My husband and I pride ourselves on being extremely proactive in the education of our children. We have learned the hard way how to navigate the public school and health system, through all its twists, turns and dead ends to get the best possible results and resources for our three daughters.
We are fortunate that we were very attuned to our daughter Beth's development.
Like most parents of multiples, we have always consciously purposed to not compare our daughters with each other. That said, we both had red flags raise in our minds when Beth stopped speaking at the age of 18 months. She, like her big sister Mary and little sister Isabel, started to develop a clear vocabulary of simple words between 12 and 14 months of age, but by the time Beth reached 18 months all but the occasional "mama" and "da da" had stopped.
We did not think twice about having her assessed immediately. The result was no surprise. Beth was diagnosed with an expressive language delay called "verbal apraxia". Thus began the long and often frustrating journey of navigating both the public health and public school systems.
Beth received intensive speech and language therapy from the age of 18 months to five years of age. She was also referred to the BC Centre for Ability where she was assigned a consultant that regularly monitored her progress in preschool and provided advice and guidance to Beth's teachers as to how they could fine tune her learning experience. Then she was handed off to the public school system and their all too limited resources.
It was during Beth's kindergarten year and the amazing teacher she had who realized there was a lot more going on with Beth than just an expressive language delay. She identified definite fine and gross motor difficulties that affected her overall output and participation in activities with her peers. We tried to get her a Ministry designation based on her "verbal apraxia" alone, but she scored a 37 on her speech test, but needed to score 35 or less to qualify.
Her vice principal through diligent research found that a designation could be assigned by combining two or more learning disabilities which together inhibits a child's learning.
Her teacher, the vice principal at the time, the speech and language pathologist from the district together with Beth's pediatrician collaborated their reports based on their observations and examinations and pushed for Beth to be fast tracked through Sunny Hill Centre for Children for thorough assessments with their team of pediatric specialists including a psychologist, psychiatrist, pediatrician, occupational therapist, physiotherapist and speech and language pathologist. These assessments took place over the summer months between the end of kindergarten and beginning of grade 1. The diagnosis was confirmed, Beth had DCD combined with an expressive language delay qualified her for a formal Ministry designation.
Beth's pediatrician also conducted a broad spectrum genetic test as well as testing for other genetic conditions.
While these assessments were going on, the vice principal worked on Beth's case and by the time Beth started grade 1 she had received a formal designation through the Ministry of Education and the school district. Beth's designation is "D" Physical Disability or Chronic Health Impairment.
Beth also has an I.E.P. (individual education plan) in place. We meet three times a year with Beth's team at the school, her vice principal, teacher, ssw, resource teacher and sometimes members from the district's pediatric team. It is during these meetings that specific goals, objectives and learning outcomes are planned and revised.
For a complete list of Ministry Designations please go to this link -
What this designation affords Beth is the help of in class support with an SSW (school support worker a.k.a. E.A. Education Assistant). Beth also receives allotted resource support.
However, by grade 3 it became evident that Beth needed additional support as her written output could not keep up with her peers. Beth was falling behind. It wasn't for not trying. Beth has always been a very enthusiastic and eager learner wanting desperately to succeed.
SET BC approved the application and provided Beth with a laptop computer with specially loaded, BC Curriculum based software that has helped Beth tremendously.
What we have realized and have been told by the various people involved with our daughter on the school and medical fronts, is if we hadn't been and continue to be proactive in her education and academic progress, Beth could easily have become one of those kids that all too often fall through the cracks.
It has been brought to my attention that the Ministry is not funding supports for DCD diagnosis alone.
What I would like to point out to parents, through my ongoing personal research and learning, DCD is more often than not, part of a co-morbid relationship with other learning disabilities, neuro-motor disabilities, and physical conditions. For example, ADD, ADHD, SPD, depression, anxiety, among others.
The key for getting support within the system is to exhaust all available tests, assessments, etc., Don't rely solely upon the school system to catch it. They are as we all know to well, underfunded with resources stretched to the max.
It can also take months if not longer for assessments to take place with the school system and they are done separately from one another. For example, the SLP does their assessment, the O.T. does theirs, etc., and they may not all be happening at the same times or even with the same school year.
There is also the option of getting private assessments done, but I can tell you from experience the cost is prohibitive for most families.
I will be posting in the near future additional information regarding DCD and co-morbidity with other conditions.
