. We decided to let him take a few pictures with it and he would name everything he took pictures with. Then we needed him to move on b/c he started to get destructive with the camera. I tried to make a switch, the camera for his headphones which he usually LOVES, but he was not ready to transition. He threw the headphones, ran through the living flipping his chair and table over and swiping everything off of the coffee table, all while screaming like a banshee (and I know my neighbors heard this). Then he ran to his room. The BA once told us, when he knocks something down make him pick it up. That doesn't always work and today was an example. I literally had to DRAG him to the mess and tell him to pick it up. He screamed and flailed his body around, knocking down more stuff. So the speech therapist said, let's try hand over hand. So I took his hand in mine and made him "pick" up the mess. He balled his hands in fists and continued to kick and scream and hyperventilate, while I'm pretending that he's really picking up things and making me proud. Let's be honest here. I cannot deal with that 24/7. I need help with those behaviors. I don't know if the BA is skilled in working with that b/c she only focuses on learning and ignores the bad behaviors or distracts the kids with candy. Jayden is unpredictable. I'd literally have to have him eating candy all day to (hopefully) avoid a tantrum b/c once it happens, even candy will not pull him out of it.

Jayden's caseworker called me today to check on us since she'd heard about the complaint. When I told her the the BA said about my husband and I being the problem, the caseworker was just as pissed as I was. The thing is, I have a 10 page long evaluation of Jayden from the Dr, explaining all of the findings and a diagnosis, along with plans of action with one being behavior therapy. In my opinion, there is no reason for the BA to disagree with the diagnosis unless she can show me a 10 page report with opposite findings on my son. Otherwise, she has no case. The speech therapist actually cannot change her schedule, and I'm actually glad about that b/c the BA is trying to call all of the shots here. So I don't know what her plans are for next week, but Jayden has an appt on Wednesday in New Orleans for his seizures and I do not plan to rush n\back to Jackson for his therapy b/c chances are she will call at 3:15 and cancel again...why? Because he simply "doesn't need it".