The Dreaded Yearly IEP for Ivy

Well, I had it sprung on me this morning that I was to attend Ivy's IEP this afternoon without any warning. I have been waiting patiently for the school to contact me regarding her IEP, but I have heard nothing. I imagine the scenario goes something like this. Her IEP has to be completed May 23, which is the last day of school. Someone over at the public school realized that no one had been in contact with myself or anyone at her private school and they scrambled to get this done. I was irritated as all get out, but luckily, it was my day to volunteer in the school cafeteria today, so as I was washing dishes today, I had plenty of time to mull it over, pray about it and then let it go to the universe. I was amazingly relaxed going into it. I remained calm through the entire hour and half process.

The first thing that got me going was the speech therapist moved to dismiss her speech for next year. I almost choked on my own air. I couldn't get the words out, that she is not ready to be cut yet when the school Principal chimed in and said, "no way, she isn't ready". I hate that they try to so hard to tell me she is almost typical. What exactly is typical in today's children anyway? It sure doesn't mean what it used to. I think there are more kids who are atypical than not these days.

So anyway, the principal and the speech therapists are duking it out over how many days she should get or not get, when I start to block their voices out and start thinking in my head, how fine the line is for her being what they say is "recovered" to her being autistic. The ST was all sure of herself and acting like she was the reason my daughter was so much better. I imagined myself slapping her right across the face and then that horrible thought shook me right back into the conversation at hand. I know, I know, that really wasn't a very nice thing for me to think, but hey....they have NO IDEA the hell we have gone through to get her where she is today. And while little additions like (2) 20 minute speech therapy session's 2 x's a week help..and I say that lightly because she rarely gets what she has coming to her, it's US (meaning Ed & I) that have done most of her recovering here, not them.

She is able to learn and thrive b/c of our efforts as her parents. If we hadn't pursued the diet and the enzymes and the supplements and the clay baths and natural chelation and every other little thing we came across along the way, then she would still be locked in her old world that they call autism. If we stop the diet, the enzymes or anything, she immediately reverts back to her old autistic habits...which tells me she is not really recovered, but she IS in remission as long as we just do what do, day in, day out and never miss a beat. Autism is treatable, you just can't ever stop the treatments.

So, all in all, the IEP went okay and I was happy in the end, but I hate that the public school doesn't recognize MY efforts at all. They just see that she is better and assume that she is better b/c they provide her with (2) 20 minute speech sessions a couple of days a week. So, after taking it all in and meditating a little on it after I got home, I think that all is well in IEP Land for Miss Ivy. I think we can start next year in the second grade without too much to worry about. After-all, every single time I tend to doubt her abilities, she proves me wrong and exceeds what I thought was ever possible. I love that little girl.....she is my hero.